Corolla Hosts 8th Annual Wild Horse Days

Posted on June 16, 2011

One of the many great things that makes the Outer Banks so amazing, is the opportunity to see wild horses roaming the beach in Corolla. I remember the first time I visited the Outer Banks- We were spending our college Spring Break at a friends house in Carova. My first concern was that my AWD Honda Ridgeline wasn’t going to make the cut in the 4X4 area. Lucky enough I made it there, and was so amazed to see a group of wild horses grazing right near our house! It truly is a unique experience especially for former city girls like me.

For the 8th year in a row the Corolla Wild Horse Fund will be offering Wild Horse Days from July 5th through the 7th. Wild Horse days is an opportunity to take part in fun events and exhibits the whole family can enjoy. You will get a chance to learn the history behind the wild horses, take a ride on a Spanish Mustang, play children’s games and activities, take part in a horse training clinic and more! There will also be a huge silent auction, live music, beer and wine tasting, food and artwork will also be featured.

If you are visiting the area this would be a wonderful event to take part in. There is something for everyone and is a unique opportunity to learn the rich heritage that is behind the wild horses. If you cant make it, I hope you get the opportunity to see at least one wild horse on your trip, because it is definitely a beautiful sight to see at least once.

If you want to learn more about Wild Horse Days or about the Corolla Wild Horse Fund please visit their website. If you are a Seaside Vacations guest don’t forget to reserve your spot on your complimentary wild horse tour with Corolla Outback Adventures through Club Seaside.

Directions: 16 miles north of Duck on RT 12 North. One block north of the Lighthouse, watch for sign.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 6.15.11 – Great Beach Weather

Posted on June 15, 2011

Outer Banks - 6.15.11 - Beautiful Day in Kitty Hawk

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Wednesday, June 15, 2011.

This video was shot at the Lillian St. beach access in Kitty Hawk at 9:00 AM.

Perfect beach weather, sun, upper 70′s to lower 80′s with water temps in the 70′s! There is a cool north wind that is a bit stiff today, but that north wind is blowing in the warmer water temps, so no complaints. The water and the air will be pretty close today. Great day to enjoy some time in the water.

Unfortunately, no surf to report. There is a trace swell in the knee high range, but this north wind isn’t helping to clean it up. The wind will switch to the southwest over the next couple days, but the swell isn’t forecasted to increase much. It could build to the waist high range, and with an offshore wind and warm water, it could be a fun longboard wave over the next couple days. Worth keeping an eye on.

Outer Banks fishing is going strong. Offshore is reporting dolphin and big eye tuna with some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, and Sound are very consistent with a wide variety of fish – sea mullet, flounder, spot, speckled trout, blue fish, Spanish mackerel, cobia. Our friends at Rock Solid Fishing (www.RockSolidFishing.com) reported some good cobia catches near shore yesterday. The reports out of the surf are starting to get more consistent as well.

Have fun!

Local Artist Katy Caroline’s Charity Art Show

Posted on June 14, 2011

Katy Caroline- Sea Oats

Local artist and Club Seaside partner Katy Caroline will be auctioning off 32 of her paintings to benefit 16 local charities. The sale will be offered between June 17th-June 25th at ARTspace studio in Southern Shores. Katy is a wonderful self-taught artist who has a very unique style and loves what she does. We are lucky enough to have a Art in Action class available in our Club Seaside program with Katy. We also recently included here in our Outer Banks Treasure series as she is truly a local gem.

Katy Caroline- Abstract Chair

Local charities to benefit from the sale of these paintings are: Roanoke Island Historical Association, Dare County Arts Council, SPCA, March of Dimes, Relay for Life, Children at Play, Food for Thought, Outer Banks Hotline, Outer Banks Community Foundation, Outer Banks Relief Foundation, Feline Hope, Coastal Humane Society, Dancing for Parkinson’s, N.E.S.T., Corolla Wild Horse Fund, and Friends of Pooh.

You can preview the paintings that will be included in the auction here. If you are interested in bidding on one of any of the artwork, beginning on June 17th you may place your bid via telephone at 252-261-2787, email artspace@centurylink.net or in person at the ARTspace studio where the paintings will be on display from June 15th to the 25th The paintings will be offered in a ‘Bid in the Box’ blind bidding style and will also have a ‘Buy it Now’ price.

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Picture Perfect at Kitty Hawk Beach

Posted on June 14, 2011

Outer Banks - 6.14.11 - Picture Perfect in Kitty Hawk

Picture perfect on the Outer Banks today. Sun, 80′s, cool north breeze. Great beach day, and the north wind is bringing in some warmer water temps – up to 75 degrees at Avalon Pier this morning. Unfortunately no surf. Fish are biting – blue fish, flounder spot, speckled trout, cobia, Spanish mackerel, dolphin and big eye tuna offshore.

Outer Banks’ Tortugas’ Lie Voted North Carolina’s Best Seafood

Posted on June 13, 2011

Coastal Living Magazine recently released their annual guide, outlining the best eats across the country. Since the Outer Banks is known for their delicious fresh seafood, it was no surprise to learn that Tortugas’ Lie of Nags Head was voted best seafood in North Carolina.

From grilled yellowfin tuna, to spicy creole crawdads, Tortugas’ Lie has a large menu and offers daily specials including a Wednesday night Sushi menu. Aside from the food the restaurant offers a great island atmposhere including an outdoor volleyball net out back, a great staff, and awesome drinks.

It is definitely a must stop on your next Outer Banks Vacation, great seafood and perfect for the whole family. Make sure you check their website when you get here for their daily specials and menu! You can even order takeout online!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 6.13.11 – Great Beach Week

Posted on June 13, 2011

Outer Banks - 6.13.11 - Pretty at 5th St.

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Monday, June 13, 2011.

This video was shot at 9:00 AM at the 5th St. beach access in Kill Devil Hills just south of the Avalon Pier.

The great weather from the weekend is carrying into this week. Looking at the 10 day forecast, it’s 80′s and sun with a few isolated thunder storms for this week. Ideal beach weather.

We have a light north wind today, and unfortunately, the wind is not cleaning the waist high swell in the area. So, the surf today will be a bit sloppy, and it doesn’t look like we’ll have much surf this week. But the good news is the north wind usually brings in some warmer water, so the water temps should be rising the next couple days. With warm and warm water, it could still be a fun week to get in the water and catching any swell that’s coming through.

Outer Banks fishing is getting better everyday. Offshore is seeing dolphin, big eye tuna, and some bill fish. The piers, bridges, and Sound are very consistent with a wide variety of fish – spot, speckled trout, flounder, blue fish, Spanish mackerel, croaker, cobia. We are also starting to get more consistent reports out of the surf, and as the water temps continue to rise, the surf casting will get better and better.

Have fun!

The Outer Banks & Seaside Vacations Receive Homeschool.com’s “Seal of Approval”

Posted on June 10, 2011

OBX & Seaside Vacations Receive Homeschool.com Seal of Approval

Homeschool.com recently announced that the Outer Banks and Seaside Vacations have received their official “Seal of Approval.”

In early May, Homeschool.com partnered with Seaside Vacations to send Chief Marketing Director, Katherine Whiting, and her homeschool family to the Outer Banks for the first time. The goal of the trip was to demonstrate the remarkable educational opportunities available on the Outer Banks, while at the same time enjoying an incredible family vacation. It is safe to say this goal was accomplished.

After the weeklong trip, Whiting had this to say; “As a family consensus, it’s our favorite family vacation yet – which says a LOT since we’ve been all over the US with the kids.”

As a result of the trip, Homeschool.com has featured the Outer Banks and Seaside Vacations in their “Family Travel Guide,” complete with travel tips and an accommodation guide.

According to the Homeschool.com Family Travel Guide, the Outer Banks is the perfect destination for a beautiful, educational and fun family vacation. Seaside Vacations was featured in the “Where to Stay” section of the Homeschool.com guide, as the guide highlighted the hospitality of the staff and the benefits of Club Seaside.

“The best decision we made when planning our vacation was to use Seaside Vacations,” said Whiting. “The staff was so friendly and helped us find the perfect home.”

The hospitality showed by the Vacation Specialists made a lasting impression. “They helped us to plan excursions for the kids, recommended companies to use for kayaking and even gave us information about what grocery store to use.”

The seven day trip was filled with days at the beach, fishing from the pier, sightings of wild horses, a kayak excursion, a number of OBX educational trips, and an abundance of smiles and laughter. A fun-filled, educational trip that can be shared by all vacationers, especially homeschoolers.

One of the great features of an Outer Banks vacation for homeschool families is the fact that the spring and fall seasons are considerably less crowded than the peak summer season. Since homeschool families are not limited by the traditional school calendar, they can take advantage of the slower times of year to have easy access to attractions but still enjoy gorgeous Outer Banks weather and a significant price savings from the high-demand summer weeks.

For more information about an Outer Banks vacation, please visit Seaside Vacations at www.OuterBanksVacations.com.

About Seaside Vacations:

Founded in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1990, Seaside Vacations is a full-service vacation rental management company representing homes from Corolla to Nags Head.

Seaside Vacations offers a complete selection of Outer Banks vacation rentals. Guests can choose from 1 – 10-bedroom private vacation rental homes, condominiums, townhomes and villas. Explore our homes in Duck and Corolla as well as numerous vacation rentals in Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head.

For more information on Seaside Vacations and their wide selection of vacation rentals, visit http://www.OuterBanksVacations.com or call one a Vacation Specialist at 866.801.3653.

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 6.10.11 – Great Beach Weekend!

Posted on June 10, 2011

Outer Banks - 6.10.11 - Summer at Sutton in KDH

Good morning. Here’s the Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report for Friday, June 10, 2011.

This video was shot at the Sutton Ave. beach access in Kill Devil Hills at 9:00 AM.

Great start to the weekend. Another perfect summer day, and this perfection will stick with us through the weekend. Bright sun, temps hovering around 90 degrees, and nice offshore breeze heading out of the southwest. Great weekend to be at the beach!

Unfortunately, not much surf to report. There is a trace swell coming through in the knee high range, and the offshore wind is cleaning it up nicely, but that’s about all we can expect from the weekend. A longboard wave about knee high. Not too exciting, but then again, a perfect weekend to be in the water, so might as well ride what there is. Looks like the swell could pick up next week, but not sure if the wind will cooperate. We’ll keep you posted.

OBX fishing is going at full force. Offshore is seeing dolphin with some bill fish mixed in. The piers, bridges, and Sound are all active with a wide variety of fish – blue fish, trout, spot, croaker, flounder, Spanish mackerel, sea mullet, cobia. There is limited action out of the surf, but that should continue to improve everyday.

Have fun!

Outer Banks Treasures: OBX Crabbing & Billy’s Seafood

Posted on June 9, 2011

Outer Banks Crabbing - map to secret spot

Everyone loves a free dinner, right? Ok, it’s not entirely free, you may have to spend a couple bucks for chicken necks and a string, but it’s tough to find an easier catch than blue crabs on the Outer Banks.

For our latest installment the Outer Banks Treasures video series, we’re going to focus on OBX crabbing. But really, it’s a 2 for 1 deal because we’ll also focus on Billy’s Seafood in Kill Devil Hills.

Billy’s Seafood is definitely deserving of it’s own Outer Banks Treasures focus, but it works so closely with OBX crabbing and the secret spot I’m going to point out that I decided to give a little bonus with this treasure.

Blue crabs are an OBX favorite. You can have them prepared for you at most local OBX restaurants, you can purchase them at a local OBX seafood shop and prepare them yourself, or you can head over to the Sound, enjoy a fun outdoor activity, and catch your dinner yourself…I prefer the latter!

The Outer Banks Sound is full of blue crabs. The trick is knowing where to catch them. There are a wide variety of great spots, but I’ll focus on one secret spot that is off the beaten path that has proven successful track record.

I’ll start with a point of reference that is easy to find, the gate at the Wright Brother’s museum on Rt. 158 (i.e. the “highway” in OBX lingo). Head south from the gate at the Wright Brothers museum, and take a right at the first set of lights (Dairy Queen on your left, Kangaroo gas station on your right) onto Colington Rd. Colington Rd. is a neat road that winds through the west side of Kill Devil Hills…definitely off the beaten path for most vacationers. The secret spot is about two miles down this winding road.

I’ll point out a few landmarks on the way so you know you are on the right track. Soon after you turn onto Colington Rd., you will pass the backside of the Wright Brothers monument on your right. A short distance after that, you’ll pass the Outer Banks airport on your right.

As you head down Colington Rd., you will pass over two bridges. At the bottom of the first bridge is the legendary Billy’s Seafood. Definitely worth a quick pit stop. Billy’s is a fantastic local seafood shop. Local fishermen pull their boats directly up to the store at a dock in the back of the store to unload their fresh catch….doesn’t get much more fresh than that! In addition to fresh local seafood, Billy’s is also a great spot to get any crabbing materials you may need…string, hooks, chicken, nets, blue fish…they have you covered.

After hitting up Billy, take a left out of the parking lot to continue down Colington Rd. After about another mile or so, you’ll approach the second bridge on this journey. As you approach the bridge, notice the sandy area to the right of the bridge. This is the secret spot!

As you go over the bridge, you’ll notice a parking area on the right side at the base of the bridge. As a final landmark, this parking area is directly across the street from the Colington Volunteer Fire Station (108 School St., Kill Devil Hills).

Park in the parking area, and walk up the small path to the super crab spot. Set up shop with some chairs and a cooler, and drop your chicken line into the water. Almost guaranteed catches.

If you have any questions, please let us know…we love to share our local tips.

Happy crabbing!

OBX Pic O’ the Day: Perfect Summer Day

Posted on June 9, 2011

Outer Banks - 6.9.11 - Perfect Summer Day in Kill Devil Hills

Perfect summer day on the Outer Banks. 90′s, sun, cool southwest wind. There is a tiny longboard wave. Not much, but it’s a great day to be in the water anyway. Fish are biting – offshore, near shore, piers, bridges, surf, and Sound.