Summer May Be Over, But There’s Still Plenty to do on the Outer Banks!

Here’s a list of just a few September Events:

• Food Truck Showdown – September 9th – 11am to 5pm at the Nags Head Soundside Event Site. Enjoy tastes offered by different food trucks and local brewers, all while listening to a number of live bands during the event.
• Outer Banks Triathelon – September 14th-16th – Race the Outer Banks!
• ESA Surfing Competition – September 16th-22nd at Jennette’s Pier – The best amateur surfers on the East Coast competing to be Easterns champions!
• The Lost Colony Wine Festival – September 29th – Enjoy great local wines, savory foods, and amazing views.

Here are Just a Few Reasons Why September’s a Great Time to have an #OuterBanksVacation:

• Temperatures average in the 80’s, yet the water is still warm!
• Relatively less crowded beaches and restaurants!
• Flexible vacationing dates – Many homes begin to allow partial week reservations be made in advance!
• LOWER RATES!

Have you seen the Dinosaurs here on the Outer Banks? The Outer Banks Aquarium has brought back their summer dinosaur exhibit, but it’ll only be around for one more month, as the exhibit ends on September 4th. The aquarium is located on Roanoke Island in Manteo, right next to the airport.

http://www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island-whats-new/posts/dinosaurs-return-2018

Heads up to all Nags Head vacationers!

The Towns of Buxton and Nags Head are planning a Beach Nourishment project scheduled for 2018.

Projected Beach Nourishment Schedules

What is beach nourishment?

Beach nourishment is the process of pumping sand onto an eroding shoreline to widen the existing beach. Sources of sand may include a nearby sandbar, a dredged source such as an inlet or waterway, or an offshore borrow site along the ocean floor. The widened shoreline provides increased defense from coastal storms and beach erosion protecting property, communities and infrastructure located along the shoreline.

The Town of Nags Head is working towards conducting its first beach nourishment maintenance project. Plans call for sand to be placed on 10 miles of beach during the summer of 2018. Nags Head’s oceanfront from the Bonnett Street public beach access at 2919 S. Virginia Dare Trail (near Mile Post 11) south to the town line with the National Park Service (near Mile Post 21) will be impacted over the 4 to 5 month-long project.

The Town is now awaiting permits and hopes to receive construction bids in late March or April. The bid amounts may make it more feasible to delay construction until the summer of 2019; however, the preferred goal is to conduct the work in 2018. Construction is not slated to begin until late June/early July 2018. Dune stabilization measures such as sprigging and fencing will also be included in the project.

*This information has been provided by Dare County and the town affiliates. This information is not binding and dates of scheduled nourishment are subject to change.

Outer Banks vacations are not just for humans anymore! All the OBX parks are pet friendly. Your furry friend will definitely love places like Jockey’s Ridge State park in Nags Head, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and, of course, Nags Head beaches and Jennette’s Pier! Let your pup enjoy warm sand, blue ocean water, and salty air just as you do!
But that’s not everything! Your puppy will be partying all day long on the OBX. You can bring your dog to eat some homemade dog biscuits at the Salty Paws biscuit bar. Also your doggy can pick anything it likes in Outer Barks: from yummy Outer Banks natural treats to clothing for its beloved owner. Don’t forget to visit the dog bandanna party at Puparazzi Pet Bow-tique!
As always, we want to make your entire stay as comfortable as possible and we know that you don’t want to leave your pup behind. So we offer pet-friendly properties for you! Take a look:

• 104 Sea Breeze I
• 204 Sea Breeze II
• 275 Edwards
• 304 Sea Breeze III
• 314 Rock Sand
• 320 Flip Flop
• 350 Audrey Cottage
• 352 Kutz Cottage
• 388 Thurman
• 400 You Deserve It
• 401 Briccetti Cottage
• 402 Thomas Cottage
• 404 Sea Breeze IV
• 416 Pointe of View
• 419 Key
• 450 Boyce
• 470 Ocean Sunrise
• 484 Living on the Edge
• 501 Pynes’ Sandcastle
• 510 Sea Love
• 600 Viento
• 602 Shore Break
• 610 Misty Pond
• OCS1 Clementime

Many people know that the Outer Banks is a hugely popular summer vacation spot. Many of those same people must assume that after Labor Day the area shuts down, because we have been amazed by the feedback of those Fall vacationers. We will lay out some of the reasons for taking a vacation this fall on the Outer Banks.

Cheaper Vacation Rentals
“Off season” rental homes on the Outer Banks are significantly cheaper than in the heart of the tourist season.If you have had an eye on a particular home, but you simply can’t afford it for your Summer vacation, check out the rates for September or October. They will be considerably cheaper. Or, stay in the same vacation home that you are used to, while having a little extra money in your pocket. Maybe the savings will cover that fishing charter that was just out of the budget last year.

The Beach
The Summer months on the Outer Banks are hot. Although there is a beautiful ocean breeze, on some days the mid day temperatures are unbearable. Not so in the fall. It is a beautiful, temperate climate, and the water is still warm. The best of both worlds, indeed. Oh, and one other difference you’ll notice on the beach? You will have much more room to yourself. Certainly fewer people visit the Outer Banks in the off season, so you will have more room to yourself.

Your Vacation Home
Many vacation homes have amenities that are either unusable, or impractical for a summer vacation. A fireplace in an air conditioned home may seem counter intuitive, but when you feel the crisp fall air, it will make sense. Perhaps you can start a fire before you hop in the hot tub. Fall vacations mean getting to use all of the vacation home.

Fewer People
Similar to the less crowded beach, you will find fewer vacationers on the roads, in the restaurants, on the sand dunes, and most importantly, in front of you in lines. This means fewer time spent in the car, or in line, whether at the supermarket or the Lighthouse. This gives you more time to spend doing what you want. It is your vacation after all, don’t waste it in the car.

These are a few reasons that more people are moving their Summer Outer Banks vacation to the fall, but there are many more. Obviously, for parents with school age children this is not possible, but for anyone else, we would love to see you for football season!

 

There is really no shortage of things to do on the Outer Banks. You can visit the largest sand dune on the East Coast, or take in an evening of outdoor theatre. With so many things to do, however, again and again families are drawn to see the wild horses of the Outer Banks.

Most historians agree that the wild horses of the Outer Banks arrived in the late 16th century. There is little debate that they are descended from Spanish Mustangs, and that they arrived with early European explorers. Isolated as they were from the mainland of the United States, they had the run of their land for hundreds of years. As vacationers and residents alike started to live on the Outer Banks, the horses were pushed to more desolate areas of the Outer Banks, and their numbers dwindled. The National Park Service took control of the land areas that were not populated yet, and set aside havens, protected areas where these wild horses have some distance between themselves and civilization. Of course, for the horses, it is not like it used to be, but it is better than it could’ve been if nothing were done to protect their habitat.

Today there are four main areas where these individual species of horses can be seen. The largest area is in Corolla, where the wild Spanish Mustangs have over 12,000 acres of protected land in which to roam. The other areas are Ocracoke, Beaufort, and Shackleford Banks. If you want to see the beauty of these wild horses on your next Outer Banks vacation, there are a few ways to do so. If you have a 4 wheel drive vehicle, you can head to one of these areas and look around. If you go on your own, be sure to adhere to all safety rules and regulations, and consult with a local expert first. Many rental houses will have information on how to see the horses safely. If you would rather sit back, relax and enjoy the surrounding view, there are many local guided tours of these areas. Since these guides are out there almost every day, they will certainly be able to track down the horses and answer any questions you may have about them.

There is really nothing like watching a wild horse in full gallop, running down the beaches on the Outer Banks. This wondrous site has been enjoyed by generations, and will continue to astound those admiring vacationers and residents alike. Be sure to save some time on your vacation to visit the Outer Banks longest inhabitants.

If you have ever taken a vacation on the Outer Banks, you have seen the beauty of thousands of sea shells up and down the beach. There seem to be shells and seaglass of every shape,color, and size. Both children and adults love hunting and collecting the shells, but kids seem to focus on quantity in their efforts. So, now your vacation rental home has gained as occupants more sea shells than you can possibly fit in the car to take home with you. What can be done with this abundance of shells? Anything you put your mind to.

We hope that you have not a hint of rain during your Outer Banks vacation, but if there is rain, that is a perfect opportunity to turn these shells into gifts, knick knacks, or memorable keepsakes. Here is an arts and crafts idea we have seen and used over the years. We’d love to hear more of your ideas too!

Seashell painting – collage

1. Start by putting a towel, sheet, or tablecloth under the paper, or posterboard that will be the canvas for this art project.
2. Work on a design. With pencils, crayons, or anything else that is handy, envision what your shell picture will look like, and draw it out.
3. Sort your shells by colors, shapes and sizes.
4. Have one that is nearly perfectly round and yellow? Make it the sun!
5. Spread glue where you want shells to stay in place, and arrange the shells by color to correspond with your design. Lastly, let the glue dry.

You now have a tangible, and lasting memory of your family beach vacation. Obviously, there can be many variations in this craft activity, again the possibilities are endless.

Seashell Picture Frame

1. Wooden picture frame.
2. Spread glue around the frame. Remove the glass so nothing gets on it.
3. Sprinkle sand and let it stick.
4. Put glue on seashells and and stick them on top of the sand.
5. Put your family picture with the year possibly written on the sand.

While working with seashells, try to learn what type they are, make your activity educational for your kids.

The next time you find your beach vacation home filled with sea shells, use this idea for a family activity that can be as challenging as you’d like it to be. Perhaps you can have a competition, or start a vacation tradition to last for ages. Enjoy the beach!

When planning your beach vacation, there are many things to consider. Finding the right beach rental house is of paramount importance. You want to find a home that has plenty of room for you and your family, while also being close to the places that you want to go on your Outer Banks vacation. Here we will list a few things that you must consider before deciding on your vacation rental home.

Proximity to the beach

Almost every Outer Banks vacation plan involves spending a good deal of time at the beach, so do your homework. Oceanfront housing gives you access to the Atlantic Ocean, with breathtaking views, expansive beaches, and of course, swimming. The waves in the ocean can be powerful, and may not be the best place for weak swimmers.

Staying on the sound side of the island will give you access to a much more tranquil and idyllic body of water, the Sound. Waves are virtually non-existent, and the water is much less volatile.

Figure out which suits you and your family better, and this will allow you to narrow down your options in beach rentals.

Next, figure out how close to the water you’d like to be. Obviously, staying oceanfront will allow for a quick walk to the water, eliminating the need for a long trek while carrying your beach supplies. As a general rule, the closer you are to the water, the more you will pay for your rental house. Some people prefer staying a little farther away. There is much less foot traffic, and it is a bit quieter. Figure out which best suits you and your family.

What else do you want to do on your vacation?

There are literally hundreds of various attractions on the Outer Banks. There are fun activities and attractions for people of all ages, so do some homework before booking your beach rental. If you know that your family wants to do things off of the Outer Banks, staying at the far end of the island will result in a lot more travel time than is necessary by staying closer to those attractions. No one wants to spend the majority of their summer vacation in the car, so plan ahead.

When to check in?

Different realty and rental companies offer different check in options. Usually the choices for check in are Saturday or Sunday. A few companies still allow a Friday check in, but it will usually be Saturday or Sunday. If checking in on Saturday, prepare for an early, and long morning. You will be making your way onto the Outer Banks on a very congested road, with as many people trying to get into the Outer Banks as there are leaving. Traffic will be very slow going as early as 8AM, so plan ahead. The same thing applies when you check out, as the exodus of vacationers makes the exit route similar to the entry a week before.

A Friday or Sunday check in and check out will help to alleviate the possible frustration that the traffic congestion can provide. If this is important to you, ask around, and find a rental company that offers different check in options.

By keeping these things in mind, and planning ahead of time, you can help make your summer vacation productive, and relaxing. Enjoy your summer beach vacation, we can’t wait to see you!