Outer Banks Infographic: Vacation Rental Home vs. Hotel

Ready for an awesome new blog feature?!

I knew you would be. :)

Are you familiar with infographics?

What?! You’re not down with this super hip way to digest large quantities of information in an easy to understand, graphical manner?!

Let me offer a little assistance. First, you’re not alone. Most people don’t know what an infographic is. They are a relatively new trend in the online marketing world. But they are super cool!

Here’s how wikipedia defines an infographic:

Information graphics or infographics are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge. These graphics present complex information quickly and clearly.

Basically, it’s a lot of information boiled down into a pretty picture so knuckle-heads like me can understand it.

There are all sorts of infrographics out there these days. A quick Google search will turn up more than you care to look at. But since you’re here, let’s take a look at our pretty picture.

As a new blog series, I’m going to share some cool infographics that relate to the Outer Banks, vacations, the beach, the weather, vacation rentals, surfing, fishing, etc. Some will come from other sources, and I’ll be sure to credit those sources, but my goal is to create a whole bunch of original infrographics that you’ll dig.

So stay tuned; more awesomeness to come. But for now, let’s take a look at our first original Outer Banks Infrographic…drum roll please…

Here’s a pretty picture that breaks down the differences between renting a vacation rental home and staying in a hotel.

(As my 1 1/2 year old says) Ta da!

Outer Banks Infographic: Vacation Rental Home vs. Hotel

Outer Banks Infographic: Vacation Rental Home vs. Hotel

2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide is Here!

2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide

2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide

Hot off the presses!  The 2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide has arrived!

The 2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide was exclusively designed by Seaside Vacations and features custom images from Whitney Norko Photography as well as Brooke Mayo. Amazing photos from some amazing ladies!

We are soooo excited to share this gorgeous piece of Outer Banks art with you to help you plan your 2012 OBX getaway.

You can get a Personalized Vacation Guide that is tailored to your specific vacation needs, and we are happy to include the full 2012 Outer Banks Vacation Guide as well.

Or, if you’d like to do some vacation hunting on your own, you can search Outer Banks vacation rental homes at: www.OuterBanksVacations.com.  You can also reach us at (877) 255-2641, and one of our Vacation Specialists will be happy to help with your search.

As the old OBX fishing saying goes, “the early fisherman gets the fish.” I just made that up. :) But the idea holds true with great OBX vacation homes. The best houses go early and quick. If you have a good idea of your plans for 2012, it’s always a great idea to start the hunting and booking process early.  It’s great to know your vacation is set and avoid that “where are we staying” pressure.

Happy hunting!

 

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: The Champ has Been Crowned!

The crowning moment has finally arrived!

After months of collecting fabulous Outer Banks t-shirt designs for our t-shirt design contest, we narrowed the field down to five amazing pieces of art, and Tuesday we opened the final stage of voting on our Facebook page.

It was a 24-hour period of heated voting with two awesome designs battling it out down to the last minute of voting at midnight. And in the end, the fabulous “Mermaid” design, created by Ms. Patsy Bachus Ridlon, was crowned the victor!

I asked Patsy if there was a story behind the design, and here’s what she had to say…

Yes! I’m southern, so I always have a good story:)

I was raised in Asheville, North Carolina, and now live in the Pacific Northwest, soon to move to the coast of Oregon. Still, the Outer Banks has a feeling and life all it’s own. There is no place like it.

The first time I visited the Outer Banks, I was a kid. That was 30 years ago. We went to a local restaurant and the waitress was so beautiful she looked like she belonged on the front of a ship!

She and her family had lived there for generations. She had the most exotic green eyes, so she made me think of the mermaid and the Pirate bandana she is wearing.

The horse, turtle, fish, crab, the dolphin hidden in the wave, the little seahorse…all the wildlife, to me, is one of the most amazing and important parts of the Outer Banks.

Horses! I love the wild horses.

She is part of the ocean and the OBX, and protecting it, as the people of the Outer Banks do.

The Surfboard, energy and fun!

Thank you for having the contest, it was great. I am sooo happy to be a tiny part of this. All the designs were amazing, and I am honored to have won. Please thank your awesome staff. I read about you all every day. You’re my link to my favorite place.

Thank you!
Patsy

Awesome description.

It is amazing how much the Outer Banks can effect people. There is so much “everyday magic” on the Outer Banks. So much so, that we can be changed by it and not even realize it’s happening. I can speak from experience (as I’m sure most of y’all can as well). I grew up in Boston, but after vacationing on the Outer Banks a couple times, I knew this is where I wanted to spend every available minute. Now, here I am with my entire life built around this amazing place.

Patsy lives on the opposite side of the country – 3k miles away? – yet she stays tuned into our daily updates everyday, took the time to enter our t-shirt design contest, and created the winning design based on inspiration from her first OBX visit 30 years ago!  Amazing!

Great design, and great story. Thanks so much Patsy.

This was such a fun contest! We can’t wait to see the great design on the Seaside Vacations 2012 t-shirt, and we can’t wait to do it again next year! Get your creative thinking caps on. :)

T-shirts will be available soon. We’ll be sure to announce it as soon as they are ready. Stay tuned!

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: "Mermaid" - Winning Design

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: "Mermaid" - Winning Design

 

 

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest: 5 Finalists!…Voting Starts Tuesday at Midnight!

Drum-roll please….

After months of preparation, the time has finally arrived. We have been collecting some amazing t-shirt designs over the passed few months, the t-shirt design contest closed on September 30, and we have now narrowed the field of 26 down to the TOP 5 FINALISTS!

We want to thank everyone who took part in this awesome contest. We were hoping to get some fun designs, and y’all blew us away! The designs that we received are all AMAZING.

Below are the 5 finalists, and voting will begin at midnight on Tuesday (i.e. Tuesday morning) and run for 24 hours. The voting will take place on our Facebook page (www.Facebook.com/SeasideVacationsOBX), and after the 24 hour voting period, the design with the most votes will be crowned the King/Queen of the Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest!

And to the victor go the spoils. The winning design will be printed on the back of the 2012 Seaside Vacations t-shirt, and the winning designer will win an Outer Banks getaway courtesy of Seaside Vacations.

Please tune into our Facebook page and vote…the more the merrier. :)

Without further ado, here are the top 5 finalists…

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest - 5 Finalists

Outer Banks T-Shirt Design Contest - 5 Finalists

Please note, the above image is not the best quality and the numbers on the designs are no longer relevant. New images for each design will be uploaded to Facebook for the voting.

Let the voting begin on Tuesday!

Breaking News: The New Seaside Shindig Starts this Weekend

Outer Banks - Seaside Vacations Shindig

Outer Banks - Seaside Vacations Shindig

JOIN US EVERY SATURDAY FOR THE SEASIDE VACATIONS SHINDIG!

Check-in day can be crazy in the summer. So…get off the street and check out the Seaside Shindig!While you’re waiting to check-in, join us for the family-friendly Seaside Vacations Welcome Party at Chilli Peppers Coastal Grille! Located right down the road at mile post 5.5 in Kitty Hawk, Chilli Peppers is a favorite with Outer Banks locals and visitors.From 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm every Saturday, Seaside Vacations guests will be treated to an exclusive “backyard party” featuring:

  • Special afternoon specials (3-5pm) including:
    • $1.00 PBR and Busch Lite cans
    • $.35 wings
    • $.20 shrimp
    • $5.00 off 1lb. of jumbo steamed shrimp or 1 lb. of steamed crab legs
    • $7.00 for queso dip, salsa, and guacamole with basket of chips
    • $1.00 off kids’ drinks and smoothies
  • Corn hole
  • Music
  • And more…including a full menu to choose from!

While you’re there, enjoy fun giveaways from Seaside Vacations and also be sure to mingle with our official Seaside Shindig Ambassador. She’s there to answer any questions you may have about your vacation or the Outer Banks…or to just chat and hang out with!

So, rather than hang out at the check-in office or fight the traffic on the bypass, get outside, eat some delicious food, have some drinks, listen to music, and get your Outer Banks vacation started right!

And be sure to come back and check out Chilli Peppers Coastal Grille later during your vacation! With Music Night (featuring bands from around the area), Tapas Night, fun events, award-winning food and a friendly staff, you’ll discover a great local restaurant.

Outer Banks, Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 4.29.11 – Kitty Hawk Pier in the Distance

Kitty Hawk Pier From a Distance

Good Afternoon everyone! Here is the Outer Banks beach, surf and fishing report for Friday April 29th, 2011.

This video was shot at the Eckner St. beach access in Kitty Hawk.

Gorgeous day today with temperatures in the low 70′s and expected to remain pretty close throughout the weekend. The sun is shining and people are out enjoying this beautiful Friday out on the beach. Yesterday we had some serious storms rolling through the area with Tornado warnings in effect throughout Currituck and Dare counties most of last night. There were some reported tornados that touched down but thankfully still no damage reported for any of our area.

Surf was pretty nice today, had a fairly clean waist high wave coming in this morning with winds NW around 5 to 10 mph. Waves are supposed to be calm this weekend so not much to look forward to there until next week.

As for fishing you can tell that summer is just around the corner. We are continuing to get reports of blue fish getting caught off the piers and this morning Nags Head pier was reporting some dogfish catches and the Outer Banks pier was reeling in some sea mullet. Offshore fishing is still going strong with reports of tuna and even some cobia moving into the area.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Enjoy!

Outer Banks Beach, Surf, & Fishing Report – 4.5.11 – Windy Day here in the OBX

Windy day here in the Outer Banks. Wind gusts from 20-35 mph throughout the day. Temperatures in the mid to upper 60′s but definitely feels a little chilly with the wind. Large blue fin tuna biting offshore, reports that they are too large to keep. Chest to shoulder high surf this afternoon fading to a stomach high later in the day. Ready for the warm weather we had yesterday to come back!

Outer Banks Spring Vacation Savings

Outer Banks Spring Vacation Savings

Outer Banks Spring Vacation Savings

ENJOY SPECIAL SAVINGS WITH THIS LIMITED TIME OFFER.

Spectacular sunrises over the Atlantic. Windswept beaches and rolling dunes covered in swaying sea oats. A place of unparalleled beauty…and all of this from the comfort of your private vacation home.

Ready for another getaway to the beautiful Outer Banks – but worried about what it will cost?

Seaside Vacations has the answer.

Offer
Book your Outer Banks vacation between March 23 – April 30, 2011 and receive 5% off the rental rate for any week between March 23, 2011 – June 19, 2011.*

Book Now
To take advantage of this exclusive offer, you may book online or call 855.856.0752. Please mention promotion code SPRING5.

In addition, Seaside Vacations offers flexible payment plans – tailored to each guest – to help everyone enjoy a vacation on the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Club Seaside - Outer Banks Fishing 101

Club Seaside - Outer Banks Fishing 101

Club Seaside - Paddleboarding Clinic

Club Seaside - Paddleboarding Clinic


*Terms and Conditions: Offer valid on reservations booked between March 23 – April 30, 2011. All stays must be completed by June 19, 2011. Offer valid on new reservations only. Offer is subject to change without notice and some restrictions may apply. Offer subject to availability and valid on participating homes only. 7-night minimum stay required. Must mention promotion code SPRING5 at time of reservation. Offer cannot be combined with any other offer, award, promotion or discount. If booking online, please put the promotion code.

Seaside Vacations Announces the 2011 Lineup for Club Seaside

Guests enjoy 15 complimentary events including family portraits, yoga, paddle boarding, wine tastings, wild horse tours and more

KITTY HAWK, NC, (March 9, 2011) – Seaside Vacations, a leading vacation rental company located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, announces the lineup for their 2011 Club Seaside program.

Believing that a vacation should be more than just a house at the beach, Seaside Vacations is continuing to redefine the Outer Banks vacation experience by combining the best things about staying in a private vacation home with the best things about staying in a luxury resort.

Offered exclusively to all Seaside Vacations guests, the weekly Club Seaside events have grown from eight events to 15 complimentary events in 2011.  Returning from 2010 are the professional golf and tennis clinics, yoga classes, wine tastings, circuit training, family portraits and paddle boarding.  And new for 2011, guests will enjoy art in action with Katy Caroline, a beading class at Garden of Beadin’, a “Charming Party” with Renee Landry Style, a cooking class by Outer Banks Epicurean, a fishing class with Rock Solid Fishing, a pet party with Salty Paws Biscuits, a tour of The Whalehead Club and a wild horse tour by Corolla Outback Adventures.  In addition, all Seaside Vacations guests have special guest 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 experience the local culture by participating in one of these Outer Banks activities.

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. By giving guests the added value they desire, Club Seaside has become a favorite among Seaside Vacations guests.

A Seaside Vacations guest commented:

“Please keep Club Seaside as a part of your rental program. We loved it very much! The amenities that are available free of charge and at a reduced rate are very well worth it!”

Seaside Vacations looks forward to yet another successful year with Club Seaside. For more information on the exclusive benefits of Club Seaside, including schedule and contact information, please visit www.outerbanksvacations.com/club-seaside.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 – 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 www.OuterBanksVacations.com or call one a Vacation Specialist at 855.375.9208.

The Vacation Rental Market is Expected to Grow 4 Times Faster than the U.S. Economy!

Seaside Vacations - Sandy Oasis

Seaside Vacations - Sandy Oasis

Vacation Home Rentals recently named the Outer Banks one of the top growth markets for vacation rentals in the United States. Studies show that the vacation rental market is expected to grow 13.1% in 2011, more than twice the rate of the travel market and four times faster than the U.S economy. About 85% of vacation rental property owners expect 2011 to be as good as, or better than 2010. The OBX is projected to have a 20% increase from last year alone!

Vacation rental property owners believe this growth may be attributed to the fact that vacationers are looking for small, reasonable destinations they can drive to, rather than fly.

With this news coming from one of the most visited vacation rental sites in North America, there is a lot to look forward to this year. Whether interested in buying a potential vacation home or searching for a weekend getaway Coldwell Banker Seaside Realty and Seaside Vacations can help you find your own beach oasis.