MY LITTLE PONY to sustainable levels. “ Saltwater cowboys” round up the ponies and shepherd them across the channel at low tide. When they reach Chincoteague, they’re auctioned off to the high- est bidders, with proceeds going to the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. It’s a festive event, complete with old-fashioned carnival rides and family- friendly entertainment. And if you’ve got a few thousand bucks burning a hole in your pocket, you might just return home with your very own pony (horse trailer not included).

VIRGINIA

So your parents never bought you a pony? You can change all that with a summer trip to Chincoteague, a barrier island off the Virginia coast (chin coteaguechamber.com).

On July 25, thousands of visitors will gather to witness a remarkable spectacle: a herd of sturdy little horses chugging for the shore. Their arrival kicks off the annual Pony Swim and Auction, a ritual immortalized in the classic children’s book Misty of Chincoteague.

These shaggy horses roam free on nearby As-sateague Island, but once a year the herd is thinned

SHOPPING FOR SMILES
CONNEC TICU T When was the last time a giant
celery stalk serenaded you in the produce aisle?
If grocery shopping feels like a chore, bring your list
to Stew Leonard’s ( stewleonards.com), “The World’s Largest
Dairy Store.” Stew’s original location in Norwalk, Conn., is
an extravaganza of retailing wizardry. A full-fledged pet-
ting zoo greets shoppers in the parking lot (say hi to the
friendly goats). On hot days, customers make a beeline for
the soft-serve ice cream bar at the entrance—just one of the
bonanza of free samples available throughout the store. That’s
merely a hint of what lies ahead. Costumed characters and anima-
tronic cows tell corny jokes. Kids and parents stand transfixed as
a band of milk cartons (the Farm Fresh Five) sings cheery tunes
about customer service. A glass viewing wall offers a glimpse
at the milk-bottling production line. It’s good cheesy fun—not
to mention a great place to assemble a picnic. Stew’s proves that
shopping doesn’t have to be serious business.
THE BIG PICTURE

MASSACHUSE T TS You don’t have to sit in some generic multiplex to catch the latest summer blockbuster. It’s much more fun to cuddle up with your date at a classic drive-in movie.

Most drive-ins have gone the way of the
dinosaur, but this all-American tradition is
still going strong in the small town of Men-
don, Mass., 42 miles southwest of Boston.
Open April through September, the Mendon
Twin Drive-In ( mendondrivein.com) is a
beautifully preserved gem
that has been enter-
taining moviegoers
since 1954.
Even the Men-
don’s snack bar is a
joy. Done up in eye-
popping shades of
turquoise and pink,
it’s a shrine to vintage
diner design (you wouldn’t be surprised
to see Fonzie firing up the jukebox).
There’s a full menu of burgers and Mex-
ican dishes, plus nostalgic flourishes like root
beer floats and raspberry lime rickeys.

So pull into your parking spot, turn up the soundtrack on your car radio—and pass the popcorn.