Lodging rentals near Bracey, Virginia

BluFin Bungalows & Marina

Chincoteague Island, Virginia, sits at the narrow end of a causeway connecting the Eastern Shore to the barrier islands of Assateague, where one of the Atlantic Coast's most distinctive wildlife spectacles plays out each summer. BluFin Bungalows & Marina positions guests at the water's edge in Chincoteague's working waterfront district, combining conventional bungalow accommodations with the property's most unusual offering: the Bungalow Boats, floating accommodations moored at the marina that put guests literally on the water. For anyone who has ever wanted to sleep rocking gently in a coastal tidal channel surrounded by marsh and open sky, BluFin delivers that experience. The property offers both land-based bungalows and the floating Bungalow Boats, which are self-contained units moored at the marina dock — a genuine novelty that makes this one of the few places on the Virginia coast where a night on the water doesn't require boat ownership. The marina provides access to Chincoteague Channel and the tidal waters surrounding the island, with crabbing and fishing immediately accessible from the dock. Soft-shell and blue crab are the local specialty, and the channel produces flounder, rockfish, and red drum for those fishing from the pier or launching kayaks from the property. Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge covers the southern portion of Assateague Island across the bridge from town, protecting one of the East Coast's finest shorebird habitats and the internationally famous Chincoteague ponies — a herd of feral horses that has inhabited the island for centuries, believed by some to be descended from survivors of a Spanish shipwreck. Guests staying at BluFin are within easy reach of the refuge's beach, dunes, and pine maritime forest, along with Assateague Lighthouse, whose distinctive red spiral stripes make it one of the most photographed structures on the Delmarva Peninsula. The Chincoteague Pony Swim, held annually on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July, has drawn crowds to the island since the 1920s. On the appointed morning, the pony herd is rounded up by volunteer Saltwater Cowboys and swum across the Assateague Channel to Chincoteague, where foals are auctioned to benefit the local fire company before the adults swim back. The event fills every available accommodation on the island and surrounding area weeks in advance, and watching the ponies emerge from the channel is one of the genuinely memorable wildlife moments available anywhere on the East Coast. Kayak tours of the refuge's back channels offer intimate wildlife viewing year-round. Summer is high season on Chincoteague, with the Pony Swim in late July representing the island's absolute peak demand period — plan reservations months in advance if that event is the draw. Spring and fall bring migratory waterfowl and shorebirds to the refuge in enormous numbers, making shoulder-season visits especially rewarding for birders; the crowds thin dramatically after Labor Day. Winter is quiet and uncrowded, with the ponies visible on the beach and excellent birding without competition for viewing spots. The island's restaurants, galleries, and gift shops cater to visitors year-round, though some seasonal businesses close November through March.

from $99/night

Oak Island Campground

52 RV Sites, 2 Onsite RV/Trailers

Oak Island Campground in Southport, NC, offers 54 full-hookup back-in RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 50 feet. Sites come in four categories — deluxe full-hookup, premium full-hookup, and two named sites, Flounder and Wahoo — all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi. The campground is rated big rig friendly. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a boutique shop, on-site dining, a pavilion, a community fire pit, and cabins cover the rest. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. Creek frontage, beach access, corn hole, live music, and coastal dark sky for stargazing fill the grounds, with swimming, fishing, boating, and picnicking. Southport is a postcard-pretty waterfront town just south of Wilmington on the Brunswick County coast, and the campground sits within a mile of the beach. The Southport trolley, the ferry, the Oak Island Lighthouse, and downtown are all close. Rates by site category are on the booking page. Summer on the Brunswick coast books early — deluxe and premium sites go first.

from $77/night