# Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis

> From Jamestown and Yorktown via Virginia Beach, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Chincoteague and Assateague to St. Michaels and across the Bay Bridge to…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-300-virginia-eastern-shore-chesapeake/

**At a glance:** 7-day road trip of about 535 km (332 mi) with 12 stops, from Jamestown to Annapolis. About 5 h 56 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May and September–October. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about $1 (MD). From Jamestown and Yorktown via Virginia Beach, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Chincoteague and Assateague to St. Michaels and across the Bay Bridge to Annapolis: around 730 kilometres of colonial history, marsh and bay.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 535 km (332 mi) |
| Driving | 5 h 56 min |
| Suggested days | 7 |
| Stops | 12 |
| Route | Jamestown → Annapolis |
| States | VA, MD |
| Best time to go | May and September–October |
| Tolls and vignettes | ≈ $1 |
| Updated | September 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-300-virginia-eastern-shore-chesapeake.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving in the US: The Rules European Visitors Most Often Get Wrong at the Wheel](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-driving-rules-visitors/), [Fuel, Tolls and Distances: Practical US Driving Math for Motorhome and Camper Travelers](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-fuel-tolls-distances/), [US national parks: entry fees, passes and reservations in plain terms](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/us-national-park-passes/)

*From Jamestown and Yorktown via Virginia Beach, the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, Chincoteague and Assateague to St. Michaels and across the Bay Bridge to Annapolis: around 730 kilometres of colonial history, marsh and bay.*

## The spirit of the route

The Chesapeake Bay is not a place but a web of water: river mouths, salt meadows, tidal creeks and low islands with ospreys circling overhead. The route begins where English America came ashore in 1607, rolls along the tree-lined Colonial Parkway between the James and York rivers and, beyond Virginia Beach, quite literally dives under – twice beneath the shipping channel, almost 30 kilometres across open water. On the Eastern Shore everything becomes flatter and slower: soybean fields, white wooden churches, crab pots on the jetties. From the sliding door you see ponies in the marsh grass of Assateague in the morning and herons over the bayside water in the evening, and you hear the hum of the mosquitoes, which are part of the landscape here. At the end come the skipjacks of St. Michaels, the four-mile Bay Bridge and the brick lanes of Annapolis.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Jamestown to Yorktown (approx. 55 km)

- **The drive:** The Colonial Parkway links Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown over around 37 kilometres (23 miles): two lanes, no shoulder, speed limit 45 mph (72 km/h), with an exposed-aggregate surface that is rough and noisy. Trucks and commercial traffic are banned; motorhomes are allowed. Beneath historic Williamsburg the parkway runs through a tunnel with limited clearance – tall vehicles should watch the signs and bypass this section on the town’s streets. Driving time alone is under an hour, a long day with sightseeing; afterwards it is around 15 kilometres to Newport News Park. There are no fuel stations on the parkway, but plenty in Williamsburg.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Historic Jamestowne (Colonial National Historical Park): the excavation site of the first permanent English settlement of 1607, with the foundations of the fort, the memorial church and the Archaearium. Not to be confused with the neighbouring Jamestown Settlement, a State of Virginia open-air museum with replica ships. Separate admission; check opening hours on nps.gov.
  - Colonial Williamsburg: the reconstructed capital of the colony with craft workshops, the Governor’s Palace and Duke of Gloucester Street, which is closed to cars. Leave motorhomes in the signposted visitor car parks and continue by shuttle or on foot.
  - Yorktown Battlefield: scene of the surrender of 1781, with a driving tour past the earthworks, Moore House and Surrender Field; on the edge of town is the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Around the 250th anniversary of independence in 2026, expect events and full car parks.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Newport News Park Campground: municipal campground in the large wooded park between Yorktown and Newport News, sites with water and electricity in several loops, bathhouses with showers and a dump station. Reservations through the City of Newport News; check lengths and hookups when booking. Alternative south of the James River: Chippokes State Park near Surry, reached on the Jamestown-Scotland ferry, sites with hookups.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Overnight stays are prohibited on the Colonial Parkway, in its pull-offs and in the car parks of the historic sites; rangers patrol. There is no free camping in the Hampton Roads region, not even on federal land.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The free Jamestown-Scotland ferry (VDOT) across the James River is a good alternative route south if you want to avoid the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel; motorhomes and trailer rigs are carried, but expect waits on summer weekends. The parkway has numerous pull-offs along the York River – ideal for a lunch break with a water view.

### Stage 2: Newport News to Virginia Beach (approx. 70 km)

- **The drive:** Take the I-64 and the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel (HRBT) to Norfolk, then the I-264 or Shore Drive (US-60) to Virginia Beach. The expansion has turned the HRBT into a major construction site, with lane shifts and congestion especially at rush hour and on summer weekends. Propane in standard RV cylinders and built-in tanks is permitted in the tunnel (see Practicalities); close the valves before entering. If you want to avoid the tunnel altogether, go via the ferry and Suffolk. Driving time alone is 1–1.5 hours, considerably more in traffic. Fuel stations everywhere.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Fort Monroe National Monument in Hampton: a stone fortress with a moat at the tip of the peninsula; this is where the first enslaved Africans arrived in the English colony in 1619, and in the Civil War the fort became “Freedom’s Fortress”. The grounds are freely accessible; the Casemate Museum has its own opening hours.
  - Cape Henry: at the cape, the Cape Henry Memorial commemorates the settlers’ landing in 1607; next to it stand the old lighthouse of 1792 and the new cast-iron tower. The site lies on a military base (Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek–Fort Story), with access only after ID and vehicle checks – check the conditions for foreign visitors in advance.
  - First Landing State Park: the Bald Cypress Trail follows boardwalks through bald cypresses draped in Spanish moss – a sight you hardly expect this far north. Plus a beach on the Chesapeake Bay rather than the open Atlantic.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** First Landing State Park: campground right behind the dunes on the Chesapeake Bay, sites with water and electricity as well as without hookups, bathhouses with showers, dump station. One of the most sought-after campgrounds in Virginia – book as early as possible through the Virginia State Parks reservation system and note the vehicle length per site; the sand is soft, so do not drive off the pad.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Virginia Beach prohibits overnight stays in motorhomes on streets and in public car parks; the Oceanfront is patrolled and vehicles are towed. There is no legal free-camping option within the city.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Oceanfront with its boardwalk is a chore in a large vehicle: parking garages have height limits. It is better to cycle from the campground via the Cape Henry Trail and the bike paths, or to use car parks on the bay side. Fill up with fuel and water before the bridge-tunnel.

### Stage 3: Virginia Beach to Cape Charles (approx. 50 km)

- **The drive:** Take the US-13 across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (CBBT): around 28 kilometres (17.6 miles) of bridges, artificial islands and two tunnels beneath the shipping channels (Thimble Shoal and Chesapeake Channel). Tolled, with rates by vehicle class and axles, higher on Fridays to Sundays from mid-May to mid-September; E-ZPass is accepted. Propane containers may be inspected at the toll plaza. In wind, restriction levels apply that exclude motorhomes and trailer rigs from Level 1 (40 mph). Driving time alone is around 45 minutes; then flat fields and pine forest in Northampton County.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel: the crossing itself is the experience – container ships and warships pass over the tunnel tubes, pelicans and gannets perch on the piers. A second tube is being built at the Thimble Shoal Tunnel, with completion currently planned for 2027. The restaurant and shop on the southern island (Sea Gull Island) are permanently closed, and the fishing pier and car park are closed until construction ends – stopping there is currently not possible.
  - Kiptopeke State Park: off the beach, the hulls of nine concrete ships from the Second World War serve as a breakwater. In autumn, raptors and songbirds pass through here on their way south; the hawk watch and banding station are staffed at that time.
  - Cape Charles: a small railway port of 1884 with grid streets, houses from around 1900 and a quiet town beach on the bay where you watch the sun set over the water – impossible on the Atlantic coast.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Kiptopeke State Park: campground south of Cape Charles on the bay, sites with water and electricity, some with sewer hookup, plus sites without hookups, bathhouses and a dump station. Reservations through Virginia State Parks; well booked in September and October because of the bird migration season and anglers.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** There is no public land for dispersed camping on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge at the southern tip is open during the day only; overnight stays are prohibited.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Before setting off, check the wind level on cbbt.com or by phone; if a storm is forecast, better to wait a day, because turning around on the bridge is not possible. With E-ZPass, certain vehicle classes get a reduced rate for a return trip within 24 hours – interesting for a side trip, not for this route. The Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge directly north of the bridge has a loop trail with views of the islands at the tip of the cape.

### Stage 4: Cape Charles to Chincoteague (approx. 125 km)

- **The drive:** Take the US-13 north along the entire Eastern Shore of Virginia: four lanes, flat, mostly 55 mph (88 km/h), slower through towns. From T’s Corner take the VA-175 past the NASA Wallops Flight Facility and over a long causeway through the marsh to Chincoteague. Driving time alone is around 1.5 hours; side trips to the harbour towns on the bay side are worthwhile. Fuel stations and supermarkets at regular intervals on the US-13.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Onancock: an old harbour town on a side arm of the bay with a wharf, shops and Kerr Place Plantation; ideal for a stroll, with parking for large vehicles on the edges of town.
  - Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague (Virginia): the Wildlife Loop through marsh and freshwater ponds, Assateague Lighthouse (red-and-white striped) and viewpoints where the Chincoteague ponies often graze. The ponies in Virginia belong to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company; admission per vehicle, seasonal opening hours.
  - NASA Wallops Visitor Center: exhibition on the rocket launches that go into space from Wallops Island; launches are visible from Chincoteague. Check opening hours in advance.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** There is no campground in the Virginia part of Assateague. Chincoteague Island has several private campgrounds with full hookups and bathhouses; in July (Pony Swim) and on summer weekends, book weeks to months ahead. Fallback on the mainland: Pocomoke River State Park (Shad Landing) near Snow Hill in Maryland, around 60 kilometres north.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Sleeping in your vehicle is prohibited on Chincoteague and in the refuge; the beach car parks close at night. There is no legal free-camping option on the island.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Do not feed or touch the ponies – they bite and kick, and fines are high. The best time for the Wildlife Loop is early morning. Because of erosion, the swimming beach at Toms Cove is being moved around 1.5 miles north; the new car park with boardwalks over the dune is due to be finished by spring 2027, and the Toms Cove Visitor Center has already been demolished. Check the current status with the refuge or the NPS. The Pony Swim traditionally takes place in late July – the island is then overcrowded.

### Stage 5: Chincoteague to Assateague Island (Maryland) (approx. 105 km)

- **The drive:** Take the VA-175 back to the mainland, the VA-679 north across the state line and the MD-12 through woods and fields to Snow Hill, then on via the US-113 to Berlin; from there take the MD-376 and MD-611 over the Verrazano Bridge onto the island. Two-lane country roads, 50–55 mph, hardly any traffic outside summer weekends. Driving time alone is around 1.5 hours. Fuel stations in Snow Hill and Berlin; none on the island.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Pocomoke River: near Snow Hill the river flows through cypress swamps and is a quiet canoeing area; rentals and a landing at Pocomoke River State Park.
  - Assateague Island National Seashore (Maryland): the wild horses in the Maryland section are managed by the NPS as a free-roaming herd; you often see them on the Life of the Marsh, Life of the Forest and Life of the Dunes nature trails. Keep your distance – the NPS recommends at least a bus length, and feeding is a punishable offence.
  - Berlin: a small town with a 19th-century brick centre, bakeries and antiques; good for shopping before the island.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Three options on the island: Assateague State Park (Maryland DNR) with around 340 sites behind the dunes, only a small share of them with electricity, hot showers and a dump station, season roughly spring to autumn, reservations through the Maryland Park Reservation System. Then the NPS campgrounds Oceanside (on the Atlantic) and Bayside (on Sinepuxent Bay) without hookups, with drinking water, chemical toilets and seasonal cold-water showers; Oceanside by reservation only from 15 March to 15 November, Bayside reservable year-round – via recreation.gov, up to six months in advance; summer weekends book up quickly. Bayside Loop B is generator-free.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On Assateague, overnight stays outside the campgrounds are prohibited; backcountry camping is possible only on foot or by canoe and with a permit. The beach car parks are patrolled at night.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Mosquitoes, horseflies and, in high summer, greenhead flies are the real challenge on Assateague, especially when there is no wind and on Bayside. Have screens on all windows and keep a mosquito net and repellent at hand; Oceanside is somewhat more bearable with a sea breeze. The horses wander through the sites at night – lock food, cool box and rubbish in the vehicle, or they will tear bags open.

### Stage 6: Assateague Island (Maryland) to St. Michaels (approx. 190 km)

- **The drive:** Briefly past the harbour of Ocean City, then west on the US-50: Salisbury, Vienna, across the Nanticoke River to Cambridge and on to Easton; from there take the MD-33 to St. Michaels. The US-50 has four lanes and a 55 mph limit, and backs up on summer Fridays and Sundays with beach traffic. With the side trip to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, driving time alone is around 3.5 hours. Plenty of fuel stations in Salisbury, Cambridge and Easton.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Ocean City: the boardwalk and the inlet area are best early in the morning; in town, parking for motorhomes is scarce and expensive – note the height limits in parking garages.
  - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge south of Cambridge: Wildlife Drive through marsh and forest, thousands of geese in autumn and winter, bald eagles year-round. Nearby is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (NPS and Maryland State Parks), in the landscape where Tubman grew up.
  - St. Michaels: the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum displays skipjacks, workboats and the Hooper Strait Lighthouse, a bay lighthouse standing on piles; the town lies on the Miles River with boatyards and crab restaurants.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Martinak State Park near Denton on the Choptank River: woodland campground with sites with and without electricity, bathhouse and dump station, around 45 kilometres from St. Michaels. Alternative: Tuckahoe State Park north of Queen Anne, a quiet lake, electric and non-electric loops. Both via the Maryland Park Reservation System; check length limits when booking.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Ocean City and in St. Michaels, sleeping in your vehicle on streets and in car parks is prohibited. There is no public land for dispersed camping on Maryland’s Eastern Shore; the Wildlife Management Areas allow camping only where it is expressly designated.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Wildlife Drive at Blackwater is passable for motorhomes but narrow; keep insect protection at hand. If you stay overnight or shop in Easton, you will find the largest supermarkets in the area there. The historic Oxford–Bellevue ferry across the Tred Avon River offers a short connection between Oxford and St. Michaels; it runs only seasonally and vehicle length and weight are limited, so check beforehand.

### Stage 7: St. Michaels to Annapolis (approx. 130 km)

- **The drive:** Take the MD-33 west to Tilghman Island and back; the road crosses fields and inlets, and just before the island goes over the drawbridge at Knapps Narrows. Then via Easton onto the US-50 north, across Kent Island and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, around 7 kilometres) to Annapolis. Westbound the Bay Bridge is toll-free – tolls are collected eastbound only. In strong wind the MDTA issues warnings under which tall, empty vehicles and trailers may be restricted. Driving time alone is around 2 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Tilghman Island: a fishing island with skipjacks, the last oyster boats in North America that still dredge under sail; at Knapps Narrows the bridge often opens for boats, so allow for waiting time.
  - Chesapeake Bay Bridge: the drive across the second bridge gives open views over the bay, container ships and sailing boats; stopping on the bridge is prohibited.
  - Annapolis: Maryland’s capital with the Maryland State House, the United States Naval Academy (visitor access with ID check) and the harbour at City Dock. The old town has narrow, steep lanes – park large vehicles outside and go in by bike or bus.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** There is no state campground in the Annapolis area. The nearest public campground: Patapsco Valley State Park (Hollofield Area) near Ellicott City, around an hour away, sites with and without electricity, bathhouse. Alternatively, stay an extra night in Tuckahoe or Martinak and plan Annapolis as a day trip; reserve private campgrounds in the surrounding area in advance.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Overnight stays are prohibited in Annapolis and at Sandy Point State Park (day use at the western end of the Bay Bridge). There is no legal free-camping option in Anne Arundel County.
- **Insider tip for campers:** If you continue from Annapolis towards Baltimore or north: propane is banned in the tunnels under Baltimore harbour (I-95 Fort McHenry and I-895 Harbor), and the I-695 Key Bridge has been impassable since its collapse in 2024. With gas on board, take the I-695 around the west side. Sandy Point State Park is good for a break with a view of the bridge.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Virginia and Maryland have practically no public land for dispersed camping on the coast; overnight stays are allowed only at designated campgrounds. Cities such as Virginia Beach, Ocean City and Annapolis prohibit sleeping in vehicles on streets and in car parks and will tow.
- Interstate rest areas are for resting, not for overnight stays; observe signs giving maximum parking times. Supermarket and department store car parks only with the store’s express permission.
- Reservations: Virginia State Parks via the central reservation system (dcr.virginia.gov), Maryland State Parks via the Maryland Park Reservation System, NPS campgrounds on Assateague via recreation.gov. Book First Landing, Kiptopeke and Assateague as early as possible for summer and autumn.
- Federal lands: since 2026, visitors without US residence have in some cases faced higher fees and surcharges at US national parks; check current amounts on nps.gov. The America the Beautiful Pass is valid at Assateague and in the National Wildlife Refuges.
- Wildlife: the ponies and horses on Assateague and Chincoteague are wild; keep your distance and do not feed them. Ticks (including the lone star tick) are common – check yourself after hikes.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and Recreation.gov; Park4Night is not widely used here.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations: at almost all state park campgrounds (First Landing, Kiptopeke, Assateague State Park, Martinak, Tuckahoe) and at private campgrounds; the NPS campgrounds on Assateague have no hookups.
- Drinking water: from taps at campgrounds; tap water is drinkable, though on the islands it may taste salty or of chlorine.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations; discharging into the marsh or the bay is strictly prohibited.
- Propane: fuel stations, hardware stores and campgrounds fill US cylinders; European cylinders are generally not filled. Close the main valves before every tunnel.
- Electricity: state park sites offer 20/30 A, some 50 A; NPS campgrounds on Assateague have no electricity, and generators are allowed only at certain times and not in generator-free areas.
- Fuel and shopping: supermarkets in Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, on the US-13 (Exmore, Onley), in Chincoteague, Berlin, Salisbury, Cambridge and Easton.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Speed limits: interstates in Virginia mostly 65–70 mph, in Maryland 55–70 mph; US-13 and US-50 mostly 55 mph; Colonial Parkway 45 mph. In Virginia, more than 85 mph or more than 20 mph over the limit counts as “reckless driving” – a criminal offence, not just a fine.
- Radar detectors are banned in Virginia. In Virginia and Maryland, phones may be used at the wheel only hands-free.
- Tolls: Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (rates by vehicle class and axles, peak rates in summer, current amounts on cbbt.com), Chesapeake Bay Bridge (eastbound only, electronically via E-ZPass or plate-based invoice). E-ZPass is valid in both states; with rental vehicles, clarify the toll arrangements in advance.
- Tunnels and propane: in the CBBT, private vehicles may carry up to two loose cylinders of no more than 45 pounds each (or one up to 60 pounds) or up to two permanently mounted containers; they must meet DOT standards, be secured and have their valves closed, and are inspected at the toll plaza. In the Hampton Roads tunnels (HRBT, Monitor-Merrimac), propane is permitted in containers that are not large-volume, and there is no checkpoint; close the valves anyway. Propane is banned in the Baltimore tunnels (Fort McHenry, Harbor Tunnel).
- Wind at the CBBT: from Level 1 (wind from 40 mph), motorhomes, caravans and anything with a trailer are banned, from Level 3 the entire bridge is closed; status on cbbt.com.
- Hurricane season: 1 June to 30 November, peaking August to October. When storm warnings are issued, Chincoteague, Assateague and Ocean City are evacuated, campgrounds cleared and the CBBT closed; note the evacuation routes and check the weather daily. Nor’easters in autumn also bring flooding, and in Annapolis City Dock regularly floods at spring tides.
- Emergency: 911. Mobile coverage on the Eastern Shore is mostly good, patchy in places in the marsh and on Assateague.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Mosquito netting for door and windows, repellent with DEET or picaridin and long, light-coloured clothing: the mosquitoes and greenheads on Assateague are legendary.
- Long sand pegs and boards under stabiliser jacks: the sites on Assateague and at First Landing are on soft sand.
- E-ZPass transponder (or the rental company’s toll arrangement): saves waiting time and surcharges at the CBBT and the Bay Bridge.
- Binoculars for ponies, bald eagles and the raptor migration at Kiptopeke.
- Tick remover and tick protection: ticks are widespread in the marsh and woods along the entire route.
- Weather radio or severe-weather app with National Weather Service alerts: in hurricane season, the advance warning time decides whether you can leave in an orderly way.

_As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District – Wind Advisory and Restriction Policy](https://cbbt.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Wind-Restriction-Policy-eff.-July-1-2022.pdf)
- [Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District – Toll Schedule (inkl. Propanregeln)](https://www.cbbt.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/current-toll-schedule.pdf)
- [Virginia Administrative Code – 24VAC30-61 Hazardous Materials in Tunnels](https://law.lis.virginia.gov/admincodefull/title24/agency30/chapter61/)
- [National Park Service, Assateague Island NS – Camping in Maryland](https://www.nps.gov/asis/planyourvisit/marylandcamping.htm)
- [Maryland DNR – Assateague State Park Camping](https://dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands/Pages/eastern/Assateague/Camping.aspx)
- [U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Chincoteague NWR – Beach Relocation and Habitat Restoration Projects](https://fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague/beach-relocation-and-habitat-restoration-projects)
- [WMDT – Assateague Officials Outline What’s Next in Beach Relocation Plan (April 2026)](https://www.wmdt.com/2026/04/assateague-officials-outline-whats-next-in-beach-relocation-plan/)
- [13News Now – Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel restaurant, gift shop closing for good](https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/virginia/eastern-shore/chesapeake-bay-bridge-tunnel-restaurant-gift-shop-closing-for-good/471354810)
- [Virginia DCR – Kiptopeke State Park](https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/kiptopeke)
- [Virginia DCR – First Landing State Park](https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/first-landing)
- [City of Newport News – Newport News Park Camping](https://www.newport-news.org/visitors/things-to-do/outdoors-and-recreation/camping/)

## Which stops are on the route from Jamestown to Annapolis?

1. **Jamestown** (VA)
2. **Williamsburg** (VA)
3. **Yorktown** (VA)
4. **Virginia Beach** (VA)
5. **Cape Charles** (VA)
6. **Chincoteague** (VA)
7. **Assateague Island** (MD)
8. **Ocean City** (MD)
9. **Cambridge** (MD)
10. **St. Michaels** (MD)
11. **Tilghman Island** (MD)
12. **Annapolis** (MD)

## When is the best time for the route from Jamestown to Annapolis?

The most pleasant months are usually May and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and June. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis?**
7-day road trip of about 535 km (332 mi) with 12 stops, from Jamestown to Annapolis. About 5 h 56 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis?**
We suggest 7 days: about 5 h 56 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis start and end?**
It starts in Jamestown and ends in Annapolis.

**Which states does Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis pass through?**
Virginia and Maryland.

**Where can you camp along Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis?**
OpenStreetMap lists 83 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: Virginia Beach KOA Holiday, Sun Outdoors Cape Charles and Jellystone Park Chincoteague Island.

**How much are the tolls on the route from Jamestown to Annapolis?**
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about $1 (MD). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.