FALLING FOR THE OUTER BANKS
The Secret is Out: Autumn is the Nicest Season
Many veteran Outer Banks visitors first come for the summer, sand, and sun on 130 miles of beaches, but many return in the fall for the ‘secret’ season. The lures include cottage rentals and B&B or inn stays, as well as activities like hang gliding, sea kayaking, windsurfing, hiking, biking, and more. Plus, from September to November, temperatures, crowds, and prices all drop throughout the Outer Banks, making these adventures even more appealing.
Originally published in Hampton Roads Magazine
COTTAGES COST LESS
Basically, starting in early to mid-September, it costs about 40-70% less to rent a cottage in the Outer Banks. Of course, this can vary greatly with rental companies, locations, and individual cottages. Shopping around for the best deal is smart anytime of year, but it’s especially fruitful in the fall.
“I’ve always thought fall is the nicest season on the Outer Banks,” says Sun Realty’s Linda Hess. “The slower pace of the fall season is reminiscent of what the Outer Banks used to be. You’ve still have all of the amenities available, but with fewer crowds.”
Hess says fall prices are definitely lower and in many cases 50% or more less than high season rates. An eight-bedroom home with a pool in Nags Head or South Nags Head that runs more than $6,000 per week in summer can be had for around $2,000 starting in mid-September. A four-bedroom house with a hot tub up in Corolla that might cost $1,200 to $1,500 or more in summer will just be $500-$600 come fall.
“Fall in the Outer Banks offers a much easier pace with an entirely different mentality,” says Village Realty’s Jackie Myers. “You don’t have as many families with lots of children--mostly couples with small children and professionals. The water in the fall stays warm through October, unlike spring when the water hasn’t warmed up yet. If you are a golfer, the fall offers discounted greens fees.”
Myers says an eight-bedroom oceanfront house with pool in South Nags Head that went for $7,595 in mid-summer will go down to $2,595-$2,995 through Village Realty in the fall. A four-bedroom soundside golf course home with a hot tub will drop from $2,500 in the summer to $700-$800 off-season.
Many other companies offer cottage rentals and great fall rates, including Hatteras Realty, Midgett Realty, Surf or Sound Realty, Twiddy & Co. Realtors, Prudential Resort Realty, and many more. Some companies cover the entire Outer Banks, while others specialize in certain areas, so it’s best to shop around. Several companies offer further fall discounts to holders of the ‘Outer Banks Getaway Card’ (see ‘Information Please’ sidebar).
AN INN PLACE
Thanks to time constraints or a desire to stay as far away from a kitchen as possible, a B&B or inn just might be the ideal fall choice. From Duck to Hatteras Island, there are at least two dozen unique places to try (some, but certainly not all, are summarized below). Again, smaller crowds (and prices) might mean the Outer Banks is an ‘Inn’ place to stay in the fall.
In Duck, Advice 5C(cents mark) is a casual place and secluded choice, just a short walk from Duck’s quaint shops and restaurants. There are just four guestrooms and one suite, with all featuring private baths. Guests can enjoy the swimming pool and tennis courts, as well as the private walkway to the beach. Highlights include morning coffee for early beachcombers and ‘afternoon tea’ before sunset.
Down in Kill Devil Hills, Cypress House is an historic B&B that was originally built in the 1940s as a private hunting and fishing lodge. There’s a wonderful wrap-around porch and a common room with a fireplace.
To the south and on the soundside, The Baldview Bed & Breakfast offers great views of Kitty Hawk Bay on its 1,000 feet of waterfront. Highlights include an open maritime forest, a 400-year-old live oak, and incredible sunsets.
Also on the soundside, Cypress Moon Inn offers just three waterfront rooms. Guests enjoy antique-filled rooms, semi-private porches, and their own refrigerators.
In Nags Head, First Colony Inn has a variety of room choices, including luxury rooms that boast wet bars or kitchenettes and some that have Jacuzzis, sitting rooms, or private screened porches. Guests can relax by the pool or in the library, as well as taking the boardwalk to the inn’s gazebo on an ocean dune.
MANTEO/ROANOKE ISLAND
Over on Roanoke Island, quaint choices abound. This area features the charming town of Manteo and a different kind of Outer Banks B&B base.
Roanoke Island Inn, in downtown Manteo, represents more than 100 years of construction and additions to a waterfront family homeplace. Originally a small and simple island house, it was built in the 1860s by the current innkeeper’s great-great grandmother. The Inn offers guests the privacy of outside entrances to its rooms, the comfort of a lobby, and the indulgence of a well-stocked pantry. The second-floor porch overlooks Manteo’s acclaimed waterfront, where guests can stroll the boardwalk to shops, restaurants, and the movie theater.
Tranquil House Inn is also located on the Manteo waterfront and is surrounded by boardwalks and sailboats. Guests will find uniquely furnished rooms, with canopies and four-poster beds, and even mini-suites with cozy sitting areas and separate bedrooms. There’s usually a pitcher of ice-cold tea or lemonade available throughout the day, as well as an early-evening wine reception.
The White Doe Inn is a turn-of-the-century Roanoke Island residence that has been welcoming guests since 1898. Filled with old-fashioned warmth, all guestrooms feature fireplaces. A wrap-around porch offers a perfect place to enjoy the inn’s breezes.
Scarborough House is located in the heart of Roanoke Island, with native hosts welcoming guests. Gleaming pine floors, antique four-poster beds, local artifacts, and handmade bedspreads welcome guests to their rooms.
Finally, Scarborough Inn offers 12 individually-styled rooms filled with antiques. Other highlights include wrap-around porches, refrigerators, microwaves, and coffee makers in each room, bikes for guests, and two restaurants across the street.
HATTERAS
Down on Hatteras Island, you’ll find a generally quieter Outer Banks getaway, where families and fishing abound. Several quiet B&Bs and inns also welcome fall Hatteras visitors.
The Seaside Inn offers ten rooms (five have separate sitting areas and some have Jacuzzis). All rooms are eclectically decorated with local antiques and feature modern bathrooms. Local art and lots of little touches make this a Hatteras home away from home.
Another great area choice is Cape Hatteras Bed & Breakfast, where guests are made to feel like a true native. Located on a quiet lane just a short walk from the beach, all rooms feature private bath and entrance. A hearty, Hatteras-style breakfast awaits guests.
DUCK
Back up north of Duck, The Sanderling is one additional option that doesn’t really qualify as an inn or B&B, but should be included in any overview of unique Outer Banks accommodations choices. With 88 well-appointed rooms and suites, as well as villa rentals, every luxury has been addressed throughout the 12-acre resort. Additional amenities include varied dining, a full-service spa, fitness center, and golf. Of course, fall specials provide a perfect time to plan an upscale getaway.
Whichever B&B or inn you choose, fall offers an ideal time to find that ‘inn’ place for a short getaway. If you’re looking for a local insider experience, one of these eleven awaits welcoming you!
FALL ADVENTURES ABOUND
Once you’ve figured out where you’re staying this fall, it’s time to plan your adventures. Whether that means simply sitting on a quiet beach or trying hang gliding for the first time, it’s easy to fall for an Outer Banks adventure.
If you want to try the most famous activity in the Outer Banks (beyond sitting on the beach), you have to give hang gliding a try. The Wright Brothers came to the Outer Banks for the ideal ‘flying’ conditions in 1903 and more than 250,000 people have followed in their footsteps with Kitty Hawk Kites since 1974.
Situated just below the huge dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Kitty Hawk Kites has become a Mecca for teaching Outer Banks visitors to fly (and lots of other outdoors activities). They’ve taught more people hang gliding than any other school in the world, with soft sand, gentle slopes, and steady breezes the norm just outside their sprawling facility.
Fall is an ideal time to try hang gliding. “The prevailing wind is east to northeast off the ocean and one of the best directions for flying Jockey’s Ridge,” says John Harris, founder and president of Kitty Hawk Kites. “The Wright Brothers set a soaring record here in 1911 that lasted until the 1930s because of the great northeast winds. The current record is now four hours and eight minutes off Jockey’s Ridge!”
A wide range of options is available for trying hang gliding, starting with a ‘Beginner Dune Lesson’ for $85.00. This is a great three-hour introduction to the fundamentals, including all equipment, a training film, ground school, five solo flights, and a log booklet. From there, a huge array of choices includes: Advanced Beginner Dune Lesson; Three Lesson Dune Package; a ‘Hang I’ Lesson Package (training for pilot rating); and money-saving ‘Combo Packages’ that include options like tandem aero-tows, kayaking, and more.
For this fall and beyond, ‘Hang I’ and ‘Hang II’ Camps (working toward pilot ratings) September 21-28 and October 12-19, special discounts on Sunday through Tuesday afternoons, and several special events all add to the appeal.
Once you’ve tried hang gliding, lots of other outdoors choices await in the cooler temperatures of fall. Through nine locations, Kitty Hawk Kites and sister company Carolina Outdoors offer aero-towing (when the hang glider is towed to altitude by an ultralight plane and then released); parasailing; kite surfing; sea kayaking; surf kayaking; jet boat dolphin tours; rock wall climbing; off-road wild horse adventure tours; fly fishing; single- and multi-sport camps and packages; corporate and group team building; and a wide variety of special programs just for kids. Kitty Hawk Kites also happens to have the largest kite store on the east coast (at their main location).
Of course, Kitty Hawk Kites isn’t the only outdoors-oriented company on the Outer Banks. Some other great outfitters include Bodie Island Adventures, Coastal Kayak, and Kitty Hawk Sports. No matter which sport or company you choose, you’re sure to fall for another Outer Banks adventure.
Fall also offers a great opportunity to enjoy other activities with lower temperatures and crowds. Some ideas include golf, fishing, boating, birdwatching, and visits to famed Outer Banks attractions like the Wright Brothers National Memorial (see sidebar), The Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods, North Carolina Aquarium/Roanoke Island, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (including the Elizabethan Gardens and the Lost Colony Outdoor Drama), Ocracoke Island, and one of several historic lighthouses along the coastline. Whether you choose to fly above the Outer Banks or simply drive to something of interest, you’re sure to be welcomed with smaller crowds (and, often, special fall deals).
From great deals on cottage rentals or quiet B&Bs and inns to hang gliding and other Outer Banks activities, it’s easy to see why many visitors have fallen for this special time of year in this special area. But start your planning now, because the fall secret of the Outer Banks is officially out!
THE INN PLACES
*Advice 5C(cents mark) Bed & Breakfast: (800) 238-4235; www.advice5.com
*The Baldview Bed & Breakfast: (252) 255-2829; www.baldview.com
*Cape Hatteras Bed & Breakfast: (800) 252-3316; www.surforsound.com
*Cypress House Bed & Breakfast: (800) 554-2764; www.cypresshouseinn.com
*Cypress Moon Inn: (252) 261-5060; www.cypressmooninn.com
*First Colony Inn: (800) 368-9390; www.firstcolonyinn.com
*The Roanoke Island Inn: (877) 473-5511; www.roanokeislandinn.com
*The Sanderling: (800) 701-4111; www.thesanderling.com
*Scarborough House Inn: (252) 473-3849; www.bbonline.com/nc/scarborough/index.html
*Scarborough Inn: (252) 473-3979; www.scarborough-inn.com
*Seaside Inn: (252) 986-2700; www.seasidebb.com
*The Tranquil House Inn: (800) 458-7069; www.tranquilhouseinn.com
*The White Doe Inn: (800) 473-6091; www.whitedoeinn.com
OBX ADVENTURES & MORE
*Bodie Island Adventures: (252) 441-6822; www.bodieislandadventures.com
*Coastal Kayak: (252) 441-3393; www.theouterbanks.com/kayak
*Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: (252) 473-5772; www.nps.gov/fora
*Jockey’s Ridge State Park: (252) 441-7132; www.jockeysridgestatepark.com
*Kitty Hawk Kites: (877) FLY THIS; www.kittyhawk.com
*Kitty Hawk Sports: (252) 441-6800; www.khsports.com
*The Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods: (252) 441-2525; nature.org/north carolina
*North Carolina Aquarium/Roanoke Island: (252) 473-3949; www.ncaquariums.com
*Ocracoke Island: (252) 928-6711; www.ocracokeisland.com
*Roanoke Island Festival Park: (252) 475-1500; www.roanokeisland.com
*Wright Brothers National Memorial: (252) 441-7430; www.nps.gov/wrbr
THERE ARE LOTS OF EVENTS ON THE OUTERBANKS THIS FALL, PROVIDING EVEN ANOTHER REASON TO VISIT
*September 6-7: Annual Weeping Radish Oktoberfest--A Bavarian-style festival at the famed Manteo brewery and restaurant. (252) 473-1157; www.weepingradish.com.
*September 7: 18th Annual Outer Banks Triathlon--Swim, bike, and run during your visit. (252) 480-0500; www.outerbanks.net/dvac.
*September 7-8: 10th Annual ‘Alison’ White Marlin Release Tournament--The first of many reasons to go fishing off the Outer Banks this fall. Other options include the Outer Banks King Mackerel Festival (throughout October at Teach’s Lair Marina), (800) 422-3610; www.fishpiratescove.com.
*October 6-7: 13th Annual Artrageous Art Extravaganza--Features creative hands-on kid’s booth, children’s auction, artist’s ‘show & sell’ booths, music, and food. (252) 473-5558; www.darearts.org.
*October 10-13: 2002 Parade of Homes--A self-guided tour of selected homes by top area builders. (252) 449-8232; www.obhomebuilders.org.
*October 14-21: 3rd Annual Kite Week--Demos and more, culminating in the 15th Annual Outer Banks Stunt Kite Competition October 19-21. (877) FLY THIS; www.kittyhawkkites.com.
*October 15-20: Annual Wings Over Water Festival--A celebration of wildlife and wildlands, with field trips, workshops, and an insider’s look at Outer Banks habitats. (252) 441-8144; www.northeast-nc.com/wings.
*November 9: Renaissance Festival--Go back in time at Roanoke Island Festival Park. (252) 475-1506; www.roanokeisland.com
THE WRIGHT STUFF
On the cold and blustery morning of December 17, 1903, brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright gave the world the gift of flight. Orville lifted the fragile airplane into a 20 mile-per-hour headwind and covered just more than 120 feet of Kitty Hawk sand in 12 seconds. The Wrights made three more flights that morning.
A series of events has already begun in the Outer Banks and throughout the country, which will culminate in a grand celebration December 13-17 in Kill Devil Hills next year. But this fall, is a perfect time to visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
The Memorial is simply an Outer Banks must-see. The temporary Visitor Center features an interpretive presentation, a great gift shop, and more (the permanent Visitor Center is undergoing extensive renovations for next year). The expansive grounds include historical markers of each attempted flight, a replica campsite, and a 60-foot granite monument on top of Big Kill Devil Hill, a 90-foot dune.
There are many helpful websites for things to do this fall and beyond: www.outerbanks.org; www.firstflightnc.com; www.firstflightcentennial.org; www.centennialofflight.gov; and www.firstflight.org.