Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Sound-side Love

Posted on January 26, 2012

Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Sound-side Love - Sunset

Gorgeous, sunny, 60 degree OBX weather in January?! Yes, please. Seems like the perfect day for some Outer Banks Everyday Magic.

This week we have the pleasure of getting a sound-side perspective from Barb, who has enjoyed years of fun-filled family life on the OBX Sound. Thanks for sharing Barb, and yes, you may just be lucky enough.

What’s that saying? If you are lucky enough to live on the water.. you are lucky enough!

I may just be lucky enough.

The Outer Banks is famous for mile after mile of gorgeous beaches, and rightfully so. However, there’s a secret on the other side of the island that is pretty special but often goes unnoticed – the Sound.

When our kids were young we spent endless hours playing in the Sound – swimming, crabbing and fishing. Jet skiing, boating, and tubing have entertained us indefinitely.

As our children had their own families, the Sound became a haven for weekend fun and family get-togethers. Lots of laughter, squeals of joy and wonderful discoveries have been shared along the shallow waters of our Sound-side paradise. From the little ones chasing minnows with nets, to digging clams from the sand, to chasing or running from crabs, there is always continual motion…and unlimited fun and smiles. If we got bored on the shore, sailing, kayaking and windsurfing offered endless entertainment for all ages.

For years our family has enjoyed Indian summer fishing off the Sound front pier. When the summer temperatures begin to drop a bit in the evenings, it’s the perfect time to enjoyed a late summer evening on the water. A northeast wind blows the water out to make for some great croaker, flounder and drum fishing. We have always been pretty competitive about who would catch the first fish, the biggest fish and of course, the most fish.

But the highlight of the evening is always the unique sunset with it’s amazing display of color. To witness the beauty of a huge sun rapidly sinking into the water always takes my breath away.

Some people find their everyday magic along the oceanfront of the Outer Banks. And I don’t blame them, the OBX oceanfront is just as breathtaking, but If you’ve never explored the Sound-side of the island, you’re missing out!

This is where I continue to find my everyday magic, regardless of the time of year.

And yes, I am lucky enough!

Sound-side Love: Crabbing

Sound-side Love

Check out those awesome retro pictures! Actual prints, not just a quick digital snapshot. Who knew prints still survived these days?! Thanks for sharing Barb!

I’d love to hear your story of Outer Banks Everyday Magic too. Please use the form below to share your story with me.

OBX Eats: The Black Pelican

Posted on January 23, 2012

OBX Eats: Black Pelican

Welcome to the first installment of our new blog series, OBX Eats!

In addition to loving the role that I play at Seaside Vacations, I am closet foodie. OK, maybe not in the closet, since everyone knows how much I enjoy a yummy meal. You know how they say that you can’t trust a skinny chef? Yeah, well…

This weekend my husband and I joined a few friends at The Black Pelican in Kitty Hawk, so I thought I’d share our experience. If you haven’t been there, you need to go. Really. You could go now if you wanted. Heck, I may be back there right now!

The Black Pelican is one of the more popular restaurants on Outer Banks. It’s one of the few places that allow you to enjoy panoramic ocean views from the upstairs dining room and outside deck.

Here are some fun Black Pelican facts:

The building was constructed in 1874 and used as a United States Lifesaving Station #6.
Back in the day, the building also served as an active weather bureau!
The Wright Brothers used this information to plan their experimental flights.
In 1903, after their successful First Flight, the Wright Brothers sent the telegraph announcement from Station # 6.

Awesome, right?!

Ah-hem, the FOOD?!

The Black Pelican has ample parking and lots of space inside. If you get there at the right time, they can accommodate larger parties. They serve lunch & dinner, and they cater. The menu is large and diverse. Choices include fresh seafood, salads, steaks, vegetarian choices, options for kids, and they have a wood oven for delicious pizza. They have a great raw bar, too!

I know, you’re thinking, “Yeah, yeah. Get to It, girlie. What about the FOOD?!

For appetizers, we enjoyed 2 orders of Drunken Crab, the Spicy Cajun Fish Bites (tuna), and Tuna Tatake’.

For normal people, that would have been enough for dinner. Thankfully, we aren’t normal.

The Drunken Crab is unreal. If you like crab, get it and thank me later. It comes in a huge martini glass, rimmed with Old Bay seasoning. It is ALL lump crab, none of that stringy stuff, and it’s tossed in a softly spiced Bloody Mary mix. Yum-o!

The tuna bites were cooked to perfection and were served with the house-made Ranch dressing. If you put good Ranch on a flip flop, I’d probably eat it, but I digress.

The tuna tar-tar was ICE cold, the wasabi was sinus busting, and the seaweed salad was to die for. It’s a huge portion – enough to share if you aren’t selfish. Which I am. So I ate it all when everyone was busy chatting.

Dinner was just as delish. We all had the seafood special: Artichoke and Parmasan Encrusted Tilefish with Spinach, Wild Rice, and crisps of fried sweet potato strings.

Tilefish, if you’ve never had it, is a white, tender, flaky fish, much like Rockfish/Striped Bass, but I think it’s a little sweeter. It was cooked perfectly and just flaked up. I should not, in any stretch of the imagination, have eaten the whole thing. I did, though. Scraped the remaining sauce with my toasted pita wedge, and everything. It was a spectacle, I admit. Try it for yourself and see if YOU can hold back!

If you’ll be in town the week of March 17-20, 2012, The Black Pelican is participating the OBX Restaurant Association’s Taste of the Beach. Maybe you’ll see me there!

Eat Local. Always.

Colleen - Director of Owner & Guest Services

Have you been to the Black Pelican? Do you have a place that’d you’d like me to review? Post a comment and let me know!

2011 Halloween on the Outer Banks

Posted on October 26, 2011

My favorite time of year is right around the corner…Halloween!! Got my pumpkins carved and my costume picked out. Everyone has been asking what is going on in the OBX for Halloween so we decided to put a list together of all the great events in the area.

The Roanoke Island Aquarium in Manteo is holding the annual “Trick or Treat Under the Sea” event Thursday October 27th from 6:00-8:30 pm. This year’s event will feature a scream contest, individual and family costume contests, vendors from our community with lots of treats and much more. Make sure you get tickets before the event because they will not have any available at the door.

Nags Head Church will be hosting their annual “Trunk or Treat” event from 6-8 pm on October 31st.

Spook House in the OBX Vacations building opposite the Harley Davidson store in Point Harbor on 158. Event will be a fundraiser for Relay for Life. Advertised in the Coastland Times.

The Island Farm in Manteo will be hosting a Victorian Funeral, an opportunity to visit the graves and ghosts of the graveyard and explore Victorian death rituals. Spooky! Scheduled for October 28th 7 & 8:15 pm.

Whalebone Surf Shop will be holding a Halloween Costume contest and huge sale on the 31st including a $100 gift card prize for best costume. Starts at 6pm.

The 10th annual Exotic, Erotic Ball will be held at Outer Banks Brewing Station Halloween night. Sounds risque hug? Well it has been voted the best Halloween party on the beach! Come in costume for a cash prizes.

Port O Call will be hosting the Burlesque Balle Saturday night with a costume contest with cash prizes!

Looks like there are going to be a ton of great events for adults and kids on Halloween night and even some starting tomorrow! Hope everyone has a great Halloween and stay safe. If you have any other events you know of let us know and we will add to the list! Stay spooky OBX.

Time for some Monster Mash!

Wings Over Water Wildlife Festival Nov. 8-13

Posted on October 24, 2011

Of course the millions of Outer Banks visitors come here every year to enjoy the beautiful beaches and attractions but I couldn’t agree more with Wings Over Water, that the ultimate attraction in our area is the wildlife, natural history and scenic views. As a chance to get out an enjoy the over quarter of a million acres of wildlife and wetlands, Wings Over Water is presenting the 15th annual Wildlife Festival from November 8-13th.

Here are just a few of the many great adventures planned for you and your family to experience!

Venturing into areas with combined bird lists of nearly 400 species.
Learning from experts how to shoot photographs that capture the unique beauty of the region.
Traveling to historic landmarks like the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station.
Visiting North Pond on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island, the hottest spot for fall birding in North Carolina – or even visit South Pond which is usually closed to visitors.
Taking a ferry to the pirate Blackbeard’s hang-out on Ocracoke Island to enjoy the quaint fishing village and check out the birds.
Paddling the backwaters of the area or four-wheeling the area north of Corolla.
Visiting the ancient maritime forest of Kitty Hawk Woods for a look at this rare ecosystem.
Venturing into Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge at night in search of bear and other wildlife.
Absorbing the waterways’ natural beauty during a sunrise or sunset kayak tour.
Wading in search of Clapper Rails, marsh sparrows and wrens at Oregon Inlet.
Exploring a Ghost Town on Portsmouth Island.
Experiencing a Red Wolf Howling where the nearly extinct animal is now fighting its way back.
And many other wild experiences……

Just another great activity for any fall OBX’ers. Don’t say we didn’t tell you that fall is the best time to be at the beach. For more information on the festival or to view a complete schedule and descriptions of all the events, click here. Here’s a quick peak at some of the beauty to be discovered here in the Outer Banks.

Sunset and Wildlife on the Outer Banks from Seaside Vacations on Vimeo.

Kitty Hawk Skate Competition: Proceeds to Benefit Irene Victims

Posted on October 7, 2011

Awesome event for a great cause set to take place Saturday, October 9th at the Kitty Hawk Skatepark, with proceeds benefiting Hurricane Irene victims through the Outer Banks Relief Foundation. Honorable, in conjunction with LACED Clothing, proudly presents the “LACED & FLOODED” benefit Skate Jam. The weekend will kick off Saturday, October 8th at Moms Sweet Shop in KDH for a meet and greet with Jake Brown and Peter Smolik from 12-2pm. They will be premiering LACED clothing as it hits the racks at Moms and make sure to stop by and pre-register for the Skate Jam.

On Sunday registration for the days event will be from 11am-12:30pm and the contest will begin at 1:00pm sharp. There is a $10 entry fee, and two age brackets of 16 & under/16 & up for the game of SK8, and a street-league style best run contest. There will be tons of awesome prizes donated by 158 Surf & Skate, and other great vendors. Lucky 12 Tavern donated a cooker, pig and sides for a good old fashioned pig pickin’ with plates being sold to raise funds for OBRF. The Bad Bean Baja Grill will also be around with a fresh juice bar, and treats.

If youre in town make sure to stop in and check this out. Should be a fun time and is for a great cause! If you have any questions regarding the weekends events please feel free to contact MomsSweetShop@gmail.com or call 252.441.MOMS (6667).

Outer Banks Treasure:Wright Brothers Memorial & Museum

Posted on October 3, 2011

Yes, we know its been a little while since our last Outer Banks Treasure series video, but fear not, we are back! What is the one thing you think of when you think of the Outer Banks? Of course the beach, but I remember when I was in grade school, the first time I heard the name “Outer Banks” it was in North Carolina History class and it was while learning about the Wright Brothers and the first flight. As you know, the purpose of the OBX Treasure videos is to really give you a glimpse at some of the amazing places that make the Outer Banks special. The choice was obvious here, the Wright Brothers Memorial & Museum is a one of a kind place that can only be found here in the Outer Banks and is a remarkable piece of history you have to visit at least once.

Like I have said a number of times, being a local you don’t always get the chance to enjoy some of the things that are the whole reason you live there! Sounds crazy but honestly I have not been to the beach in about 2 weeks. Its a disgrace but when you live and work in a place like the OBX you are busy with day to day life that you don’t have time. Well, the same idea applied in this situation, I had NEVER been to the Wright Brothers Memorial and have wanted to go for a long time but just never got around to it. After hearing some coworkers talking about doing their daily run up and down the monument I thought, jeeze, I need to get down there and do an OBX Treasure while I’m at it.

It was awesome! I wish I could of had my family there to see some of the amazing things inside the museum. There was so much history in this one little spot, it was amazing. I don’t want to give too much info because I want you all to see it for yourself, but seeing the plane reproductions, the very parts they used on the first model planes, and even the bikes the Wright Brothers made and sold to fund the experiment of flight was unbelievable.

After making my way through the museum and hanger exhibits I was ready to climb up to the monument. If you have been in the Outer Banks lately you know that the mosquito’s have been terrible after Hurricane Irene. Since I am allergic to mosquito’s I should have been more prepared for my climb but regardless it was worth every minute. The view from the top of the monument was great. You could see the beach and the sound and enjoy the Outer Banks from a completely different view. It was also pretty neat to touch the monument and read the engraved words that surround it. All I can say was it was beautiful.

I am so glad I got the chance to visit this little piece of history and even more excited to share it with you. I hope that when I move down to Kill Devil Hills I can get my morning workout here. I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to start the day. I know we use this quote alot but it is one of the most important things to remember “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”-Ferris Bueller. Enjoy the video everyone!

Outer Banks Treasure: Duck Research Pier

Posted on August 11, 2011

Come along as we take a tour of the Army Cops of Engineers Field Research Facility, or what we OBX’ers call the Duck Research Pier in Duck, North Carolina. The Field Research facility is used to study coastal processes, especially those that cause beach changes. The pier fulfills four main objectives:

provides a rigid platform through the surf into deep water from which to attach instruments
provides a permanent base of operations for various studies by the Corps, private industry, universities, and other branches of the military
provides field data for use in laboratory experiments and numerical models
provides a facility for testing new instrumentation in the field before deployment

If you have ever been out on the beach in Duck you may have seen the 1840 foot pier from a distance but there are only private beach accesses near the facility. The reason they Army chose to build the pier in Duck is pretty neat. Duck was chosen because of its distance from coastal structures, affected by the high frequency of storms and hurricanes, and only lightly affected by the dynamics of inlet processes. It also has access to both the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound making it easier to conduct a variety of experiments.

I don’t want to tell you too much more about the pier because you need to get out there and do the tour. It was really educational and makes you appreciate all of the wonder that’s associated with the ocean. They are only doing the tours until August 19th and are Monday-Friday at 10:00 am. Only one more week left so get out there!

Kitty Hawk Kites: 5th Annual Watermelon Festival 8/11

Posted on August 8, 2011

Join Kitty Hawk Kites and the Wright Flight Foundation for the 5th Annual Watermelon Festival, Thursday, August 11 from 10-4, at the Kitty Hawk Kite store in Nags Head (mile post 12.5) for a big outdoor summer bash with a homegrown backyard feel. This event will have tons of fun for kids and adults of all ages including a dunk tank, moon bounce, inflatable obstacle course, watermelon seed spitting distance contests, pie eating contests, t-shirt tye dying, face painting, and of course, tons of watermelon!

Kitty Hawk Kites staff will be on site teaching kids how to use juggling sticks, balance boards, and letting them try out top selling toys. There will also be great music, food vendors on site, and one of the best raffles on the beach and over $2000 in prizes.

Proceeds from the Watermelon Festival go directly to the Wright Flight Foundation–a local non-profit that rewards 5th graders, who achieve their academic goals, with flight! The foundation has helped improve performance in local school districts and has given children the opportunities to do things like hang gliding, tandem hang gliding, and plane rides, that they may have not been able to do before. Students are also educated about the history and basic principles of flight.

Check it out! What a great cause and a very creative way to motivate students. See you all there!

Outer Banks Treasure: Kilmarlic Golf Club

Posted on August 4, 2011

Nothing says relaxation like a nice round of golf right? Well since the beach is all about relaxing and enjoying a laid back atmosphere we thought we needed to include Kilmarlic Golf Club as one of our Outer Banks Treasures. I had a chance to see the course from some events we have had through the Club Seaside golf clinic offered by Kilmarlic and Seaside Vacations. It is a beautiful course and the club was great as well. There is a pro-shop inside, 215-Westside, which is a great spot to grab a bite to eat and a huge covered porch to sit out in a rocking chair and enjoy the views.

Want to check it our for yourself? Watch as I take a golf cart tour around the course and be sure you don’t miss out on the exclusive golf clinic and special guests rates through Club Seaside. Its a great way to get out and explore and enjoy all of the great things the Outer Banks has to offer. No matter what your skill level its a guaranteed good time!

Tips on Finding Beach Treasure on the OBX

Posted on August 4, 2011

Ever wondered where and how to find thing like driftwood, sea glass, fulgurites, seashells and other coastal treasures? Luckily the Outer Banks has been named one of the best places to discover some of these rare items. Check out Coastal Living’s article on everything you need to know about beachcombing while out exploring the coastline.

If you don’t have a beach trip planned yet, you can also find some neat places all around the U.S that sell many of these handcrafted items. Of course we can always help you plan your next beach trip so you can find some of these ocean gems right here in the OBX for yourself .

Follow the link and you will see this screen. From here you can explore all of these different types of beach treasures.