Outer Banks, Part 3: Ocracoke Village

While Anne and I were staying with family on Hatteras Island, we took a day trip to Ocracoke, probably the cutest and most interesting place in the whole Outer Banks. I've always been fascinated with Ocracoke, how remote it is, its laid-back, Key-West-type vibe, it's wild history as a WWII hotspot and a colonial-era pirate hangout.

Our journey began in Hatteras with a ferry ride that took us across the Pamlico Sound, followed by a short drive down the island to Ocracoke Village, which is situated at the very southern tip. All of Ocracoke Island, except for the village, is owned by the National Park Service, which means that it's as remote and pristine as you could hope for it to be. Nothing but dunes and grasses, and glimpses of the sea in between.

Our first stop, once in the village, was at Dajio, for a delicious seafood lunch. Then we explored: we went all the way around Silver Lake harbor and meandered some of the village's shady, unpaved lanes, poking our heads into the shops we passed. Our favorites were the Village Craftsman and the Ocracoke Community Store, a handmade art co-op featuring local artisans. A blackboard outside the latter proclaimed that a local resident was turning 90 that day -- the man himself was sitting on the porch to accept birthday wishes from passers-by, who rode by on bikes or in rented golf carts. (The streets on the island are narrow and mostly unpaved, and so those are the preferred ways of getting around; it's not really a car-friendly place).

We also paid a visit to the famous wild Banker pony pasture outside of town, but as it was 90+ degrees, the ponies themselves had decided to hunker down in their shelters for shade, like any smart mammal would. We didn't get to see as many as we wanted and we definitely didn't get any good photos of them. But as my 13-year-old cousin, child of the internet age, reminded me, I could just Photoshop them in to the pics we did get. (Sadly, my skills aren't quite up to that yet.) So...

This is the part you should definitely read if you are thinking about visiting Ocracoke: With the tourist season in full swing, and the waters in the Pamlico shoaling up as a result of recent storms, the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry ride can take a little more time than anticipated. Wait times to get on one of the three free ferries can be upwards of two hours, and the ride, which is supposed to take 40 minutes, is actually more like an hour. My advice is to get there early, when the ferry opens at 5 AM, or else wait until the afternoon to cross and stay overnight on the island. I wish somebody had told us before we tried it -- we could have saved a lot of time (and sanity -- there's only so many times you can sing your toddler the "What do you do with a drunken sailor?" song before you feel like you might lose it).

But I would have done it all over again for the sight of the beautiful Ocracoke beaches. Stay tuned for the fourth (and final, and my favorite) installment of our OBX trip for more on that.

Outer Banks, Part 1: Bodie Island

I read a study once that said that staring out at the line where sea meets sky produces an endorphin effect in the brain that stimulates feelings of relaxation and peace. I figure that after working our way up and down the Outer Banks last week, J., A. and I must be the most peaceful and relaxed people on the planet. Because there was a lot of sitting, staring, and relaxing.

Our OBX trip -- Anouk's first -- began with a weekend in Kitty Hawk with our friends M. and A. Of course the beach was the star -- specifically, the public beach across from the Kitty Hawk Bath House, which I highly recommend for beachgoers with kids. Not only is it beautiful and great for swimming, it features both lifeguard stands and outdoor showers. Fighting sand in your car is always a losing battle, but it still feels good to make the effort.

As soon as we set her down on the sand, Anouk ran headlong for the ocean, not knowing yet how much more powerful the OBX waves are than the ones at our local beaches. After the first one knocked her flat, she made sure to keep her distance for the rest of our stay. But she still found plenty to do on the beach -- building sand castles, watching the surfers, and leaving a trail of "pinthetheth" everywhere she went.

We also made time to explore the newly reopened Bodie Island Light Station in Nags Head. The lighthouse completed its years-long renovations in April, with the tower open to the public for the first time since 1872. Anouk was pretty impressed even with the view from the ground -- she kept pointing at the lighthouse and saying, "Wow! That's BIG!"





^^ And to take a (tiny) family portrait. We don't remember to get enough of these.

Another highlight of our trip was stopping by the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center in the afternoon to check out the day's catch. Around 3:00 or so, the fishing boats start rolling in and unloading their hauls. Some had pretty impressive catches (including one group who'd hooked a cobia that was about as big as Anouk). We also had a lot of fun looking at the names painted on the backs of the boats and decided what we would call our boats if we had them (mine isn't kid-friendly so I won't write it here. But think of Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction and you'll get it).

And of course, there was the food. We did some serious eating while we were in town. There's nothing like sea air to work up an appetite and the Kitty Hawk/Kill Devil Hills area offers some of the best restaurants in the Banks. Breakfast from Max's Real Bagels, fresh fish for dinner from the Austin Seafood Company, sweet potato biscuits from Dune's, lunch by the sea at Beachside Bistro... I'm sure I gained three pounds in the three days we were there. But you know it was worth every ounce.

Even with all this running around, there's still a ton on Bodie Island that we didn't get to. Jockey's Ridge, the Wright Brothers Memorial, the Children at Play Museum... I guess we'll just have to plan to go back really soon.

Stay tuned for our adventures in Hatteras and points south. Happy Monday!

A weekend travel itinerary

As I mentioned in my last post, we hosted some friends this past weekend. I really love it when we have guests -- I love showing off our town and I spend the days leading up to the visit playing logistical Tetris to try and fit as much as we can into the time allotted. This trip, I think we really succeeded in finding things for all of us to enjoy. The tourist season is in full swing in Hampton Roads, and so I thought I'd post what we did each day in case anybody out there needs ideas of how to pack a weekend full of fun.

Saturday AM: Our friends J. and P. and their kiddo arrived late Friday night. In the morning, we celebrated their arrival with breakfast at Yorgo's Bageldashery in Norfolk. Yorgo's is always bustling on the weekends, thanks to its location near Ghent and the ODU campus. But still, we've never had any problems finding a table by the window to spread out with a paper and a latte to relax before a busy day. Yorgo's offers a whole host of vegan, Paleo, and vegetarian options, which is nice for our family, with our food allergy situations. Driving there from our house takes us through some of the prettiest parts of Norfolk, and gives us the chance to show off some of the prettiest places in the heart of the city.

Saturday PM: an afternoon of swimming and sunbathing at the North End beaches.

Saturday night: a blue crab feast on our back deck. We picked up three dozen blue crabs (about half a bushel) from Margie and Ray's in Pungo. Bonney's and Sons is another favorite, but we really like Margie and Ray's because of the spicy rub they use. Paired with some corn on the cob and fresh rolls, and you have a simple feast that feels like something special.

Sunday AM: the moms took the babies to the Virginia Zoo and had some fun visiting animals, playing in fountains, and riding the train.

The dads spent the morning on a kayaking expedition. They used SouthEast Expeditions, an outfit that launches from a variety of locations on the Eastern Shore. The guys launched from a location just over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (across the peninsula from Kiptopeke State Park) and spent the morning paddling through the Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge. They crossed Blackbeard's Creek and wound up exploring Smith Island, an uninhabited barrier island off the eastern shore with a remote, pristine beach. They were both big fans of the experience (but a little tired out by the time they got back).

Sunday PM: a late lunch at Genghis Khan Mongolian BBQ, a family favorite. Whenever our friends visit they ask to eat there, and we are all too happy to oblige because we love it. Yum.

We always have a great time when our friends come to town -- we can't wait until they come back. Area readers, can you offer any other must-sees to add to the list for their next visit?

Have a great weekend, everyone! Try to stay out of the rain if you can...