ISLAND DREAMING
FISHERMAN’S PARADISE
CHOKOLOSKEE ISLAND
florida
The nearly 150-acre Chokoloskee lies atop an ancient Calusa Indian midden of oyster shells. With maybe four hundred residents at its highest tide, it has neither nightlife nor shopping malls (though do visit Smallwood Store, a onetime trading outpost established in 1906 and now a museum). What the island offers in spades is prime access to some of the world’s best inshore saltwater fishing. Seconds from the dock is the Everglades’ wondrous labyrinth of mangroves and oyster beds, which teem with snook, redfish, trout, and the king of them all, tarpon.
WHERE the PONIES PLAY
ASSATEAGUE ISLAND
virginia
The Eastern Shore village Chincoteague gets all the fanfare for its annual July “pony swim” that rounds up local wild horses. Any other time, cross the next bridge to Assateague Island to experience where the herd lives and cavorts among pine groves, salt marshes, and sand. Winding trails offer scenic views, or for a chance to encounter wild steeds at water’s edge, hop a pontoon tour with a local captain. Better yet, paddle over in a kayak.
YUCATÁN HIDEOUT
ISLA HOLBOX
mexico
Isla Holbox may be the best place on the planet to walk barefoot on a summer day. Floating north over Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, this car-free hideaway lures roamers with its marshmallow sand and shell-strewn beaches. When you
