For a quiet, calm, and serene retreat in a family-style beach community, look no further than the warm, welcome, and outstretched open arms of the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Day 3
Well, I guess our wishes were granted, and we woke up to a bright and sunny day! As I mentioned, seeing the two extremes of rainy dreary weather and now this glorious picturesque setting, I immediately started humming the Brady Bunch song, "Sunshine Day."
"I think I’ll go for a walk outside now. The summer sun’s calling my name...I just can’t stay inside all day. Gotta get out, and get me some of those rays!"
It seemed like overnight, we were transported to a beachfront paradise with calm winds and tranquil waters. Serene, quiet, and peaceful. I also noticed just how close to the ocean and sound we really were on this collection of barrier islands—roughly 150 miles of beach and approximately 3 miles at its widest point. No wonder it sounded like we had been in a weather pinball machine!
We set off on our trip to visit Roanoke Island, one of the barrier islands in this chain, and we could not believe the beauty of our surroundings. Quinn was right after all—it is one of the most beautiful places, and now we finally got to see it in its full splendor!
First stop on this day’s journey was the Elizabethan Gardens. The Garden Club of North Carolina created a 16th-century style garden as a living memorial to the lost colonists. The gardens are meticulously maintained, but still have that natural feel to them. Flowers line the pathways with trees and shrubbery along the way.
Sculptures in varying sizes are scattered throughout the gardens, but my favorite was Bashful, a little girl probably around 2 or 3 years old, who was rubbing her eyes just like a toddler who needed a nap. She was so precious and life-like in her dress and curls. Replicas of the statue are available in the gift shop for those who can’t resist the charms of an adorable little girl—even if she is made of stone!
Once I peeled myself away from the gift shop, we were off to see The Lost Colony, located in Manteo. Intended to run only one season, it is now the oldest symphonic outdoor drama, and tells the story of the first English attempt at settlement in the New World.
We arrived at the waterside theatre and met Josh Gilliam, a former Lost Colony participant, who was fully caffeinated, energized, and overflowing with enthusiasm for this living history lesson. As we walked along the path towards the theater, he explained the site was built on the grounds of the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where America’s first settlers lived more than 400 years ago.
For a theatre buff and former stage tech like myself, I was in heaven! The outdoor theatre was simply breathtaking. Its wooden architecture had been weathered and aged by the winds near the sound, giving it a rustic and authentic feel, perfect for a story set in the 1600s. The Roanoke Sound in the background gave it an added depth no art director, set designer, or creative visionary could ever match.
In the costume room, we saw the full ensembles the characters would have to wear performance after performance. Josh said constant maintenance and repairs were required to ensure the pieces were kept in the best shape possible, sometimes costing over thousands of dollars. Dresses, coats, and other period-appropriate layers sometimes weighing up to 60 pounds were all part of the process to recreate this drama.
On a lighter note, a section of the benches backstage was labeled "for Indians only," meaning they were to only be used by those portraying Native Americans in the show. This was not as a form of discrimination, but as a caution to the other actors about the iron-based makeup used which would stain anything and everything in sight—including bed sheets!
As much as we hated to say goodbye to The Lost Colony, we bid our farewells and headed off to our next destination, Roanoke Island Festival Park, a historic "hands-on" interactive attraction.
A few of the sights you’ll see here are: the Elizabeth II, a representative of a 16th-century sailing vessel with garbed interpreters; the Settlement site with Elizabethan soldiers stand guard on lookout for Spaniards and Algonquian braves; and the Roanoke Adventure Museum covering 400 years of Outer Banks history. Also be sure to check out the Museum Store which has quirky and fun little treasures to take home from your experience, including jewelry, candles, T-shirts for all ages, and a unique, multi-pointed and colored Court Jester-style hat with bells on it—perfect for an unusual family member!
All this culture and shopping sure worked up an appetite, so we headed over to the Weeping Radish Brewery for lunch. To get things started, we shared a beer sampler of four special brews, and platter of four types of German sausages. We were joined by Uli Bennewitz, the president of the brewery, who gave us a few highlights of the brewing business and alerted us on a few of their future plans.
For lunch, I tried the Grilled Chicken on a Pita, which had grilled peppers and onions. It was very tasty with a similar flavor of a cross between a fajita and Italian sausage and pepper sandwich. A meal at a German brewery wouldn’t be complete without a piece of Black Forest cake, and it certainly lived up to its end of the bargain.
After a quick browse in the gift shop, we were on our way to R.D. Sawyer Motor Company in Manteo. There were no events planned for the next day, so we rented cars in order to see the Outer Banks on our own. For 24 hours, I was the lucky driver of a silver 2002 Chevy Cavalier—oh, what fun!
But until daylight, I had to settle for driving to our next destination: Jockey’s Ridge State Park for hang gliding lessons, courtesy of Kitty Hawk Kites.
Now before you go off and picture me soaring off a mountain or something, I must admit I did not go hang gliding. I think my decision was made 5 minutes into the instructional video, when I saw the possible altitudes and varying heights from which you would be descending after you are swept up in the air. I am 5’2" standing on an incline with the wind at my back for a very important reason—I couldn’t handle being tall! I’m short because I’m afraid of heights; it’s similar to the reason why I don’t swim: God didn’t give me gills and fins.
So, anyway, between the fear of heights thing and my surgically enhanced right knee, I chose to watch from the dunes, and it was more fun for me than the option of ending up face down while skidding down a pile of sand, leaving the hang glider trailing behind me.
I must say, though, just watching the rest of the crew gliding down the sand dune was enough for me to question if I made the right decision. It was beautiful, and the instructors totally put the others at ease. They steadied the glider and helped to get them off the ground, but didn’t propel them too much. All in all, it was a magical experience for both those who flew and those who watched. I highly recommend it, but don’t be a chicken like me and watch. Hang gliding should be experienced, so try it if you dare!
We managed to corral our group and headed back to the Sanderling in a caravan of rental cars for a little R&R before dinner. Our evening planned was a little different than the typical dinner out at a local restaurant; tonight we were dining in one of the many oceanfront homes on the Outer Banks with a catered dinner party of local folks. Well almost...
Turns out this quiet little get-together had a few big names in the Outer Banks, including: the mayor of Southern Shores, a local businessman, a sports bar owner, and our hosts, David Perrot and his wife, Debbie, of Prudential Realty. Weekly rentals to out-of-state families for vacations, weddings, and reunions are becoming more and more popular on the Outer Banks, so this was a great way of showing us all the area offers in the way of alternates to hotels and resorts, such as the Sanderling.
This place wasn’t just an oceanfront home on the Outer Banks, but a 5-bedroom, split level "cottage" as they are called, with a balcony overlooking the ocean, master bedroom suite, and an elevator. Now, I had been hearing about these "cottages" and was picturing a small, typical cottage with a sweet, gray-haired older woman knitting on the front porch—not so at all! Rental fees of these cottages can range in price from $400 a week to over $5,000 a week. No little old lady came to mind once I saw this place! It was magnificent.
Dinner was catered by Kelly’s, a restaurant in Nags Head featuring upscale cuisine. The menu for the evening consisted of crabcakes, steak, couscous, and asparagus, as well as various wines and beverages. Dessert offered a choice between chocolate mousse, sorbet, or a Kentucky Derby tart.
While dinner was great, the highlights of the evening were the conversations with the local folks. Each one brought a different view and passion to the Outer Banks, which is quite evident as they spoke with such love and respect for this gorgeous corner of the world.
