Every year, thousands of people visit Jockeys Ridge State Park to experience the largest “living” sand dune on the East Coast.  Many visit to take in the sheer beauty of this amazing landscape and the breathtaking views (arguably the best spot on the beach to watch the sunset over the Sound), but there is much more to Jockey’s Ridge than sand and views.

Jockeys Ridge is home to a wide array of wildlife and gorgeous scenery.  The park offers a variety of hiking trails with signs designating the wildlife and surrounding nature.

• The Soundside Natural Trail is a self guided tour that is only about a mile long.  This trail features a glimpse of several different coastal ecosystems; including, wetlands, grassy dunes and maritime thickets.  While hiking on this trail, you will be able to learn about some of the wildlife that call this park home.
• The Tracks in the Sand trail is another popular trail that runs a little longer than the Soundside Natural Trail.  This trail runs for a distance of approximately 1.5 miles,  and offers a glimpse at the parks different ecosystems with stations that will provide the hiker information.

The park also offers a full calendar of events and programs that are designed to be fun, educational, and hands-on…most of these are free to the public, but some may require prior registration.

Another unique feature of this incredible system of sand dunes is the ability to harness the amazing Outer Banks winds on just about any day of the year.  Jockey’s Ridge is a favorite for kite flyers on the OBX, and it is where many hang gliding enthusiasts got their start.

• Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching hang gliding at Jockey’s Ridge since 1974!  They are the largest hand gliding school in the world, teaching hundreds of thousands of students since 1974 (over 300,000)!
  • They have taught students aged 4-92, male and female, physically fit and physically challenged. In fact, they can accommodate paraplegics, blind, deaf and other persons physically challenged. All they require is a desire to learn how to fly. They provide beginner, intermediate and advanced instruction.

Park hours:

November-February, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

March and October, 8 a.m.-7 p.m.

April, May, September, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

June-August, 8 a.m.-9 p.m.

Closed Christmas Day

Park office hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. daily

Closed Christmas Day

 The Lost Colony is in full swing, and it is a great way to spend an evening on the Outer Banks.

It is a historical reenactment of the turmoil that First English settlers in America endured. 

The show starts at 8 pm.  Plan on staying after the show for a backstage tour of Waterside Theater.  

For more information, visit their website or call 252-473-2127 for more information

America’s Beach offers a treasure of free stuff to do!

If you are looking for fun in the sun without burning your bank account, head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina this summer for a treasure of free activities and adventure that will make this year’s vacation one to remember.  We’re just a tank of gas or two away from most major cities on the East Coast, and you won’t find a more pet-friendly beach in America, because we know the value of traveling in a pack!  www.outerbanks.org.

Most importantly, our beaches are FREE to access with plentiful FREE parking.  Spend your quarters on more important things.  The Outer Banks are 130 miles long and are home to some of the most wild and natural, undeveloped beaches in the country along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  Take your four wheel drive SUV off-road in select areas to access some of the best fishing and scenery on the eastern seaboard.  There are literally miles and miles on Hatteras Island you can navigate in the summer that you can’t find anywhere else.

Think your kids would like to play in the largest natural sandbox in the south?  Try Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head, a 426 acre sand dune system that’s about 90 feet tall and mecca for kite flying, sunsets or just rolling down the giant sand hills.  Incredible panoramic scenery with a bird’s eye view of the island. Visit Bodie Island Lighthouse, Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse for free.  Want to take a boat ride but think it’s too expensive for your group?  Take the FREE ferry to Ocracoke Island, a 40 minute trip where you can walk around the boat, feed the birds or just bask in the sun.

Take your friends and loved ones to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and see one of the most popular stops for birds on the Atlantic Flyway.  Hundreds of species of birds have been documented here.  It’s free to enter, and the kids will love the turtle pond or looking through the free binoculars at the observation platforms overlooking miles of refuge.  America got its start at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where England’s first colony settled here at Roanoke Island from 1584-1587.  Their disappearance is one of our history’s most enduring mysteries.  So is the price.  It’s free.

Want to learn about waves and coastal dynamics?  The Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC offers free summer tours.  See really neat vehicles, buoys and devices that scientists use to measure waves during storms, etc. and engage your kids with a family field trip.  The coast of Cape Hatteras is known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, because of the 2000 plus shipwrecks that line the Outer Banks.  You can visit the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, NC for free and see what the sea has thrown back!  Learn about the lost Civil War submarine Alligator, see a real Enigma machine recovered from a German U-boat, and learn about the ghost ship Carroll A. Deering.

SEASIDE VACATIONS LAUNCHES CLUB SEASIDE
Guests enjoy complimentary golf and tennis clinics, yoga, wine tastings, surf lessons and circuit training

KITTY HAWK, NC (June 2, 2009) — Situated on a 100-mile stretch of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, the Outer Banks is so much more than just stunning vacation homes.  In an effort to provide guests with “more for less,” Seaside Vacations introduces Club Seaside.

Offered exclusively to all guests of Seaside Vacations, Club Seaside features a full calendar of weekly programs including professional golf and tennis clinics, yoga, wine tastings, surf lessons and circuit training – all at no cost to guests.  In addition, all Seaside Vacations’ guests have complimentary access to a state-of-the-art health and racquet club and special guest rates at a world-class golf club.  Each day of the week guests can enjoy complimentary activities and experience local culture by participating in one of these Outer Banks activities.

The economy is struggling, and the travel industry is sluggish along with every other segment of the economy.  Travel forecasts for 2009 predict a significant decline; The Travel Industry Association (TIA) notes that “consumers are likely to plan and purchase leisure trips differently [this year] with the pursuit of a ‘good value’ as the primary reason why.”  Seaside Vacations views these challenges as an opportunity to provide guests with the added value they are looking for.           

“As pointed out by the TIA, today’s guest is looking for a value,” says Seaside Vacations’ President, Gordon Jones, and “we believe that Club Seaside will provide vacationers with the added value they seek and help them experience all that the Outer Banks has to offer.”

John Cook, a longtime visitor to the Outer Banks and recent Seaside Vacations’ guest, took advantage of Club Seaside and mentioned that “this is the first time I’ve seen such an offering on the Outer Banks.”  Cook went on to say that Club Seaside is a “very impressive extra.” 

In addition to economic factors, the vacation rental industry faces unique challenges.  The vacation rental industry is rapidly gaining popularity, but a recent PhocusWright study on the industry points out that only 10% of Americans booked a vacation rental in the past two years.  Vacation rentals offer great benefits to the traveling public, including private pools, fully-equipped kitchens, and large spaces to gather as a group, however, PhocusWright points out that many travelers are “worried they wouldn’t have access to hotel-like services.”  Club Seaside gives guests the hotel-like services they desire. 

Seaside Vacations views an Outer Banks vacation as so much more than just a house at the beach. A vacation is time with friends and family, a chance to relax and unwind, and an opportunity to experience the local culture.  Seaside Vacations has created a variety of guest programs available to all Seaside Vacations’ guests that will enhance the Outer Banks vacation, introduce great local businesses, and add value to the vacation rental.  Seaside Vacations is committed to creating an exceptional vacation experience that includes a gorgeous house, but also access to local events that give guests access to all the Outer Banks has to offer. 

For more information on Club Seaside, including schedule and contact information, please visit www.OuterBanksVacations.com/ClubSeaside.htm.   

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 – 14-bedroom private vacation rental homes, condominiums, townhomes and villas.   Explore properties 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 www.OuterBanksVacations.com or call one a Vacation Specialist at 866.936.4659.

Dogs are a part of the family, and the four-legged family members love vacation too.  The Outer Banks is very dog-friendly, but it’s worth it to plan ahead.

If you plan to bring your dog to the Outer Banks this summer, here are some tips to make your travels easier:

• Do be up to date with your dogs vaccinations
• Make sure your dog is a nonaggressive dog that will get along with people and other dogs
• This one is a no-brainer: Make sure your dog is housebroken!
• No off-limit chewing- If you have a dog that is teething or loves to chew, pack some of your pup’s toys with you
• Never leave your pet unattended
• Pick up after your pooch
• Teach your pup basic commands

By taking these precautionary measures before and during your vacation, it will make your dog-friendly vacation much more enjoyable and stress free.

Plenty of pet-friendly homes still available for your Outer Banks Vacation.

  Preparing meals rather than dining out is a great way to save money while vacationing on the Outer Banks, and one of the major benefits of vacation rental homes is the fully equipped kitchens that make home cooking easy. 

You might think that slaving over a hot stove while on vacation is the last thing that you would want to do, but the savings is significant and since your friends and family are around, it can be a fun activity.  Planning to cook is the key to great savings on your Outer Banks vacation. 

It’s a good idea to first determine which nights you will be dining in or out.  Then, determine the types of meals you would like to prepare, and try to get all of the groceries for the week in one trip; this may be a lofty goal, but saving trips to the grocery store allows for more time at the beach.  Having plenty of milk, cereal, and deli meats are great ways to let your party fend for themselves during breakfast and lunch.  One great time saver for grocery shopping is to bring as many non-perishables as you can allow space for in your car.

1. Beach it!
2. Take a day trip to Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
3. Keep going, and take the ferry to Ocracoke
4. Visit Wright Brothers Monument and Museum.
5. Eat a dolphin boat at Johns Drive In.
6. Watch the sunrise from the Nags Head Pier.
7. Climb Jockey’s Ridge.
8. Buy some chicken necks, string, and a dip net and go crabbing.
9. Visit the docks at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at 4:00 PM and watch the charter boats come in.
10. Shop in Duck.
11. Visit Coquina beach.
12. See all four light houses
13. Go to the Lost Colony
14. Pack a picnic lunch of pimento and cheese sandwiches and sweet tea.
15. Shop in Manteo
16. Sit in the surf
17. Beach it again
18. Enjoy an ice cream cone
19. Take the Corolla Wild Horse Tour
20. Sleep in
21. Go to Mann’s Harbor and see 100,000 roosting Purple Martins
22. Ride a boogie board
23. Get an air brush tattoo
24. Leisurely walk through the Elizabethan Gardens
25. Build a sand castle
26. Pick crabs
27. Take a Dolphin Watch tour
28. Take a garbage bag and pick up litter
29. Beach it again
30. Fly a kite
31. Visit the NC Aquarium
32. Go outlet shopping
33. Steam some shrimp
34. Visit some antique shops in Currituck County
35. Play a round or two of golf
36. Go fishing
37. Take a Kayak Eco Tour
38. Go to the Outer Banks Music Showcase
39. Watch a $5.00 movie at the old Pioneer Theatre in Manteo
40. Eat breakfast at the Nags Head Pier.
41. Kayak the Roanoke Sound
42. Beach it again
43. Visit the Chicamacomic Lifesaving Station
44. Eat a soft shell crab sandwich
45. Visit the Elizabeth II at Festival Park
46. Take another long walk on the beach
47. Enjoy a free show at one of the summer performances by the NC School of the Arts
48. Walk the beach after dark
49. Play putt putt
50. Visit the Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center
51. Collect shells and sea glass
52. Listen to the tree frogs at night
53. Enjoy one of the many excellent restaurants
54. Visit the Outer Banks History Center
55. Go wreck diving
56. Catch a wave and go surfing
57. Take an air tour over the Outer Banks
58. Enjoy an evening cruise
59. Sit at the dock at the top of the bay and do nothing
60. Take a friend tandem hang gliding
61. See a working fishing village in Wanchese
62. Read a book
63. Make a piece of pottery at the Front Porch, MP 6
64. See classic art at the Seaside Art Gallery
65. Play tennis on a local school court
66. Look for one of the many pirate ghosts that haunt the Outer Banks
67. Go to an Outer Banks Daredevil’s Baseball Game
68. Go horseback riding with Back Country Outfitters or Equine Adventures
69. Rent a jet ski
70. Visit gallery row
71. Go bird watching at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
72. Take a cooking class at Outer Banks Epicurean
73. Get a weekly flex pass for the Outer Banks YMCA
74. Take a hike in Nags Head Woods Preserve
75. Rent a bike
76. Eat seafood
77. Watch the stars
78. Take a lot of pictures
79. Feed the seagulls
80. Fish or site see from one of the fishing piers
81. Rent a 4 wheel drive jeep and drive thru Carova to the Virginia line
82. Visit one of our many churches
83. Shop with the locals at Food Lion on Friday nights at 8:00 PM.
84. Spend a rainy day at the movies, jammed in a store, or stuck in traffic…..
85. Take a day trip to historic Edenton
86. Get a massage, pedicure, manicure, or facial at the Sanderling Resort
87. Attend a red wolf “howling”
88. Go parasailing
89. Cook out on the beach
90. Ride your bike down the beach road path
91. Keep a journal of your vacation
92. Sit on the beach from high tide till low tide
93. Make a “steamer bucket” for dinner
94. Read the local papers…..Coastland Times and the Sentinel
95. Reserve your vacation home for next year
96. Eat Carolina barbeque
97. Study the life of Blackbeard, Manteo & Wanchese, and Virginia Dare
98. Watch a Nights of Rodanthe, which was filmed on the Outer Banks
99. Attend a local church fish fry
100. Ponder the splendor of one of nature’s great wonders……The Outer Banks