OBX Activities

One thing I love about Outer Banks Bike Week... Bikers always seem to defy stereotypes. In the movies, bikers are usually portrayed as loud, hard drinkin' folks who tear up bars and hotels. In reality, the people who come to the beach for Outer Banks Bike Week are impossible to typecast. This diverse group of bikers includes everyone from veterans, to pediatricians, to accountants, to tattoo shop owners, to PTA moms, to mechanics, and beyond! Another thing: I've found the vast majority of OBX Bike Week visitors to be polite, easy-going people.

Sun Realty is running several offers to entice folks to come down and enjoy some great food & entertainment during the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach Week. Included in the special offers are free tickets to some of the great events taking place. *48hr Special:Reserve your stay for the Outer Banks Taste of the Beach Week and enter to win 2 Free tickets ($24 Value) to the Kickin' It Up a Notch Event. Details.   About the Outer Banks Taste of the BeachThe Outer Banks Taste of the Beach will take place March 11-14.

A few ideas for next time...Even the folks at Lexus have figured out that the Outer Banks is pretty darn special. Two lifestyle writers traded in the Hamptons for the OBX. They documented their North Carolina adventure, complete with a parasailing lesson, for Lexus Magazine's Road Trip series. The journalists received a nice crash course in livin' the Outer Banks way of life (in their sleek IS 350, of course).

Whenever I visit a historic home, museum or hotel, I always have to ask if there are any ghost stories associated with the building. I'm such a sucker for that kind of thing. I feel like legends and ghost stories personalize history. They allow you to vividly imagine the people and places of another time. Back in school, history class could sometimes induce snores. However, history comes to life when you hear about the people who actually lived it.Well, the folks at the Whalehead Club in Corolla are conducting a tour that's right up my alley!

What you might not know about Corolla...You've probably heard about Corolla, North Carolina's beautiful beaches and luxurious rental homes, but did you know that Corolla also has a rich and interesting past? Long before vacationers flocked to the seashore, Corolla was only accessible by boat. Early residents were isolated from the mainland, living humbly in tiny fishing villages. These hardy villagers tended gardens, hunted, and lived modest lives.

The words "Christmas" and "beach" may not go hand-in-hand for some people, but the Outer Banks is filled with holiday spirit this time of year! (Santa comes to the beach too, you know.) From illuminated lighthouses to Christmas parades, holiday festivities are in full swing. Here are just a few of the many things to see and do on the Outer Banks this holiday season... Hotline Festival of Trees - Thursday, December 3rd through Sunday, December 5thThe 21st annual event will raise funds for the Outer Banks Hotline Crisis Intervention and Prevention Center.

Kitty Hawk Kites annual Stunt Kite Competition was a great time, despite the wind and chilly temperatures! The competition is always fun to watch, but the "creature kites" are amazing! Kites as big as 80' wide can be seen! The 23rd Annual Kite Competition & Festival takes place at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The OBX is always an adventure on a kayak! From Corolla to Nags Head to Hatteras Island, we're surrounded by unique waterways that are just waiting to be explored. My personal favorites are the many canals of Colington Island and Kitty Hawk Bay. You can launch right from Bay Drive located along Mile post 4 through 6 in Kitty Hawk. It makes for fantastic late afternoon adventure or a spectacular sunset trip. Spend a day (or just a few hours) kayaking on the beautiful Outer Banks and you're sure to have an experience to take home with you.

During the summer, the Waterside Theater in Manteo has several activities for the family. Last year, my niece and I really enjoyed their production of Sleeping Beauty and having brunch with the cast afterwards. The play was not at all what either of us expected, but it was really exciting (it was a modernized, musical adaptation of Sleeping Beauty not the traditional story)! At brunch with the cast we learned that the cast had actually written most of the show in rehearsal, which was very impressive.

It was raining today when I woke up, so my beach plans were ruined! At first, we thought it would be a good idea to head to the aquarium in Manteo; it's not so big, but still a good indoor activity on a rainy day. And we love fish! Apparently, everyone else thinks so too! It was really crowded, so we decided to explore Roanoke Island a little...First stop, Fort Raleigh. This is the site of the first settlement attempt in America.