Stand up paddle board – Outer Banks Blue's Vacation Tips

Water Wonderland: Surfing, Kayaking, & Fishing in the Outer Banks

split photo of surfers, a kayaker, and a fishing rod and a fish

Nestled along the eastern coast of North Carolina, the Outer Banks is a breathtaking water wonderland that has something to offer for every kind of water lover. With its pristine waterways, rolling waves, and abundant marine life, this breathtaking stretch of coastline is a true paradise for surfers, kayakers, fishermen, and anyone who loves being on the water. READ MORE

Stolar Memories 7/16/18

Good morning and thanks for stopping by Everything Outer Banks to check out Memory Monday. Each week we provide you photo memories of our guests and they are always great. Some would call them Stellar. That takes us to our title this week as these pictures were brought to us by Kelly Stolar so we have named this week’s blog “Stolar Memories.” Get it?

Indeed Kelly stayed with Outer Banks Blue a few weeks ago and had a great time as you can see from these shots.

On the list of activities for the Stolar family included walking the dogs on the beach. Keep in mind Outer Banks Blue has more than 50 vacation rental properties that accept dogs at no extra charge.

There is also a shot of a ghost crab. No vacation is complete without a nightly hunt of these nocturnal creatures that burrow into the sand through holes they dig down deep into the sand. It is great fun taking a flashlight out to the beach at night and chasing these fast movers around the sand. Many times these little guys will be seen running into the ocean. They do this to keep their lungs moist so they can breath properly, but an interesting fact is that the crabs will drown if they stay in the water too long. Unlike popular opinion these crabs cannot live in the water.

There is also a shot of the Stolar famil in front of the Currituck Lighthouse taken at the Heritage Park in Corolla. That is a great day trip for someone to consider during their vacation. Lots of history to explore, and the climb up the lighthouse is spectacular.

The final shot is from the entire group doing some stand up paddleboarding and kayaking. This activity (stand up paddleboarding) is taking the Outer Banks by storm and taking a tour of the west side of the Outer Banks is a wonderful family activity. Here’s a link to a company that offers this service to guests.

Thanks Kelly for sending along your pictures for our Memory Monday. It sure looks like you all had a great time. We look forward to serving you again soon.

All the best from the beach!

Top Ten Ways To Stay In Shape During Your Outer Banks Summer Vacation!

Everyone loves to go on vacation. There is something about getting away from your normal surroundings that cleanses the soul, but often when we go on vacation we tend to leave our diets and exercise habits at home. This may make for a more relaxing vacation, but we all know that feeling of seeing the scale jump up 5-10 pounds after returning home. Here are ten great tips to staying in shape while on your Outer Banks vacation.

#1 Morning Jog on the Beach

There is nothing more motivating than seeing the sunrise over the ocean while hearing the peaceful sound of the waves slapping the shore. Instead of sitting on the deck of your vacation rental watching the sunrise take this opportunity to go for a peaceful morning jog on the beach.

#2 Take a Bike Ride

Riding a bike may seem simple and not compare to your usual work out regiment, but it has actually provided all of us great exercise since we were kids.

#3 Swim a Few Laps

We all love getting in the ocean to floating around, doggy paddling with the kids, or laying out in a float on a calm day. Next time you decide to jump in the ocean to cool off try swimming. Swimming is often overlooked as exercise but it causes you to engage your whole body in a good work out.

#4 Go Surfing

Surfing is not only an amazing full body work out, but it’s also a lot of fun. If you don’t know how to surf there are plenty of training camps on the Outer Banks. This may be the perfect time for you to learn!

#5 Paddle Board

Paddle boarding is a great upper body work out. You are constantly engaging your upper body while getting to enjoy the peacefulness of being out on the ocean relaxing.

#6 Kayak

Whether you choose to go ocean kayaking or go kayaking in the sound, it is sure to be a fun and relaxing way to keep in shape on your Outer Banks vacation. We recommend looking at places such as Kitty Hawk Kites for great kayak tours.

#7 Beach Yoga

If you are someone that like to really take it easy and relax then beach yoga is perfect for you! Break out the yoga mat under a beautiful sunrise on the beach to get a blissful exercise.

#8 Excursion

Plan an excursion! This will be sure to be a fun activity for the whole family. Nags Head Woods has some great trails and beautiful scenery to complete the perfect family excursion.

#9 Throw a Frisbee

We all know it and most of us love it. Throwing a Frisbee is not a new beach activity but it will continue to be fun beach exercise. Your core, arms, and legs all get worked out while you have a blast with the kids.

#10 Portion Sizes READ MORE

Discover Nature with Outer Banks Land and Sea Tours

Whether it’s your first time vacationing in the Outer Banks or you’re a regular visitor, one of the top ways to get to know North Carolina’s special barrier islands is to take a tour. Plenty of small group excursions highlight the best of land and sea in almost every area of the Outer Banks. Here are some of our favorite tours:

Lighthouse Tours

There’s something about a historic lighthouse that can transport you back in time in an instant. Two different kinds of historic lighthouses occur throughout the barrier islands, and maritime aficionados will enjoy visiting both of them.

The Outer Banks has three tall or “coastal” lighthouses that were built to warn passing ships about dangerous offshore shoals: Bodie Island lighthouse (built in 1872), Cape Hatteras lighthouse (built in 1869), and Currituck Beach lighthouse (built in 1875).

The two “harbor lights” lighthouses were built to help ships pass through to safe anchorage: Bald Head Island lighthouse, or “Old Baldy,” was built in 1797 and Ocracoke lighthouse was built in 1823. As you tour these lighthouses and take in the unique and rugged geography around them, you’ll get a real appreciation for why lighthouses are such a beloved part of North Carolina’s history.

Kayak Tours

Kayaking is a truly special way to experience the Outer Banks. Miles and miles of calm waters and pristine beaches invite you to explore. Guided kayak tours are available throughout the islands, and tour exertion levels can scale up or down to fit almost anyone’s ability. Before you begin your kayak tour, an experienced guide will show you how to safely and easily navigate your kayak, and will give you an overview of what you can expect to see.

Popular kayak tours include gliding past downtown Manteo and Ocracoke Village, birding and nature tours through quiet canals, taking in spectacular sunsets, and dolphin spotting. Kayak tour companies are spread throughout the Outer Banks, and the largest is Kitty Hawk Kites. Kitty Hawk Kites has a variety of popular tours, so it’s a good idea to call in advance to reserve your spot for their nature, sunset, or overnight pack trips.

Deep-Sea Fishing

One of the biggest draws to the Outer Banks is offshore fishing for large fish such as tuna, swordfish, and mahi-mahi. Charters accommodate groups of up to six people, so splitting expenses with two other couples or another family is a nice way to make this a cost-effective activity. Your charter captain will take you out to the Gulf Stream at dawn, an exhilarating experience in itself, and set you up with everything you need to land a good fish story — and a delicious dinner. Bring plenty of food, drinks, sunscreen, and motion sickness remedies. White, long-sleeved shirts, polarized sunglasses, and sun hats are also a good idea.

Paddleboarding

Standup paddleboarding is a relaxing way to experience the Outer Banks from the water. Paddleboarding is easy to learn and can be adapted for almost any fitness level. As one of the largest watersports outfitters, Kitty Hawk Kites rents paddleboards, provides lessons, and offers paddleboard tours of Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Manteo. You’ll receive about 15 minutes of simple instruction heading out behind your tour guide through the peaceful Sound waters. Paddleboarders frequently have close-up dolphin encounters, so just relax, paddle slowly, and enjoy the views.

Dolphin Tours

Speaking of dolphins, Outer Banks dolphins have a reputation for being just as excited to see people as people are to see them. A daytime or sunset dolphin cruise is the best way to spot friendly Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins as well as seabirds, turtles, and other wildlife. Paradise Dolphin Cruises is a popular dolphin-spotting choice for Outer Banks visitors. Their large catamarans are comfortable, shaded, and handicapped accessible, and their captains have a solid reputation for finding as many dolphins as you care to see.

Jeep Tours

With the top down, the sun on your face and the wind in your hair — is there a better way to experience Nature’s beauty than from a classic safari Jeep? Jeep tours in the Outer Banks allow you to cover plenty of ground while keeping you connected with the sights and sounds of these special surroundings. Corolla Jeep Adventures offer several ways to experience the Outer Banks from a safari Jeep. You can even reserve a Jeep for a 25-mile off-road self-guided tour where you’ll see wild horses, historic villages, lighthouses, and much more.

Touring the Outer Banks by land or sea is the perfect way to get to know North Carolina’s barrier islands. Whether you take a leisurely self-guided tour or follow an experienced guide along local roads, trails, or canals, a tour of the Outer Banks will be an enriching experience you’ll never forget.

Top 10 Outer Banks Activities for the Adventurous Vacationer

If adventure is something you crave then the Outer Banks has a lot to offer you. With the Outer Banks being the site for the first flight it is no surprise that we have become a destination for those who love an adrenaline rush. There’s nothing like combining the beauty of the Outer Banks with a heart racing activity to create the perfect Outer Banks adventure.

#1 Mile High Hang Gliding

Kitty Hawk Kites has been providing hang gliding on the Outer Banks since 1974. They provide lessons for adults and children off the dunes of Jockey’s Ridge, but they also provide Tandem Hang Gliding on this Currituck mainland that tows you up to 1 mile in the sky (5,280 feet) giving you a bird’s eye view of the coastline above the Currituck Sound as you drift back down to the ground over a roughly 20 minute descent. This is certainly not for those with a fear of heights but it is the perfect unique experience for the adventurer at heart. The best part is this is also a “no experience needed” activities since you are strapped in with an expert to guides the glider for you.

#2 First Flight Adventure Park

First Flight Adventure Park is an aerial obstacle course that goes up to 50 feet high. The course is shaped to resemble outer bands of a hurricane, branching out from the central tower which resembles the eye of the Hurricane.

There are 6 courses total and each course consist of 7 obstacles, and it looks like more challenges are coming this year. The obstacles are designed around a maritime theme using ropes, cables, wood, barrels, stir-ups, a hammock and more. The higher up the central spiral staircase you go, the more difficult the obstacles become. At the end of each course there is a short zip back to the central tower. Have no fear, climbers will be in a harness and attached to a safety device while completing each obstacle, at all times. Climbers take the action into their own hands by choosing to go on easy, intermediate, or advanced courses.

Read about Bill Koebernick’s experience when the park first opened.

#3 Kiteboarding

The most exciting and thrilling new water sport, kiteboarding, is guaranteed to get your heart pounding, yet it is easy enough for almost anyone to learn! Kiteboarding, or kite-surfing, a synergy of wind and water forces, takes harnessing the wind to the extreme! Learn to kiteboard at Kitty Hawk Kites under the guidance of an expert and certified instructors that have been leading the sport since its conception! It is the hottest new kite sport to sweep the world, and it thrives on pure adrenaline!

#4 Jetpak

This is an aquatic jet pack provided by Kitty Hawk Kites. The rumor is most people can’t handle more than a 30 minute ride at a time due to feeling like you just went on a 30 minute sprint. While that may seem a little intimating, it is also a unique experience that’s hard for the adventurer-at-heart to pass up.

#5 Airplane Tour

To truly appreciate the Outer Banks it takes a unique perspective to this unique place. The Outer Banks is made up of some of the most diverse landscape found anywhere. From the air you can see this incredible area featuring shipwrecks, sand dunes, endless beaches, maritime forests, lighthouses and much, much more.

We highly recommend booking your tour through Above the Coast.

#6 Parasailing

Soar above the water for breath taking views. Parasailing, also known as parakiting, has been around since the mid 80’s. On the Outer Banks you are attached to a parachute that is being towed by a boat anywhere from 600 ft. to 1,200 ft., for approximately 10 minutes.

If you’re staying in the more northern part of the Outer Banks (Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, etc.) you can use Nor’Banks Sailing or Kitty Hawk Kites. If you’re closer to Nags Head/Manteo then

Kitty Hawk Kites READ MORE

Plan Some Memorable Girls’ Time in the Outer Banks

A Girl Time Escape to the Outer Banks

Whether it’s you and your daughters, multiple generations, or multiple families sharing a vacation property for the week, the Outer Banks is the perfect spot for the girls to relax and create memories together. Here are a few ideas to help you plan your special “girls-only” time.=&0=&=&1=&

Fun Activities That Made The Outer Banks Famous

Must-Do Activities The Outer Banks Is Famous For

An Outer Banks vacation offers plenty of opportunities to take it easy as you explore the beach and settle into your relaxing rental home. As you soak in the gorgeous ocean vistas, you will also want to take advantage of the many activities the Outer Banks is famous for so you can create new memories with your family. Whether you crave historical exploration, a day of shopping, or some challenging outdoor adventures, the Outer Banks has something for everyone.=&0=&=&1=&

Memory Monday 4/29/13

Lazy OBX Morning

This week’s Memory Monday Photo submission comes to us from Mark Bridge, of East Pittsburgh, PA who stayed with Outer Banks Blue this past fall in the property “Long Distance Voyager II.” We love Mark’s picture showing a foggy early morning scene taken off of the back deck of this property.

This time of year we get many mornings just like this. Nothing like a foggy morning at the beach that just makes you want to stay in bed and be lazy all day!

Looking towards the Ocean from “Long Distance Voyager II.”

Thank you Mark for sharing your photo memories of your recent stay with us. We look forward to serving you again soon!

All the best from the beach!
By Tim Cafferty, President, Outer Banks Blue Realty Services

Memory Monday 2/18/13Surf’s Up!This week’s Memory Monday photo comes to us from Susan Roy of Great Falls, Virginia who stayed with Outer Banks Blue this past September in the property “Our Sand Castle” in Corolla. Susan is pictured here at the Whalehead Club soundfront basin on a stand up surfboard also known as a paddle board.

Hang 10!

Stand up Paddleboards have become all the rage on the Outer Banks over the last couple of years. It is especially popular in late August into September when the ocean waves are at their smallest of the year. Experienced paddle boarders can easily paddle out through the surf and actually ride the smaller waves into the shore with the help of the paddle steering the board. The boards, which are much heavier and bigger than a normal surfboard (they weigh in excess of 30 pounds more than double the weight of most surfboards and they are as long as 12 feet) have become especially popular among the “older” surfing set on the Outer Banks. Proving that Old Guys can still rule! Susan is of course no part of the old surfer’s club on the OBX, but those of us who are appreciate her sharing her picture!All the best from the beach!

Tag: Stand up paddle board