TOUR NAME: Chincoteague’s Crown Jewels – 10 hour tour!
DATE: Saturday, February 3, 2024
DEPARTURE LOCATION: Bayside Recreation Center 4500 First Court Road Virginia Beach VA
DURATION – approximately 10 hours (ROUND TRIP): 8:00 – 6:00 (ish) Flexible return time/Traffic dependent.
NOTE: There will be a stop for lunch (bring $ for your food and drink)
PRICE: $145 per person (a tip for the guide is already included in this fee)
*Important Note: REGISTRATION OPENS on November 15 at 9 am. Please know that the annual Winter Wildlife Festival tickets often sell out within a few hours. It is advised that you purchase tickets right at 9 am!
Register and get your tickets directly from the City of Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation at this link:
DESCRIPTION: Join The Nature Bus for a spectacular all day tour to the town of Chincoteague and the National Wildlife Refuge. Birding expert, James Abbott, will be your guide! Although the bus ride is more than two hours, each direction, the naturalist will provide an excellent education program while riding. Participants will be taken up the eastern shore of Virginia and over the marsh causeway to one of the state’s most popular places to visit. Situated on the southern end of Assateague Island, Chincoteague NWR is one of the crown jewels of Virginia natural areas. The Refuge in the winter is a very important place for waterfowl along the Atlantic flyway. This tour will take you onto the refuge along the wonderful wildlife drive, into the marsh to observe the unique Chincoteague Ponies and Delmarva Fox Squirrel, and down to the Atlantic Ocean shoreline. We will also be lunching in the beautiful town of Chincoteague. February can be cold, so dress warmly. There will be some light walking involved. Visit TheNatureBus.com for trip itinerary; be sure to click the green button for important information!
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
– Expert pre-planning services
– Air conditioned/heated new vehicle
– Transportation: Departure from: Bayside Recreation Center 4500 First Court Road Virginia Beach VA > travel to 6150 Community Drive, Chincoteague, VA 23336 (approximately 2 hour ride each direction)
– All fees (including gasoline, tolls, permits/admission fee to locations; excluding food/drink)
– Your guided tour includes an expert naturalist guide
–MEET YOUR GUIDE James Abbott: https://thenaturebus.com/our-team/
THINGS TO BRING:
– Bring $ for lunch. We will make a stop in the town of Chincoteague for lunch. Since it is a 10 hour tour, we recommend (in addition to lunch) that you pack food, drink and snacks in an insulated lunchbox – a sandwich, power bars, or something else that is very EASY to snack on while walking outdoors. We will not SIT down to eat due to the colder weather (not picnic temperatures). Some folks might bring a thermos of hot coffee or soup to stay extra warm. Eating, drinking, chewing gum is not permitted on the bus. Bring water to stay hydrated. Of course, water is allowed on the bus.
– Dress for the weather and trail conditions; warm layers, hat, rain jacket, comfortable walking shoes; air-activated heat packs/inserts for your socks and gloves.
– Your proof of registration from the Winter Wildlife Festival portal www.vbgov.com
– Printed/signed waiver (If you forget yours we will have one you can sign on the bus, but it saves a lot of time when everyone prints theirs at home and brings it with them.) Here is the link to the required form: https://thenaturebus.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/NB_Waiver1.pdf
– $20 cash if you’d like to purchase a Nature Bus t-shirt (available on board)
Important NOTES “Know before you go” ~
*We go “light rain” or shine. Please dress for the weather. In the case of light rain, we simply take cover and wait it out. In the case of very heavy rain, extreme wind or temperatures, we will cancel this tour and refund all participants. ALL SALES FINAL/NO REFUNDS for any other reasons, including sickness/covid. In this case, please sell/gift your ticket with someone you know.
*PLEASE: Eating, drinking, chewing gum is not permitted on the bus. Please arrive 15-30 min before departure. Save time at check-in by bringing your signed waiver. No restroom on board the bus; arrive early enough to use the rr at Bayside Recreation Center before boarding the bus. There is a port-a-potty when we arrive at The Great Dismal Swamp. We cannot wait for latecomers because we must adhere to our planned itinerary. Therefore we must pull away at the exact departure time. We cannot receive telephone/text calls to let us know you are running late because we will driving and using the phone as a GPS.
*ALL OUR TOURS INVOLVE WALKING; GUESTS SHOULD EXPECT VARYING DEGREES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. There are 3 large steps to climb to enter the bus. We apologize, but there is no room on board to accommodate wheel chairs or walkers. Our tours require participants to be ambulatory and in reasonably good physical health to manage our nature excursions.
COVID SAFETY MEASURES: We care about the health and safety of those participating in our nature experiences. The bus is sanitized between each tour. Feel free to crack open your window if you prefer. Please stay home if you are not feeling well or have a fever. Federal Law no longer “requires” masks be worn on airplanes, trains and buses. Masks are optional.
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- We look forward to seeing you on the tour! Check out all of the 5-star reviews, so you will be super confident that you will have an amazing experience! You can read these reviews at TheNatureBus.com > click the REVIEWS tab or click this link: https://thenaturebus.com/reviews/
- Please help fill up this tour! Share on your social media and with everyone you know! We need a minimum of 10 seats, maximum of 16 seats for each tour to go. Spread the word! See you soon!
- If you have any questions, please text/call the owner. Suzanne 757-288-9595
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February 3, 2024
8:00 am - 6:00 pm