CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. — A popular beach on Chincoteague Island is preparing for a major change as the recreational beach is set to relocate about 2.5 miles north, according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.
The recreational beach at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge is the beach being relocated. The roughly mile-long beach draws more than 1 million visitors each year. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Assateague Island is naturally moving toward the mainland by about 10 to 13 feet each year.
The relocation is part of a multi-year planning and public engagement process involving the recreational beach at Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Beachgoers who spoke with WBOC said they are not too concerned about the move, as long as the new location offers the same experience.
“We just have so many good memories here. But I'm sure the other one will be great, too. We got the ocean in the sand. So that's all you need,” Janelle Wankum said.
Woodrow Purcell said parking will be important at the new location.
“I'm hearing from other people that there's going to be a new parking lot as long as they got a parking lot,” Purcell said.
Emma Beall said she believes relocating the beach could ultimately benefit the area.
“I think it's going to be eventually a good thing,” Beall said. “I think this beach here has been used up and they need to really relocate it.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the relocated beach will include a new parking lot with more than 900 spaces for visitors.
For the town of Chincoteague, however, the long-term impact of the move remains uncertain.
Denise Bowden, Mayor of Chincoteague, said people have different expectations about what the relocation could mean for the community.
“It's unknown right now. Not sure what it's going to mean for us,” Bowden said. “I've had people say that they might find somewhere else to go. I've had other people say, it's going to be fine. Right now, it's just unknown.”
The relocated recreational beach is expected to open in spring 2027.
