Outer Banks Articles & Shorts - Cotton Gin

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!

 

Off-Season Surprises at Sanctuary Vineyards

By Molly Harrison
A coastal-area vineyard and winery might be a surprising concept, but once you have visited Sanctuary Vineyards and tasted their award-winning European-style wines, you will discover what a great thing it is. For the last 22 years the Wright family of Jarvisburg has found Currituck County’s rich soil and sunny, warm... Read More

Old Traditions and New Experiences at The Cotton Gin

By Leah Wingenroth
Whether you’re looking for gifts for your family or a treat for yourself, shopping trips can be a tiring, all-day affair, but there is a way to save yourself from all that driving around. Thankfully, The Cotton Gin stores have everything you could need in one place. Between their bounty of coastal decor, beach wear... Read More

Warm Weather and Hot Styles

By Leah Wingenroth
With warm, beachy weather on the way, you might find yourself (and your wardrobe) needing a spring refresh. Thankfully, The Cotton Gin is ready and eager to meet all of your seasonal needs. The Wright family, founders and owners of The Cotton Gin, has spent the last 60 years perfecting the coastal shopping atmosphere... Read More

Holiday Gifting With The Cotton Gin

By Leah Wingenroth
Walking through the doors of The Cotton Gin feels like you’ve wandered into a wonderfully decorated beach house overlooking the water. Their carefully selected stock gives a sense of easy, coastal living situated between the sound and the ocean. By design, you too can create this atmosphere in your own home, whether... Read More

Coastal-Driven Variety: The Evolution of the Cotton Gin

By Heather Frese
Seven generations ago, a shipwreck brought Jacob Francis Wright to the shores of Duck, North Carolina. Wright bloomed where he was planted, so to speak, and the family farmed and fished in the area for generations. Over time the family added farmland and expanded their business, even acquiring an abandoned cotton gin... Read More