I paid $50 to take a boat tour around a beautiful island in Virginia filled with wild ponies. It should be on everyone's bucket list.

Research led me to Captain Dan's Around the Island Tours, which offers two-hour public and private cruises around Chincoteague Island.

Reviews raved about pony sightings in the mornings, so I booked a 10 a.m. public tour for my husband and me at $50 each. Though the ponies are located on Assateague Island, passengers can see them from the boat circling Chincoteague Island.

On our tour, we drifted around Chincoteague Island, through Chincoteague Bay, and close to the shore of Assateague Island near the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

On the morning of the boat tour, we arrived at the docks on Chincoteague Island 10 minutes before our boarding time, per the booking instructions.

One of the company's captains, Doug, was aboard a pontoon boat idling at the dock, chatting with a couple who'd already arrived. An ominous forecast threatened our trip the night before, but the morning gave way to an overcast sky the captain deemed safe.

The earlier forecast must have deterred other guests, so we scored a semiprivate tour with a total party of six and enough seating for 10, with lots of room to get comfortable. 

Captain Doug welcomed us aboard the boat, briefly stopping each passenger to confirm their registration.

After a rundown of the tour, during which he described the route we'd be taking and when we could expect to see the ponies, he steered the boat into the Chincoteague Channel. 

Six minutes in, a passenger pointed out a bald eagle perched on a nearby dock. We motored past osprey, dolphins, and friendly fishermen as the captain recounted how recent storms have affected local landmarks.

Captain Doug slowed as we neared part of the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge located on Assateague Island. He explained that two herds of ponies on Assateague Island travel in bands — smaller groups typically led by a stallion.

A band of 13 horses grazing along the bank came into view as if on cue. The captain idled the boat so passengers could take pictures and ask questions.

Next, we drifted toward Assateague Channel, the site of the famed pony swim. Captain Doug explained that the ponies are paraded down Chincoteague's main street after crossing this body of water.

Then, the foals are auctioned off to control the population's size. The ponies take less than 30 minutes to cross the channel, yet the event draws tens of thousands of spectators yearly.

Soon, we rounded the bend where the historic red-and-white Assateague Lighthouse appeared above towering pines. The lighthouse has warned passing ships of the area's shallow waters since 1867. As captivating as it was, the two dozen horses in the marshy foreground stole my attention.

Captain Doug steered us near the bank and said he couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the horses in front of the lighthouse, which made me feel lucky to be there that day.

We snapped countless photos, then continued past Chincoteague Island's northern tip. 

Dark storm clouds quickly rolled in. The captain lifted the seats and pulled out raincoats for everyone. Soon, it began to pour.

I'm usually averse to rain, but I couldn't help but smile. We'd seen more than I expected — not only two groups of ponies but a part of Virginia filled with vast marshlands and a coastal village spirit that felt worlds away from the urban scramble of home.

My husband and I began talking about our next trip to Chincoteague Island before we'd even left.

Spending the morning in the presence of this charming, unspoiled area and seeing Assateague Island's iconic wild horses felt like a premium opportunity I'd pay $50 to experience again.

These islands are now one of my favorite places — and I can't wait to return.