The word has gotten out… U.S. News this week ranked the Outer Banks #1 for Family Vacations in the USA!
Thank you U.S. News for appreciating our beaches, our history, all the great activities and how much a family can enjoy the OBX. We are very excited, proud and appreciative.
Don’t miss out on the fun!
Go to OBX.COM for vacation rentals and money-saving coupons and 101 Things to Do on the Outer Banks to plan your vacation.
DON’T MISS OUT!
March is the time when people who don’t live on the Outer Banks get a bad case of the I’ds….
If I was on the Outer Banks right now I’d…
In March the Outer Banks shakes off it’s winter slumber and starts to awaken. The temperatures of early March average 50 degrees and by the end of the month they’re a very fine 65-75 degrees.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be Fishing. In March the fishing on the Outer Banks becomes more lively too! March is the beginning of the surf and pier fishing season. Grouper, sea trout, sea bass, bluefish, bluefin and yellowfin tuna, snapper, and striped bass are all biting.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be enjoying the annual Kelly’s Outer Banks Restaurant & Tavern Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be reveling in a long weekend of food, wine and fun with the Outer Banks Restaurant Association’s Taste Of The Beaches.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be golfing. Longer, sunny days make this a good time to brush up on your game.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be enjoying the longer days by beach combing for all the treasures washed up from the recent storms.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be leisurely exploring all the museums and cultural activities.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Be taking advantage of the specials the restaurants are offering.
If I was on the Outer Banks I’d…
Sleep in late at one of the fabulous hotels or bed and breakfasts.
The weather is getting much warmer, the fishing is great, the food and fun are all available and it’s quiet. Cure that case of the Id’s…
One of the joys of being on the Outer Banks is the tremendous number of family-friendly ways to spend your time. Throughout the year, the Outer Banks celebrates a variety of festivals providing fun, music, and entertainment, and cultural events for young and old alike. Lots of families visiting the OBX plan their vacation so they can enjoy the beaches and their favorite festival at the same time. So make your reservations and come enjoy the great entertainment, food, and history of the Outer Banks!
Here is a list of some of the great festivals that are coming up between now and May 31st!!!!!
(Check back for more on up-coming marathons, parades, and other family fun.)
Freedmen’s Colony Blues Jam, held at the College of the Albemarle in Manteo, is guaranteed to be a night of music that you will always remember– February 8th
Taste of the Beaches is a fun food festival featuring: wine tastings, cooking classes, special menu presentations, brewery tours, tapas crawls, cook-offs, dine-arounds, and many more creative combinations of culinary delights and fun activities. It involves over 50 restaurants! – March 14-17 – TICKET ARE ON SALE NOW!
http://www.obxtasteofthebeach.com/home.htm
Outer Banks Bike Week is one of North Carolina’s largest motorcycle rallies – April 20th – 28th
http://www.outerbankshd.com/custompage.asp?pg=bikefest
Hatteras Storytelling Festival celebrating storytelling, music, and much more! – May 3rd – 5th
Outer Banks Beach Music Festival in Corolla celebrating the unique sounds of beach music! – May 26th
http://www.outerbanksbeachmusicfestival.com/
Outer Banks Beer and Wine Festival is now part of the Outer Banks Beach Music Festival – May 26th
http://www.outerbanksbeachmusicfestival.com/Beer___Wine_Festival.php
Go now to OBX.COM to search for money saving coupons, vacation rentals, hotels, restaurants, & much more!
Now is the perfect time to get your vacation rental on the Outer Banks!
According to a recent article in the Virginia-Pilot, even the cost of gas, new beach driving regulations, and previous storms could not keep visitors away from the Outer Banks last year. Our sources at local property rental companies tell us that this year is tracking to be just as popular!
Newer and upgraded highways have made the Outer Banks an easy one-day drive from places as far away as New York City, Columbus, OH, and Pittsburgh. It’s still only a half-day from DC and Baltimore, Philadelphia, and southern New Jersey, and just 80 miles from the Norfolk International Airport.
Most importantly the OBX is certainly more relaxed and family-oriented than other well-known beaches such as the New Jersey shore or Ocean City, MD. So don’t hesitate to get your Outer Banks accommodation organized as soon as possible.
People often say that being on the Outer Banks brings them peace and joy. So, what better time to give someone a gift from the Outer Banks? Go to one of our amazing local shops and take your time picking out that perfect item, or visit one of the great websites that Outer Banks businesses have for you to order the perfect gift. Perhaps you want to give gifts that make a difference? If that’s the case, consider these wonderful ideas…
Sponsor a Bankers Horse! Everyone loves the Wild Spanish Mustangs of the Outer Banks. They are a beautiful part of our history. The Corolla Wild Horse Fund is offering an exciting new program that benefits the wild horses and gives you the opportunity to give the gift of being a “Wild Horse Hero”. Visit this website for more information:
http://www.corollawildhorses.com/sponsor/
Sea turtles are another one of the natural wonders of the Outer Banks and N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) is the organization that monitors our local sea turtle population and helps with hatchings, stranding and rehabilitation. Make a small donation to this amazing organization and they will send a note to that special someone from you!
http://www.nestonline.org/index.htm
Maybe your loved one would like a gift they can use again and again. Consider buying an annual membership to the NC Aquarium at Roanoke Island! Kids of all ages want to visit the aquarium on Roanoke Island over and over again. Or maybe you’d prefer to sponsor a specific animal? Adopt-an-Animal allows you to choose from five popular marine animals and three different levels of support.
https://reservations.ncaquariums.com/roanokeisland/Info.aspx?EventID=21
Has your loved one always wanted to scuba dive with sharks? For certified scuba divers the NC Aquarium on Roanoke is offering the experience of a life time – the chance to dive with sand tiger, sandbar and nurse sharks in their 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic exhibit!
https://reservations.ncaquariums.com/roanokeisland/Info.aspx?EventID=18
“Housing values are poised to outpace expectations, real estate whiz Barbara Corcoran said Wednesday on CNBC.
“You have 30 percent reduction in sale price. You have cheap money around,” she said, adding that in nine out of 10 real estate markets, buyers are likely to be outbid on a housing purchase at least once. “You don’t think that until you go shopping for a house.”
In response to a question from “Fast Money”
“I would first go out and buy a beachfront property,” she said. “Go out and buy a second home. It’s the last piece of the real estate market that has yet to hit bottom.”
Corcoran, who built a multimillion-dollar real estate firm and stars on reality TV show “Shark Tank,” said it was also a great time to step up a primary residence.
“Right now, if you’re upgrading to a bigger house, even if you’re selling at 10 percent off, you buy your new house at a 10 percent off,” she said.
Appreciation in property values, Corcoran added, would be stronger than the numbers are suggesting.
“It’s going to go much higher than people anticipate,” she said.”
The Outer Banks is known for many things – beaches, seafood, and water sports to name a few. There are very few family resort communities in the world with a population that is as truly passionate about helping a deeply worthy cause than that of the Outer Banks.
Through Relay for Life hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised over the years on the Outer Banks to aid the American Cancer Society. Each year we gather and walk the track in honor of those we have lost, those who have survived and those who have given care to loved ones with cancer.
Help be part of the solution. Join in the fundraising efforts at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills May 18th (starting at noon) and 19th. Even if you are not on a team you can show support for those that walk, participate in other fund raising activities and booths and learn more about helping the American Cancer Society in future.
There are moments on every vacation that are unforgettable. For those who return to the Outer Banks year after year, there is one that marks the beginning of the adventure – “Crossing the Bridge”.
The view, the sounds, the anticipation…
www.101thingsobx.com
OBX.COM is thrilled to announce the launch of 101 Things to Do on the Outer Banks.
This exciting website gives you an insider’s look at 101 things to do and places to go during your Outer Banks visit. You’ll be surprised at how much there is to see and do!
Visit www.101thingsobx.com and start planning your next Outer Banks vacation!
