Road-trip to Chincoteague Island, VA in the Mazda3 Sedan

I have had the pleasure of driving a Mazda in the past and I enjoyed the car so much, I didn’t want to give it back. So when I found out I was going to be able to test out the Mazda3 Sedan with Premium Package I was very happy. This time we were headed on a road-trip to Chincoteague Island, Virginia. We were going to be glamping in an RV!

When I first spotted the car I was in awe of how pretty it was. It was a bright red or as I soon came to find out Soul Red Crystal Metallic. I got in and started looking around at the white interior. It was really pretty. There were so many different features that it took a couple of times, before I began to notice more and more of them.

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There were 2 of us driving and we soon discovered that the car came equipped with driver seat memory. There are two positions. This was perfect as it isn’t fun to constantly adjust the seat and mirrors after someone has just used it. You set it to what you are comfortable with and hit the button to save it. It worked great. The exterior mirrors also had memory positioning.

A feature I thought was cool was the projected MPH on to the lower part of the windshield. It was great so that you don’t have to keep looking down. However, the other driver felt it was a distraction for long-distance driving and turned it off. I happen to notice when I put the car back to my liking it popped right back up. I could see how that could become a distraction after a while.

I also liked that it let you know what speed limit you were in or at a stop sign etc. There have been many times were you get in the area and didn’t see the speed limit. Never fear, the Mazda3 Sedan knows!

What took getting used to was the beeping when a car was in your blind spot, especially if you were trying to switch lanes or merge. It caught us off guard and startled us a couple of times. We eventually got used to it. It is very handy.

This push to start car also came with some really nice Bose speakers. It took a moment to figure how to use the multi-function commander control, but I got the hang of it and was able to save some radio stations. The car also had a sunroof, but we didn’t take full advantage it. It was really nice.

We tested the navigation system out against our phone. The navigation had us arriving an hour later than our phone GPS did. However I did like that it informed us when we crossed state lines and if we needed any information about the area. It also let us know how far the next gas station and food was.

The car did great on gas and gets 27 city miles and 36 highway miles. It was about a 5 hour drive and we made a pit stop at a Walmart to pick up a few items. When we got to Chincoteague Island we still had ample gas left over to get around and only had to fill up on the ride back.

Upon arrival to the KOA Chincoteague Island campgrounds we parked this beauty right next to the RV. We unloaded the car with all of our luggage and food. After setting up the RV and exploring the campgrounds we did a little exploring. We drove over to Assateague and found the beach. The bay was on one side and the ocean on the other.

Afterwards we headed over to one of the supermarkets to get some food to throw on the grill. Of course s’mores were involved! The next morning we headed over to the Chincoteague Diner to get some breakfast. The diner was quiet as we had missed the morning rush. The food came out quickly and was delicious.

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Once again we hopped back into the car and did some more exploring. We got lucky and spotted the wild ponies that they are famous for. Many people pulled over to get pictures and we excitedly joined. Afterwards we headed to the Assateague Lighthouse. Unfortunately it was closed so we couldn’t go to the top.

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The Downtown Chincoteague Island area has a beautiful waterfront. You can sit down and relax and take everything in. I loved finding the LOVE Adirondack chairs. They made for a great photo op. We also spotted a movie theater and many other little shops.

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Of course we had to stop at the famous Ice Creamery to get some homemade ice cream. I ordered a banana split with chocolate, pony tracks (vanilla ice cream with peanut butter cups), and birthday cake ice cream. It was huge and so delicious. I tried to finish it, but failed. Later that night we drove to Steamers for a delicious dinner before heading back to RV to make s’mores.

Chincoteague Island has so many things to do and great places to eat. It was great being able to explore in the Mazda3 Sedan. It was comfortable, great on gas, and got us around. The road-trip was smooth and a lot of fun. If you get the opportunity to rent or buy this car, I would highly recommend it!

Disclaimer: While receiving the 2019 Mazda3 Sedan Premium Package to review, all opinions and thoughts are my own.