Outer Banks Articles & Shorts

If you’re like a lot of people – like hundreds of thousands of people – you love the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You might consider us presumptuous drawing this conclusion so quickly, and we would agree with you . . . except for the fact that we’re right. You love the Outer Banks beaches, the Outer Banks water sports, the Outer Banks towns, Outer Banks shops, the Outer Banks events and Outer Banks activities . . . everything about this place (you wouldn’t be on this site if you didn’t). We do too. And, lucky for you, we also love writing about the Outer Banks. Locals and visitors alike value our Outer Banks information.

Our local writers tell you how to negotiate dining out if you have a big crowd. We show you, step by step, how to pick a crab. We’ve written articles highlighting Corolla and the Currituck Outer Banks or about charming Manteo on Roanoke Island or telling you the mysteries of Ocracoke Island. We cover the events happening on the Outer Banks – and, boy, are there a lot of them to cover! Outer Banks activities, everything from water sports to walking tours to lighthouse tours to birdwatching trips, are focal points. Businesses, rituals and legends local to the Outer Banks are detailed in our articles. You’ll find out how that restaurant got its name or the modest beginning of that now-booming business. We give you insider Outer Banks information about staying safe in the ocean, how to navigate those pesky turn lanes, which restaurants to check out for the best Southern cuisine in the area and resorts’ present and future aspirations. Our Outer Banks articles are good reading. You’ll feel like a local with all the knowledge you’re sure to collect! And we’re adding to them all the time. Click on in to learn about the Outer Banks from the locals' side!

 

A 50-Year Ocracoke Tradition

By Molly Harrison
When Philip and Julie Howard set up a teepee on a piece of Philip’s parents’ Howard Street property in the summer of 1970 and began selling their handmade spoon rings and macramé necklaces, everyone thought they’d lost their minds. “Who in the world is going to come to Ocracoke and buy stuff?” Philip’s father wanted... Read More

Building a Nest within Your World

By Hannah Lee Leidy
Nest owner Nancy Seitz matches her passion for fashion and decor with her passion for traveling. Her excursions to Europe and more distant ports of call guarantee new products into Nest upon her return. Step out of downtown Manteo and into this little white cottage on the periphery of Magnolia Market Square. There,... Read More

Retail Into Recreation: A Revolutionized Shopping Experience

By Hannah Lee Leidy
A shopping trip often means hopping between shops, malls and even web pages to find clothes, beachwear, accessories, home decor, books and more. But imagine taking care of it all with time still for a wine tasting, a vineyard stroll, a hang glider ride and the chance to unwind afterward in the company of musicians and... Read More

Way Beyond Pub Grub

By Molly Harrison
You expect to find food in a microbrewery’s taproom, at the very least a salty pretzel to cleanse your palate between flights or a giant burger to help temper your beer buzz. What you might not expect is an intriguingly diverse menu that is as much a highlight of the brewery as the beer list. Yet that’s what you’ll... Read More

A Fresh Focus on Children and Family

By Molly Harrison
One of the best things about the Outer Banks Family YMCA is that it’s a place where all ages and backgrounds come together. Walking in, you might hold the door for a parent carrying a baby. In the lobby you’ll likely get a wave and a smile from a few seniors who are lingering for post-workout camaraderie and coffee.... Read More