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! Spend a Relaxing Afternoon of Kayaking or CanoeingPeople of any age and skill level can enjoy a relaxing afternoon of kayaking or canoeing in the calm waters of the Outer Banks sounds. There are several stores available throughout the Outer Banks where you can rent either a kayak or a canoe, and there are different types available depending on your preference. You can rent equipment from Carolina Outdoors in Corolla, Nags Head, Manteo, Avon or Hatteras at (800) 334-4777. Several companies also offer guided kayak and canoe eco-tours. Corolla Adventure Tours leads tours on the northern beaches and can be reached at (252) 453-6899. Ocracoke Adventures leads tours of the Pamlico Sound and Ocracoke Island and can be reached at (252) 928-7873. View the Sunrise Over the Atlantic OceanHow many days of the year do you go to the beach before the sun comes up, sit in your beach chair with a cup of coffee and wait for the sun to rise? Have you ever tried it? While you are on the Outer Banks, make yourself get up early one day and head to the beach. Either watch the news or go on the Internet the night before to find out the exact time of the following day's sunrise - in the summer, it is normally between 6:15 and 6:45 a.m. Grab your chair, your coffee and your camera, set your alarm (it's only one day, you can do it!), and get out there! It will be one of the most beautiful things you will see during your stay on the Outer Banks. 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 Scenic Flight TourIf you think the Outer Banks are beautiful from the ground, wait until you see them from the sky! This stretch of islands and waters will amaze you. Depending on where you fly, you will see things from the air such as the Oregon Inlet, one of the four area lighthouses, the Wright Brothers Memorial, and more! For a tour of the northern Outer Banks, you may contact Kitty Hawk Aero Tours at (877) 274-2461 or Outer Banks Seaplanes at (252) 475-1007. Kitty Hawk Aero Tours depart from the Manteo Airport. Outer Banks Seaplanes take off and land on the Roanoke Sound. For a tour of Hatteras and/or Ocracoke Islands, contact Burris Flying Service at (252) 986-2679. Prices for the above services start between $30 and $75 per person, depending on the size of your group and the length of your flight. You will want to call ahead to make reservations. Visit the Deserted Portsmouth IslandPortsmouth Island is a small, deserted island just south of Ocracoke Island. Though it was once inhabited, now Portsmouth Island has no residents and is accessible only by boat. There is a 2-mile trail that leads from the village to the beach. Wilderness camping is allowed, but don't forget your insect repellent! For more information on the Island, contact Cape Lookout National Seashore at (252) 728-2250. If you would rather have a guided tour, Portsmouth Island ATV Excursions allows you to ride the shores of this island and visit its attractions. Two trips are offered each day and cost $75 per person. For more information, contact (252) 928-4484. Go Jogging on the BeachThere are a few great gyms on the Outer Banks, and even a few jogging trails. But why not take advantage of the sandy Atlantic beaches and go jogging on the beach? They say you get twice the benefit from jogging on sand versus other jogging surfaces, so give it a try! Jogging on the beach is a great way to get that workout in while you enjoy the beaches of the Outer Banks. Play or Watch Others Play in the Waters at Canadian HoleCanadian Hole is a public area located 1.5 miles south of Avon on Hatteras Island. Windsurfers and kiteboarders who travel to the Outer Banks from around the world spend most of their vacation playing in the Pamlico Sound waters at Canadian Hole. If you are driving by this location on a windy day, pull into the public parking area and take some time to relax and watch the surfers and boarders. Many of them are very talented at their sports and are fun to watch. If you can catch this area near sunset, it is a great photo opportunity with the sails in the sky and the sunset in the background. 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! 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. | Corolla RestaurantsNorthern Lights Pastry & Coffee109 Austin Street Corolla, NC 27927 Clubhouse Cafe 1197 Franklyn Street Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Bagels 1109 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Pizza & Deli 1152 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Big Mama's Breakfast, Seafood, Ice Cream & Yogurt 1152 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Cosmo's Pizzeria 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Wild Horse Cafe 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Nicolettas Italian Cafe 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Fat Crabs Rib Co. 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Ned's Ice Cream & Convenience 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Outer Banks Cheese-Steaks 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Lighthouse Bagels 817 Ocean Trail Monterey Plaza Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla ShoppingNorthern Lights Pastry & Coffee109 Austin Street Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Bait & Tackle 101 Austin Street Corolla, NC 27927 Currituck Beach Lighthouse & Gift Shop 1101 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 Beach Bag Books & Music 1109 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Spry Creek Dry Goods 1122 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 Lighthouse Garden 1129 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 Old Corolla Trading Co. 1129 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 The Island Bookstore 1130 Corolla Village Road Historic Corolla Village Corolla, NC 27927 The Lightkeeper's Wife 1130 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 The Village Fisherman Unique Gifts 1130 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 Wink's Grocery & Market 1150 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Outer Banks Style 1134 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla 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 Corolla ActivitiesCorolla Jeep Rentals & Tours1070 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Bob's Wild Horse Tours 1066 Ocean Trail Inn at Corolla Light Corolla, NC 27927 Corolla Outback Adventures, Ltd. 1150 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Back Country Outfitters & Guides 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Beach Jeeps of Corolla 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Island Revolution Surf Co. & Skatepark 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla Light Town Center Corolla, NC 27927 Wild Horse Safari 1210 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Kayak Corolla 1210 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 R/C Theatres of the Outer Banks 815 Ocean Trail Corolla, NC 27927 Miss Kitty's Old Time Photo 794 Sunset Boulevard Tim Buck II Shopping Center Corolla, NC 27927 |