Arrrrrrrgh and a pint, vintage charm, and the tastiest uglies around
Eat | Shop | Play
by Victoria Bourne
Sleep back in time
Who needs a McMansion when you can go retro? The See Sea Motel offers a touch of vintage 1950s and ‘60s charm in the heart of Kill Devil Hills. The motel, located within walking distance to the Atlantic Street beach access, the See Sea – made up of surf villas centered around a pool – has been around awhile, according to its website, but it “needed some love,.” according to its website. Made up of surf villas centered around a pool, The owners took the interiors down to the studs and reopened fully renovated in June 2018. The rooms are individually decorated and sport fun names such as Turtle Roll, Duck Dive, and Shoot the Curl Suite.
Vineyard voyage
All aboard for a unique vineyard tour. Take a 6-mile boat ride across the Currituck Sound from Duck to Sanctuary Vineyards in Jarvisburg, an area rich in waterfowl heritage and farming that dates to the 1800s. Visitors disembark at a historic hunting lodge and boathouse on the Currituck mainland and trek through the marsh to the 33-acre vineyard in an open-air safari truck. Upon arrival, they enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour and private tasting at the winery. Sanctuary Vineyards produces more than 7,000 cases of wine seasonally, including its best selling Wild Pony White—a chardonnay, pinot gris, viognier, sauvignon blanc and chardonel blend. Reserve your spot at kittyhawk.com.
Horsing around
Let’s be honest. Is there anything more magical than riding horseback along the seashore – the wind whipping your hair, salt spray on your face, the rhythmic ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum of your mount’s hooves across the sand? Equine Adventures offers visitors just such an experience on Hatteras Island. Established in 2001 by owner and operator Sylvia Mattingly, the barn is situated on 8 acres about 2 miles from the beach in Frisco. The horses are beginner-friendly and experienced guides lead the treks.
Pretty baubles
Modern bohemian chic may be the best way to describe Denise Turner Jewelry. Helmed by local Manteo-based designer, Turner, with help from her assistant Mandy Bartell, it produces custom and wholesale pieces featuring gemstones set in a variety of metals. From chunky bracelets and large, statement rings, to delicate hoop and drop earrings, the color palette and shapes evoke nature and the sea. The company just launched a new website, Turner says, but its work can also be found at Muse Originals OBX in Kitty Hawk, The Sanderling in Duck and Silver Bonsai Gallery in Manteo, as well as various seasonal farmers markets.
The play’s the thing
The Lost Colony is renowned as a long-running, seasonal outdoor drama, but you can also see their performers in children’s productions. This year’s selection is Wanda’s Monster, which runs on Tuesday mornings and Wednesday afternoons from June 25 to Aug. 21 in the air-conditioned SoundStage Theatre on Roanoke Island. If your family needs a break from the beach, go check out this musical about an imaginative little girl named Wanda and her unexpected bond with a fuzzy, purple monster. At $10, it costs roughly the same as going to the movies.
Arrrrrrgh and a pint
Once a pirate’s hideout, now a home for craft beer, the 18-mile stretch of barrier island known as Ocracoke scored its first brewery in October 2017 . Dubbed 1718 Brewing Ocracoke – an homage to the year of the infamous Blackbeard’s death – beer styles range from kolsch to Mexican chocolate stout, from lemon saison to double IPA. So after a day at the beach or a bike around the village, grab yourself a pint.
Ugly but good
They’re not pretty, but they sure are tasty. Orange Blossom Bakery & Café, a decades- old institution in Buxton, is known for its fried and baked Apple Uglies. They originated as “a wonderful accident” when a visiting baker showed the previous owners how to make an apple fritter from leftover doughnut dough, according to the bakery’s website. There’s even a chocolate covered version that resembles … well, go see for yourself.
