When one prepares a trip to a beach destination, it's expected most of the time will be spent outdoors, playing in the sand and enjoying the warm ocean waves. Sometimes, though, a patch of unexpected weather appears to put a damper--literally--on all the fun. Nothing could be worse than having to deal with a rainy day while on vacation, but that doesn't mean you can't find alternatives for your enjoyment.

So let's say you've come to Currituck to discover it's raining. You can't go to the beach or watch for the wild mustangs, so what do you do? Rather than wait out the weather in your hotel room or vacation rental, you can take advantage of other attractions in the area where you can stay dry.

Go Shopping! - Down at the Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg, you can get lost in rooms filled with country decor and unique clothing, gourmet Southern food and fragrant bath gifts. Slip down to the wine cellar for a tasting while you're there - it's the perfect remedy for beating the bad weather blues.

Explore Natural Habitats...Indoors! The Corolla Wild Horse Museum and Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education provide great opportunities for people of all ages to learn about the environment of the Outer Banks and Currituck Sound. Come inside and learn about the native species of waterfowl, flora and fauna that populate this area.

See Stars! We don't mean to check the sky and get hit in the face with raindrops. Currituck's first-run movie theater in Corolla provides entertainment daily. Splurge on popcorn and soda and spend a few hours wrapped up in a great flick. It just may be the ticket to waiting out the rain until you can head for the beach again.

So if you happen to get caught in the rain in the Outer Banks, you can still find things to do for enjoyment. Plan ahead and prepare for any type of weather, and you're certain to make memories of a grand vacation.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Outer Banks vacations.

Brindley Beach Vacations booked over two million dollars in vacation rentals in both May and June and is expecting a new record of over 1.7 million dollars booked for July. For the summer, Brindley Beach Vacations is currently reporting increased occupancy over the summer of 2008 with a current occupancy of over 86%. With last-minute bookings remaining strong they will only continue to improve occupancy for their homeowners in the face of conventional wisdom. We always knew they would be here; we just had to make it easy and affordable.

Read the entire article.

Brindley Beach Vacations is one of several vacation rental agencies in the Outer Banks with available beach homes and cottages. It's not too late to enjoy summer at the beach, and as the season here reaches its peak there is still so much to do and experience. Many rentals are open year-round, too, so if you want to get away for a time but are concerned about crowds, you don't have to worry about that here. Let the rental agencies in the Outer Banks find you an affordable place to stay for your beach vacation.

In the Currituck area of the North Carolina Outer Banks, the outdoors enthusiast will find endless days of serenity and beautiful shorelines. Less populated than the southern region of the OBX, Currituck County is the state’s best open secret—for a vacation that mixes the adventure of nature and relaxation away from crowds, this destination can’t be beat.

There’s more to do in Currituck, too, than play in the surf and make sand castles. You might think one is better suited to enjoy day hikes in the mountains, but if you know where to go along the shore here, you can plan several nature-watching trips and always find something new along the way.

Where are the best day hikes in the area? Short or long, mainland or by the sea, there’s plenty of room for a good walk. Lace up your shoes and follow the famed wild mustangs on an adventure anytime of year.

Currituck Heritage Park – While not out in the wilderness, Currituck Heritage Park boasts a large stretch of land that incorporates the historic Whalehead Club and Currituck Lighthouse. Walk the grounds along the sound and take in the salty air…you just may see a dolphin frolicking in the distant waves, too. This park is perfect for leisurely walks, and you can bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on the grounds. While you’re here, stop by the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education and learn more about the animals and flora you can find as you enjoy your nature walks.

Charles Kuralt Trail – Named for the late North Carolina-born journalist whose “On the Road” segments of the CBS Evening News took America on an incredible journey down seldom-used back roads, this trail offers the opportunity to enjoy Mackay Island in all its natural glory. Explore the dark backwater refuges of the state’s finned and four-footed inhabitants, and learn how you can help preserve these wild lands for future generations.

Currituck Banks National Estuarine Preserve – What can you find in the marshes of the Outer Banks? This preserve’s blazed trail takes you deep into the wooded areas of Currituck, where some of the most beautiful plants and flowers indigenous to the Carolinas bloom. You might just see a fox or a deer or two while hiking – take a camera, that’s the only type of shooting allowed on this protected land.

Because the weather is fair year round, with patches of heat during the summer, you’ll want to be prepared. Keep bottled water with you. The sun’s heat can be deceptive at times, so be sure you apply sunscreen, and take along insect repellent for hikes into woodsy area. Most of all, enjoy the quiet time and appreciate the natural beauty of the Outer Banks.

For more ideas on area day hikes, contact the Currituck County Department of Travel and Tourism toll free at 877-287-7488 and ask for a free visitor’s guide.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Outer Banks travel.

The Currituck and Outer Banks areas have recently been featured in two New York periodicals.

The New York Times Travel section named the Outer Banks one of the country's top surfing destinations (click for article) and the New York Daily News mentioned the Outer Banks, and more specifically the Currituck County Department of Travel and Tourism, in their article "Cheaper route: How to save money on summer travel" (click for article)

For more information on saving money on an Outer Banks vacation, contact the Currituck County Department of Travel and Tourism at 877-287-7488 or visit us at ComeToOurBeach.com.

Visitors to the Currituck area of the Outer Banks will marvel at the sight of horses roaming freely along the beach, down dusty town roads, and even near the many vacation rentals lined along the shore. Currituck County is proud to have these majestic, legendary creatures live among us, and it's our hope to preserve the numbers of the herd for generations to come.

To maintain the safety of the wild horses, and of our guests and residents, new ordinances are in place to help ensure safe vacations all around.

If you’re on the Currituck Outer Banks and see one of the famed wild mustangs, county officials want you to keep your distance...Visitors are urged not to feed the horses because the food could have devastating effects on their health, including causing death.

Please read the entire article from the Daily Advance on the new guidelines for horse watching and interaction. Enjoy the Mustangs from a distance and do your part to keep them healthy and around for a long time.

Currituck tourism officials say improvements to the Welcome Center’s sign may be responsible for driving record numbers of visitors through the center’s doors last weekend. Nearly 1,200 visitors visited the Welcome Center on N.C. Highway 168 last Saturday and Sunday, a huge increase from last year when about 800 visitors stopped at the center on the last weekend in June.

Read more from the Daily Advance.

Have you been by to see our new welcome sign, and the Currituck County visitor's center? If you're coming down from Virginia or the northern part of North Carolina, you can't miss us anymore! Stop in and see what awaits you in the Currituck Outer Banks. We have brochures and coupons for area restaurants and stores, and information on renting a vacation cottage right on the beach! Don't drive by, stop and say hello!

Do you believe in ghosts? Even if you don't, you'll still want to join the Moonlight Legend Lore and Ghost Tour, where you'll learn about the darker side of the Outer Banks. Why wait for Halloween to get your spook on, when this guided tour is the most fun you can have for $14!

Come dressed for the weather and carry a flashlight to step back in time and learn about past residents of Corolla. To get there take Rt. 12 N, just past milepost 11, and see the entrance of the park. For those who want the fun of hearing the stories in a less “scary” environment, the Daylight Ghost Tour is available Monday through Friday at 4:00 pm for $7.

Date: Thurs., Jun 18, 2009
Address: 1100 Club Road
Info: 252-453-9040
Time: 7:30pm
Price: $14
Event Web site: click here
Email: info@whaleheadclub.com

When one thinks of the Outer Banks as a potential vacation destination, the possibilities may seem endless. Between trips to the beach, landmarks like the Whalehead Club and the Currituck Lighthouse, and sightseeing for wild mustangs, one would expect a full itinerary. Yet, if the family is up for a bit of adventure, you may want to consider another activity that not only takes you to some of the most beautiful areas of the North Carolina shore, but is practically free. This summer, why not go “letterboxing”?

What is Letterboxing?

Letterboxing is an outdoor game of sorts – a treasure hunt that may involve deciphering clues and a bit of orienteering to reach the goal. The “treasure” in question is usually a box (most times plastic and water-tight) containing a rubber stamp, maybe some stickers or other small items for hunters to enjoy. The idea behind letterboxing is to find the box and enclosed stamp to imprint the design in a notebook. Hunters with personal rubber stamps acknowledge finding the “treasure” by stamping and signing a guestbook found in the box. The practice of letterboxing is similar to “geocaching” but does not necessarily require use of a GPS system to find boxes.

Who can go Letterboxing?

Letterboxing is a very family-friendly activity, a perfect way to spend a morning, especially when on vacation in the Outer Banks. You have the opportunity to come away with a unique souvenir of the area, and keeping a scrapbook of your stamps allows you to add pictures of the scenery to enhance the memories of your visit. Anybody with a yen for outdoor exploration and figuring out clues will enjoy this hobby.

Where to find Letterboxes

Enthusiasts may create and hide letterboxes in a variety of places: parks, attractions, beaches, and even urban areas. An Internet search for letterbox locations (Atlasquest and Letterboxing.org are two of the prime sites for collecting clues on whereabouts) will guide you to where you need to go.

In the Outer Banks area, for example, one may find special treasures on Knotts Island, in Coinjock near the famous Gravedigger attraction, and in Corolla, where several stamps celebrating the Wright Brothers’ flight and Outer Banks horses are waiting for new discoverers. If you want exact locations, however, you’ll have to try the aforementioned websites for clues.

The Rules of Letterboxing

Two things to know before you embark on a letterboxing adventure:

Be Discreet! Many boxes are hidden in high traffic area, especially in a region popular for tourists like the Outer Banks. It is advised when you find the box and collect your stamp, to return the box carefully and try not to attract too much attention. Boxes are sometimes at risk for being stolen and lost if not handled properly.

Secondly, have fun! Letterboxing provides a great opportunity to explore the beaches of Currituck and enjoy the companionship of fellow treasure hunters.

Okay, here's a hint for you if you're interested. Check out this list of available Outer Banks letterboxes. Happy hunting!

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on the Outer Banks.

Friends and families were in high spirits Friday night at the annual Relay for Life all-night-long cancer walk around Currituck County High School track. After the luminary ceremony, a portion of RFL that honors and remembers cancer survivors and the fallen, a special concert was held in the gymnasium where American Idol Season Six contestant Chris Richardson was invited to serenade a screaming room of cancer attendees.

Read the entire article from the Daily Advance.