Up the bay Pony Tours 2246 Curtis Merritt Harbor Drive, Chincoteague, VA 23336

"Wow, just where do I begin? We vacationed with dear friends who had previously toured with Captain Mike at Up the Bay Pony Tours. When I say they raved about their experience, it would be an understatement! Well, they were so right. We agreed to a go on a private tour along with our friends, and it was incredible. We had previously gone on another CI boat tour with another company and thought "how much different/better could it be"? Let me tell you, Captain Mike with UTBPT was magnificent. His boat was pristine and glided along smoothly. He took us into many little creeks and coves all the way to the MD border. It was amazing how well he navigated with ease, to what I would consider, some very tight spots. We saw several bands of ponies, as well as eagles, & other birds/wildlife. As a matter of fact, we found the stallion, "Twist", who was being very elusive for weeks. Even the Saltwater Cowboys couldnt find him! Captain Mike is a great historian of all things Chincoteague and provided us with so much information. We will definitely tour with him again and highly recommend others to book with Up the Bay Pony Tours. You won't be disappointed!"

"Look no further! This was the best part of our Chincoteague vacation at the end of August. I highly recommend the private tour so you can customize your experience. We were so fortunate to see so many dolphins, a bald eagle, ponies of course, and more. I loved how transparent Mike was from the moment I called. He initially told me that he hadn’t seen any ponies yet and his honesty is what made me want to go with him since we were only in town for one night. My husband, almost 10 year old, 3 year old, infant, and myself had a wonderful time on the water. Mike was very knowledgeable about the area since that is where he was born and raised. He knew the best places to go and shared so much information and knowledge. I loved that not only my kids learned something new, but the adults did as well. I can’t say enough great things about our experience. Our 10 year old and 3 year old could not stop talking about how much fun they had."

"After hiking Assateague Island and driving every inch multiple times without as little as a pony poo sighting we decided to hire the professionals! We were blown away by the results! Not only did I not get one mosquito bite, but I wasn’t even out of breath and I saw multiple different pony herds, a BALD EAGLE, dolphins, wild Turkey, Sitka deer, and all kinds of wild life that I can’t properly name! It was absolutely incredible!!! This is absolutely the way to view all of the island wildlife and we didn’t disturb them from the comfort of Mike’s high end newer pontoon style boat. It even handled the waves like a Cadillac and my kids that occasionally get car sick simply giggled when we hit some bigger waves. They loved the ride! The ponies were the highlight, of course. Multiple bands could be observed within feet of the boat. Their manes and tails blowing wildly in the wind as the sun shown on their shiny coats. A few prized babies that will carry on the legacy of the Chincoteague ponies were a pleasant sight. If we get the chance to come back we will definitely contact Mike again for another tour and fun adventure. It exceeded our expectations and this has been the highlight of our nationwide journey!"

"My family and I truly can’t recommend Up The Bay Pony Tours enough! Captain Mike does such an impressive job with this tour. He caters to everyone's expectations and so much more. We got to experience the island’s ponies and other stunning wildlife up close and personal. He is beyond insightful when it comes to the history of Chincoteague and the ponies. He even knows them by name! :D The boat itself is shockingly quiet and comfortable. The best part is he truly loves what he does, and that makes a world of a difference. We will be rebooking continually in the future. Thank you again Captain Mike for such a phenomenal experience!"

"Cannot recommend enough! Captain Mike is amazing. He was so friendly from the first phone call on. He knows so much about the island. It's clear he loves what he does. Great with kids too and accommodating. We found ponies and lots of other wildlife. Also his boat is beautiful. I found myself daydreaming about moving here. I would go again for sure!"