Send Outer Banks Postcards To Your Friends and FamilyAre you the lucky one among your friends and family who got to take a trip to the Outer Banks this year? Take an hour of your precious vacation time and send postcard notes to your loved ones from the Outer Banks. There are beautiful postcards sold at almost any local gift shop or grocery store and they are very affordable. Let them know you are thinking about them and that you wish they could be visiting the Outer Banks with you. If they can see a postcard of how beautiful it is, maybe you can persuade them to come along with you on your next trip to the Outer Banks! Take a Red Wolf Howl Tour at Alligator River National Wildlife RefugeLocated on the Dare County mainland west of Manteo on Highway 64, you will find the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of 150,000 acres of wetlands, fields and swamps. A variety of animal species call the refuge home, including black bears, white-tailed deer, gray fox, bobcats, raccoons, mink, beaver, squirrels, opossum, river otter, alligators and red wolves. Though they are a threatened species, red wolves have made a comeback in this part of North Carolina, thanks to careful management since the 1980s. Night tours to hear the red wolves howl are given every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the refuge from late June through mid-August. For more information, contact the refuge at (252) 473-1131, ext. 243. Go Surf Fishing on the BeachVisitors and locals to the Outer Banks share the popular Outer Banks sport of surf fishing. Red drum is prevalent during about nine months of the year. Effective in 2006, you need to purchase a fishing license to go saltwater fishing in North Carolina. In addition, some species (including red drum) are regulated for size and limit. For more information about licenses and tag and release programs, contact the Division of Marine Fisheries at (252) 473-5734. Other fish species that are common are dogfish, bluefish, pompano, striped bass, Spanish mackerel, croaker, flounder, spot and trout. The most popular surf fishing spot is the Cape Point in Buxton, located at vehicle access ramp 43, though you can surf fish pretty much anywhere on the beaches of the Outer Banks. Visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse and Keepers' QuartersLocated more than a half-mile from the Atlantic Ocean on Bodie Island, the Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1872. It was the third lighthouse to be built near Oregon Inlet, as the first one was built south of Oregon Inlet in 1847 and developed structural damage within the first 10 years and had to be rebuilt. The second was also built south of Oregon Inlet in 1859 but was destroyed by Confederate forces during the Civil War. The current Bodie Island Lighthouse is 170 feet tall and was built north of the Oregon Inlet because of the inlet's constant moving to the south. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard for many years, the lighthouse was turned over to the National Park Service in 2000. There is a Visitor Center with exhibits and a bookstore on the grounds, but the lighthouse is not available for climbing. For more information, call (252) 441-5711. Take a Photography Adventure with Your CameraInstead of purchasing postcards to take home with you as souvenirs of your Outer Banks vacation, take a photography adventure with your own camera. Whether you choose to photograph the various Outer Banks lighthouses, different species of birds, sunrises and sunsets, boats or any of the other many highlights of the Outer Banks, the natural beauty is sure to come through in your photographs. You can take your original photographs home and show them to all of your friends, or frame them and hang them in your house so you will always have a reminder of the Outer Banks! Take a Walking Tour of Historic Downtown ManteoOne of the oldest Outer Banks communities, Manteo is the county seat of Dare County and is home to several old office buildings that are still in use today. Manteo also has several bed and breakfast inns, restaurants, shops and attractions - all of which attract thousands of visitors to Roanoke Island each season. The downtown area is located on the waterfront, which has 53 modern dockside boat slips and a comfort station with showers and bathrooms. The downtown area has many independently owned shops and restaurants that provide for an interesting afternoon of shopping. Also in the area is the American Bicentennial Park, which has a wooden boardwalk along the waterfront, a gazebo area and picnic tables for resting and a playground for the kids. In Historic Downtown Manteo, there is something for everyone! Browse the Local Gift Shops and BoutiquesWhether your shopping interests are high-end boutiques, art galleries, local souvenir shops or seafood markets, you will find a variety of stores up and down the Outer Banks. Whether you are as far north as Corolla or as far south as Ocracoke, you could spend a day browsing in local shops and galleries. Duck and Corolla feature the most high-end boutiques, while Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head shopping is more practical and affordable. Manteo/Roanoke Island has a variety of stores as well, but focuses more on antiques, art and high-end boutiques. Hatteras Island shopping is practical and features more surf and souvenir shops than the other types. Ocracoke Island also has a variety of shopping, and since the Village is so small you can walk or bike between stores. Wherever you are, you will be able to find the perfect Outer Banks gift or souvenir to take home with you. Buy a Hermit Crab and Take Your New Pet HomeAs you may know, hermit crabs are very popular pets. Similar to letting a child have a goldfish or a hamster, hermit crabs are also low maintenance pets. They need a small living area (a goldfish bowl or empty fish aquarium) with sand and some water. They like to eat cornmeal. At first, the hermit crab is a bit like a turtle and is afraid to come out of his shell. But, after he gets used to you and his surroundings, he will come out to say hello and be very active. When your hermit crab gets large enough and runs out of room in their current shell, he will leave that shell and move to a larger one. While you are visiting the Outer Banks, you can look on the beach for some larger empty shells for your new pet to grow into and put them in his house with him. Many of the local Reef and Wings stores sell hermit crabs and houses at reasonable prices. Look at the Horses at the Ocracoke Pony PensHoused in a 180-acre pasture located just off Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island, the 30 horses that live in the Ocracoke Pony Pens are a popular attraction. Maintained by the National Park Service, the once-wild horses are a large part of the Island's history. At times in history, the herd of wild horses ranged from 200 to 500. Much like the Corolla Wild Horses, it is believed that these horses arrived on Ocracoke by swimming ashore from Spanish shipwrecks off the coast. When you make your trip to Ocracoke Island, don't forget to stop and visit the Ocracoke Pony Pens! Take the Ocracoke Village Walking TourThe small fishing village of Ocracoke is the perfect opportunity for you to park your car for a day and wander the narrow streets of the village. Historical landmarks, local shops, restaurants, antique shops and old buildings and homes are among the interesting things you will find on your walking tour. A suggestion is to begin at the Ocracoke Visitor Center, which is located on the west end of the village and adjacent to the ferry docks. Since the island is so small, it is almost impossible to get lost! If you would like, ask a National Park Service employee in the Visitor Center for directions and suggestions before you start your journey. | Corolla RestaurantsPizzazz Pizza Company603 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Maui Wowi 603 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Zero's Subs 603 Currituck Club Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Bunkers Grill & Bar 620 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Route 12 Steak & Seafood 786 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 The Fudgery 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Giant Slice Pizza 785 Sunset Boulevard TimBuck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar 785 Sunset Boulevard TimBuck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 Sooey's BBQ & Rib Shack 785 Sunset Boulevard TimBuck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Bad Bean Taqueria 785 Sunset Boulevard Timbuck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Grouper's Grille & Wine Bar 790 Ocean Trail, Suite G Tim Buck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Subway Sandwiches & Salads 799 Sunset Boulevard, Suite B Tim Buck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla ShoppingCorolla Surf Shop602 Ocean Trail Monterey Plaza Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Surf Shop 603 Currituck Clubhouse Drive, Suite G Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Bait & Tackle 601 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Shops of Currituck Club Corolla, NC 27927 Harris Teeter Supermarkets 601 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Sound Feet Shoes 718 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Brew Thru Beverage Store 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 The Fudgery 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Nags Head Hammocks 790 Ocean Trail Timbuck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 DogNutz 790 Ocean Trail TimBuck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Kitty Hawk Sports 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 The Cotton Gin 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Try My Nuts Nut Company 785 Sunset Boulevard Corolla, NC 27927 Outer Banks AttractionsOuter Banks Center for Wildlife Education1160 Village Lane Corolla, NC 27927 The Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park 1100 Club Road Corolla, NC 27927 Currituck Beach Lighthouse & Gift Shop 1101 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 The Corolla Wild Horse Museum at The Historic Corolla Schoolhouse 1126 Schoolhouse Lane Corolla, NC 27927 Station Bay Marina & Seafood Market 1566 Duck Road Duck, NC 27949 Corolla ActivitiesThe Currituck Golf Club620 Currituck Clubhouse Drive Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Raceway 790 Ocean Trail Timbuck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 Kitty Hawk Sports 790 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Kitty Hawk Kites 785 Sunset Boulevard TimBuck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 Dance Heads 799 Sunset Boulevard Corolla, NC 27927 The Golf Links 798 Sunset Boulevard TimBuck II Shopping Village Corolla, NC 27927 Miss Kitty's Old Time Photo 794 Sunset Boulevard Tim Buck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 R/C Theatres of the Outer Banks 815 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Kitty Hawk Kites 817 Ocean Trail Monterey Plaza Corolla, NC 27927 Carolina Outdoors 817 Ocean Trail Monterey Plaza Corolla, NC 27927 Bob's Wild Horse Tours 1066 Ocean Trail Inn at Corolla Light Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Jeep Rentals & Tours 1070 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 |