Melfa's rural, small town setting away from Delmarva's bigger attractions
Small communities and coastal towns make up the Delmarva Peninsula, a body of land situated between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, shared by Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Virginia’s portion, also called the Eastern Shore, includes Melfa, a small town and the surrounding farmland, though many locals claim residency in this community. “There’s a lot of things considered to be in the Melfa area, but not in Melfa itself,” says associate broker Tammy Mason with Weichert Realtors. “You might have a Melfa P.O. box, but a different address.” While the town itself is right in the middle of the peninsula, its cultural reach stretches to both coasts, allowing residents access to the bay and ocean, where people may see their neighbors out boating or fishing. Melfa’s location away from bigger communities like Chincoteague creates a quiet, rural atmosphere away from tourists, allowing locals to make the most of the coastal lifestyle.
Country clubs along the water and oceanside parks
The Eastern Shore Yacht and Country Club’s 125 acres overlooks the Chesapeake Bay. “The Eastern Shore is full of public boat landings, and there are several people from the Melfa area who go out to the little creeks to go fishing, crabbing, and oystering,” says Mason. “Some people keep their boats at the marina at the country club.” In addition to the marina here, the club also offers sailing lessons. The golf course is open to the public, and other amenities include tennis and pickleball courts and a pool. On Melfa’s ocean side, Wachapreague Seaside Park’s gazebo and green overlook the water. Parramore Beach is a sandy beach only accessible by the water. Delmarva Peninsula’s Barrier Islands sit between it and the rest of the peninsula, and most of them are protected reserves.
Manufactured homes to split levels in Melfa
Melfa offers a mix of manufactured homes and Nationals, often ranging from $60,000 to $200,000. The Greens is closer to the golf course, offering ranch-style homes and split levels. These sell closer to $190,000 and $420,000. These pockets of residential living fade into farmland and cornfields that make up most of the community.
Melfa's public schools and higher education options
Pungoteague Elementary School receives a C-plus from Niche. Nadua Middle School receives a B-minus, while Nadua High School receives a B. Students can take dual enrollment classes at Eastern Shore Community College, also located in Melfa. The 2-year institution offers various career and technical pathways and partners with 25 Virginia higher education institutions to offer guaranteed admission. Along the coast in Wachapreague, part of the Melfa area, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science’s Eastern Shore Laboratory is a field research station focused on coastal ecology and aquaculture.
U.S. Route 13 links Melfa to the rest of the region
U.S. Route 13 runs down the center of Melfa, linking it with many of the other towns along the Northern Shore. Buses also stop along this thoroughfare. Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital is about 4 miles away. The town’s location in the center of the Eastern Shore also means its about equal distance from two major airports — Salisbury Regional Airport, about 60 miles north, and Norfolk International Airport, about 66 miles south.
Plenty of seafood restaurants around the Melfa area
Bug’s Bar and Grill is Melfa proper’s only restaurant, serving likes of fried food and seafood, like flounder and shrimp. Melfa’s Uniques and Antiques features little booths with different antiques and vendors. “There’s not a busy little town with a town hall,” says Mason. “There’s a post office, but even that’s outside of the town.” In Wachapreague, The Island House sits along the water, so people can even boat to it from the Atlantic. Its menu has plenty of seafood options, like oysters, scallops and crab. Walmart is about 3 miles away, while Food Lion is 4 miles away, both located in the neighboring town of Onley.
Written By
Caroline Ernst
