Looking for the best non-commercialized area to stay...

Greetings

I%26#39;m looking into planning a trip for a week in July/August, and was thinking of perhaps the Outer Banks since I have not been since I was a child. I%26#39;m sure things have changed dramatically since then, so i need help so i dont end up staying in what may be an area filled with chain restaurants and strip malls.

About us and what we are looking for : My wife and I are both late 20%26#39;s, we are more laid back and will not be looking to a area that is crammed with people. I would like would to rent a home/condo on the beach, be able to stock up of some really good groceries and beverages, hang at a nice pristine beach all day, then go back to the house/condo and cook up a fabulous meal and enjoy some beverages, preferably with a great view to take in. It would also be nice to have a great non-chain restaurant or two close by so we can go out to dinner a couple nights as well. Not sure if this is a tall order or not, seeing how its been so long since i have been there, when it was a nice quaint area.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Looking for the best non-commercialized area to stay...

I have been coming here since 1985 and it has built up a lot since then. The Duck Corolla area is all huge 5-10 bedroom homes, but it is not as commercial there as it is in the Kitty Hawk to Nags Head area. You might like Avon or Hatteras or even Ocracoke Island.

Looking for the best non-commercialized area to stay...

Corolla sounds like the perfect area for you and your family. We will be making our 5th trip in august.

If you want a beach that is never crammed with people, consider going a little further south and go to Topsail.

It hits about all of your prerequisites.

Ocracoke is a good choice-No chain restaurants at all on the island.

You may also like the Hatteras area-avoid Nag%26#39;s Head and Duck-not as quaint as it used to be.

I have to disagree with the Corolla suggestion. It is about the most built up section of the north beaches!

I%26#39;ve been going to the Outer Banks for over 35 years, and, well, LOL, it has changed a LOT. But it is still a nice beach vacation, even though it no longer has that wonderful wild, untamed feel to it. You just have to sort of brace yourself for the disappointment.

That said, there are plenty of houses and condos for rent, and lots of groceries stores to buy good food from, and of course plenty of restaurants.

I%26#39;d suggest you banish your childhood memories and just go and have fun. That%26#39;s what I do anyway! :)

I would definitely check out Ocracoke. It%26#39;s a longer drive, but well worth it. We go every year because it has a beautiful beach (NO construction on the beach - so it%26#39;s spectacular) and a very laid back atmosphere. We are in your same age range, and we find that it is truly a vacation - we don%26#39;t bring our laptops, turn our cell phones off, and really relax. We pack a bag full of books, a deck of cards, and tons of sunscreen. :) There are some nice restaurants for dinner out (we had a fantastic anniversary dinner at the Back Porch 2 years ago, and Howard%26#39;s Pub is a favorite of ours), and there is not a chain anything on the island. Have a wonderful trip - I am jealous! :)

Celebrating Anniversary Stay

We are wanting to stay some where for a night for our Anniversay that is coming up soon. Would love a place that has a Spa but any suggestions on some place special would be good. Also, things are tight with money so that plays a big part. We live in Asheboro so surrounding triad would be good.

Thanks

Celebrating Anniversary Stay

Hello again - the combination of spa and a budget will be tricky if not impossible. Greensboro has Grandover Resort - a decent spa but pricey for the hotel. I stayed there when it first opened. Nice, rooms, good food, OK service.

You are a reasonable drive to Pinehurst. Their spa is wonderful We usually stay at the Homewood Suites in Pinehurst - just a mile or two from the spa and much less expensive than Pinehurst resort. Check out that combination - it works for us! Best wishes.

First trip in June; staying at Pompous Pelican

Anyone know anything about this place?

We%26#39;re staying in June and will be fishing, golfing, swimming, etc. Any fishing or golf recommendations would also be welcomed.

thanks

First trip in June; staying at Pompous Pelican

Not sure of you place but there are several golf courses just north of there a fishing pier close too if you have 4 wheel drive just south of there you can drive on the beach to fish.

Not knowing your fishing experience you can look at this site for new comers it should answer all you questions click on salt water fishing for new comers also checking into a local tackle shop will help on current conditions and baits to use.

http://fishoinc.tripod.com/

First trip in June; staying at Pompous Pelican

Hi SMC477,

Just returned from Easter at the Pompous Pelican. Great House. 6 bedrooms, 6 baths, Great Decks right on the ocean. Also was pleasently surprised to pick up the internet on my laptop. Best place is from the kitchen table.

Note: If you like to watch TV in your bedroom, there is NO TV in the Master Bedroom so you may want to take one :(

Asheville: Looking for Advice on Art Galleries, Craft Shops

Me and my girlfriend will be visiting my mom who lives near Knoxville, TN next week. She%26#39;ll be turning 70 and she loves all types of crafts, especially quilt shops and scrapbooking stores. I was thinking about taking them to Asheville for a day trip on Friday. It%26#39;s been about four or five years since I%26#39;ve been to Asheville. When I was a kid, I often visited Biltmore, but never really explored the downtown area. Now I understand it%26#39;s really the happening art scene and I would really like to check it out because I%26#39;m a professional photographer and love art galleries.

Here%26#39;s my problem. While my girlfriend and I like the art scene, it%26#39;s not my mom%26#39;s cup of tea. She%26#39;s more into old-fashioned crafts like quilting and sewing. The type of things you would find at Dollywood or Gatlinburg. From everything I%26#39;ve read, downtown Asheville and the Riverside Arts district would be perfect for me and my girlfriend, but I fear my mom would be bored to tears. My question...are there enough craft shops in downtown Asheville that my mom would enjoy? Or could we maybe go somewhere else (within Asheville, of course) to make her happy? I%26#39;m trying to strike the right balance between ';arts'; and ';crafts'; so that it%26#39;s not a wasted trip across the mountains. Is it possible?????? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Asheville: Looking for Advice on Art Galleries, Craft Shops

How about the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville? I think downtown Asheville maybe too ';art';-sy and not enough craftsy for Mom. Another idea would be New Morning Gallery in Biltmore Village and then take them to lunch at Corner Kitchen which is in one of the original BV houses that used to be a residence.

Asheville: Looking for Advice on Art Galleries, Craft Shops

There are several great traditional crafts shops downtown. There are a couple in the Grove Arcade that are really special. There is a walking tour of the arts, crafts and boutique stores in downtown Asheville at asheville-mountain-magic.com/asheville-art-g… . Browse through the walk and you will get a really good idea of what the different art and craft galleries offer. If your Mom can%26#39;t walk that far, you will know where to park as the shops are shown by street. Definitely visit the Blue Spiral 1 Gallery for it has both art and crafts - including quilts. Even though most offerings are modern, everyone that I take there loves the quilts. I have lots of visiting friends that are into quilts, and even those that are very traditional admire the quilts at Blue Spiral. There is also a quilt gallery in the River Arts District. I forget its name, but you can find it here asheville-mountain-magic.com/river-arts-dist… Do call ahead to make sure it will be open as the studios in the River Arts District all keep different hours. Have fun!

transportation to high point

me %26amp; hubby flying in to charlotte airport, we need to get to High Point, what kinds of transportation is there

transportation to high point

There might be a van shuttle but I%26#39;m not sure. You would either need to rent a car or take Amtrak. There are 3 trains ( usually) one in the morning, one in the early evening and one in the middle of the night. The train station is on the other side of town from the airport - you%26#39;d have to take a taxi. Best wishes.

transportation to high point

Hold up - are you coming in for the furniture market? Their website says they are operating shuttles from the CLT airport to HP - have checked there?

thanks for all your help, trains don%26#39;t work with our flight arrival, i%26#39;ll look into the shuttel for the furniture fair.

cosmetic products

rent rates for central pa

Looking for a Cabin

We are looking for a cabin that sleeps 6 with an amazing view or on a rushing creek. I%26#39;ve been on a bunch of rental websites but was hoping someone knew of a great place to take teenagers. Looking for that cabin feel. Knotty pine, fire place, porch with a great view...Any help will be greatly appreciated. Oh, we will be heading up there the last week of June.

Looking for a Cabin

http://www.boydmountain.com/

I like to recommend Boyd Mountain Cabins in Maggie. Although I%26#39;ve never stayed in one of their cabins, I%26#39;ve met the Boyd family and been on their property several times. It is also a Christmas tree farm, and is very beautiful.

Here are some links to pictures I took there last year.

tripadvisor.com/…1748471

…photobucket.com/albums/…IMG_5221.jpg

…photobucket.com/albums/…IMG_5222.jpg

vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/…maggie-valley is a good place to look, too.

Let us know what you decide!

Looking for a Cabin

In the past, we have rented Lands End and Point of View cabins with Smoky Falls Real Estate. Each has great views....they are somewhat close to each other on the top of a mountain. Pretty isolated up there, but we loved it, and also had teenagers with us. We have rented from Smoky Falls several times and have always had a good experience. Both cabins are up on steep dirt roads, but are no problem in a regular car.

Look up Premier Vacation Rentals LLc. They have a website with 90 properties listed and all have pictures. I%26#39;m sure they can find you something.

great Carowinds Review

I thought this could help people looking for info about Carowinds.

鈥logspot.com/2009/04/carowinds.html

Surf Condos?

Can anyone tell me what the Surf Conodos are like? The price seems great and the pictures and location look good but I know how that can be. Thanks for any info.

Surf Condos?

Surf Condos are allright,They are centrally located in Surf City and right on the beach the only bad thing is the STEPS.If you have bad legs you better get aunit on the first floor.

Surf Condos?

Thanks. Are there any other condos units located right in Surf City?

There are a couple of Hotel Condo units,Tiffanys is one and I can%26#39;t remember the other.I will look today.

Other Condo complexes are in North Topsail beach.

The Villa Capriani, St Regis and the Ship watch Villas and Town homes as well as the Dunes are all located in North Topsail Beach.

The Surf is in Surf City. It is much quieter in North Topsail beach. But Surf city is where the action is.

Check out this unit at the Villa

treasurerealty.com/rentals/鈥?17a.htm

My Favorite Time Of Summer!

This Sunday!...It All begins with Shark Week..I love it!The Beaches Are all clear again.

My Favorite Time Of Summer!

LOL

With the amount of people visiting our shores this summer and enjoying themselves, I don%26#39;t anticipate a TV series keeping them away.

My Favorite Time Of Summer!

This topic got me thinking about what time of summer is my favorite. Early, mid and late summer all have their benefits so it%26#39;s really hard to choose.

I do, however, really like August for reasons that are only slightly beach related. The great meteor showers, the Perseid, takes place in August. If you%26#39;ve never star gazed from the beach, you%26#39;ve really missed something. The stars are bright and clear. Add a shooting star or two every minute and it%26#39;s spectacular.

August also has the shrimp festival, the SF king mackerel tournament, the fishing%26#39;s good, the sea turtles begin to hatch, area football begins, and the water temperature is as warm as bathwater; I could go on and on.

What%26#39;s your favorite time of summer?

Labor Day Monday ,When I see that caravan of cars heading off the Island to I-40 and beyound.I know Football Season is right around the corner.

Conniecat,

When is the best month to view the sea turtles and what location? Thanks

My favorite time is early September. The air and the ocean water are still warm as well as the pools. The fishing is usually great. The swimming is awesome and at times the beaches are so quite you feel like they are all yours.

website for rentals

Can anyone recommend a trusted website for Nags Head Rentals?

website for rentals

Avoid Surf or Sound-do a search on this site to pull up the posts.

I have had good luck with Joe Lamb Realty, Nag%26#39;s Head Reality and Carolina Designs. It has been several years since we have used a rental though.

If you search vacational rentals you will come up with several other companies to choose from.

website for rentals

We use nagsheadrealty.com

We%26#39;ve gone for seven years now and have always used www.joelambjr.com. Over they seven years, we have moved around three different homes and have always been pleased.

migrating existing portal

Easter car trip to asheville

We are considering a road trip to asheville and area in Mid April. I am seeking suggestions on activities, especially bicycle trails as well as other seasonal or year round events. I like to stay in nice. economical hotels or B and B%26#39;s. Again, looking for your recommendations. Thanks!

Easter car trip to asheville

Please specify road or trail biking...there are great rides for both, but at different places.

Asheville has several very good B%26amp;B%26#39;s, but I wouldn%26#39;t call any of them ';economical';.

Easter car trip to asheville

we like to ride rail to trails. Do you know of any? Can you recommend any good quality but economical hotels in the area? Thank you for your time.

The closest rails-to-trails project I know of is The Virginia Creeper, an outstanding trail about 2 hours north of Asheville near Abingdon , VA. If you come down from Michigan by cutting NW to SE across Ohio and head south on I-77 / West VA Turnpike, you hit I-81 about 25 miles from Abingdon, VA and drive right past the northern trail head. It is a really great ride and there are some nice, relatively affordable B%26amp;B%26#39;s and hotels in and around Abingdon and Galax, VA. .

Closer to Asheville, there are some fairly level rides south of town near the Mills River in Pisgah National Forest, and the trails at Bent Creek near the NC Arboretum are very popular with hard core single track riders.

The Homewood in Asheville is highly recommended and a bit separated from the Biltmore house / Biltmore Village, which will be very busy during the spring Festival of Flowers in mid April.

Thank you for that suggestion. I will look inot that further . Would you suggest avoiding the Biltmore during this season, I had read about it and was trying to decide whether or not to plan to go there.

Absolutely go to the Biltmore Estate, just dont stay there. Plan to go early and spend more time outside than inside. The grounds and gardens are amazing in springtime, even moreso than the house, winery, etc. Explore discounts on tickets through AAA.

I don%26#39;t know what general route you are planning for your road trip, but if feasible I highly recommend taking a scenic driving tour of the western North Carolinian Appalachian Mountains taking stops along the way to see some of the coolest natural areas in the region. Top scenic drives that might fit your trip include the Cherohala Skyway, Blue Ridge Parkway, Mountain Waters Parkway, and Newfound Gap Road.

Kristian

Check out this link for a rails and trails option. They are a very reputable company and are sure to give you a great experience.

http://www.wildwaterrafting.com/jeeptours.php

For accommodations, I would check out Brookstone Lodge which is a new hotel in town. www.BrookstoneLodgeAsheville.com. They are opening in the beginning of April so you are sure to get a great clean room. :o) They are also very close to Biltmore Estate (on the same road) so that may be a big convenience factor for you as well.

How was your trip?

cosmetic products

First Trip to Nags head

My family and I are making our first trip to Nags Head June 6. We are traveling by car from Cincinnati, Ohio. My husband and I are traveling with a 1 and 4 year old. Any suggestions with making the trip, what to do with the kids, has anyone made a long trip like this before with small kids??

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

First Trip to Nags head

Hi brickbeats and welcome to the forum! It has been a long time since I had a child that young, but I would guess that you would not want to drive straight through. Are you planning on breaking the trip up with an overnight stop?

I would suggest videos, games, books, toys, etc., to keep them occupied. Stop and have a meal or snack to break it up for them if they become really restless.

MB

First Trip to Nags head

Do you mean what to do with the kids on the road trip or when you get there? We made the trip last summer. The kids did better than grandpa! Of course, Grandpa %26amp; Grandma drove straight through and the rest of the gang with the little ones stopped in Richmond. However, they did say they wished they had gone on and just made the rest of the trip.

Once you get there, lots of fun things for the little ones. Someone suggested to us to take a baby pool and an umbrella to the beach and let them run from the ocean to the pool with a bucket and fill up the baby pool and let them play in that. We had a treasure hunt for the kids and also hunted for ghost crabs at night. There is a pirate adventure and an aquarium nearby, as well.

4x4 beaches

looking into the outer banks as a vacation this year the 4x4 beaches sound kind of cool something different. How far out are they from any towns where I would be able to find food stores and gift shops or mini golf for kids?

4x4 beaches

It depends which 4x4 area you are in. Swan Beach is about 6 miles from Corolla where the road ends and Carova is about 11 miles. You have to drive the beach to get there and there are no roads. You need to have a 4x4 and not some all wheel drive type car or you will get stuck. You are apt to get stuck anyway so have a heavy tow rope, shovel, cell phone, and make each trip to town count because you won%26#39;t want to make several trips per day.

4x4 beaches

Other forum members have agreed with me when I have responded to these type questions.

1.) The 4X4 area is not safe for kids to be playing outside of the house. Way too much traffic.

2.) Traffic noise late at night.

3.) High tides can strand you inside your house.

If you don%26#39;t mind these safety problems, go for it.

Kids like Nags Head or Kill Devil Hills. South Nags Head is nice too. Less crowds.

As far as I%26#39;m concerned, the 4X4 beaches are annoying. You want to lay in the middle of a road? Then you might like it.

If the 4x4 area is annoying, please don%26#39;t venture up there. We certainly don%26#39;t need vacationing folks with attitude.

It is a great area for kids. Much more peaceful than some posters might lead you to believe. Only suggestion is to avoid the 4 weeks in July and first 2 in August. The OBX strains under the congestion for that period of the year.

OBX- Oceanfront House-what to look for ?

We are looking to rent a house/duplex,for a week, on the beach,or very close.Only will be 6 of us. A 5 y.o. is one of them so if poss. a community pool or the like. August,maybe first two weeks, dates r flexible. Have 4x4 if we need to go more south. Looking 2k range , but also flex.Just don%26#39;t want a condo.Any leads on a great rental/real estate co.? thx

OBX- Oceanfront House-what to look for ?

You lost me. Do you want a house or duplex? I have seen some duplex homes that are oceanfront but not too many. 4x4 would be needed if you go ';UP'; to the northern 4x4 beach north of Corolla. Corolla down to Hatteras you won%26#39;t need a 4x4 to get to the house, they all have roads and driveways. $2k for oceanfront is going to be tough if it has a pool, you need to start hunting because the good stuff books up early.

Oceanfront with a community pool will be hard to find, homes 1 lot back from the ocean with a comm pool are easier to find but you will more likely be 2-4 lots back, but that will fit your needs better anyway.

Try 800-552-6257 ext 230 and let her help you.

OBX- Oceanfront House-what to look for ?

You might give the listings in Corolla Light a look...several different styles to choose from as well as locations as far as distance from the ocean. We felt like we had a good price when we stayed at Lazy Daze in Corolla Light through www.Villagerealtyobx.com (or google lazy daze corolla light). Back from the beach but oceanside of the road...and ocean views actually. Nice sandy lane for your walk to the beach. Just one of many great places though. Corolla Light also has smaller houses, townhouses, etc. Just enough to do and things for the kids.

We can do a house, but, also saw some duplex on the beach. We want on the beach,oceanfront. Might have to go more South, towards Camp Lej. Like u said , pretty much booked.So we will see. We did find this..http://www.joelambjr.com/rental/house.html?ID=402

That%26#39;s Tiller%26#39;s house. It is actually about 1 block from where I live. It is right on the beach and about 1/4 mile from Avalon pier. Good ocean views but the house is not super modern or fancy, pretty basic but it rents well. I sit on my deck and watch the dolphins swim by and this house is even closer.

You%26#39;d be very hard pressed to find a oceanfront home for $2,000 in August. Try www.joelambjr.com and look around. You can get a very nice home on the beach road across the street from the beach with a private pool in the Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills area. Towards the end of August will be cheaper. good Luck.

EYE KNOW !!!! uggg...Still looking,,also trying VRBO..

End of Aug. won%26#39;t work%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; Kidds starte%26#39;skool%26#39; . :)

Boy, one more whopper of a storm or hurricane and that house (and those along there with it) are in the ocean!

Look down on Topsail Island and see what you can find. The island is narrow, so even if you get second row, you are still very close to the beach.

The drive down there is not that bad. You can do interstate almost all the way. Via I-40.

jwhiteree

Come on, you have no idea what you are talking about. The oceanfront homes in Kill Devil and Nags Head have years and years left on them. There are no huge dunes that the homes are perched up on to collapse like in South Nags Head. I was here during Izzy in 2003, there were a few homes lost in Kitty Hawk but they were the old ones that sat right on the ground. Those up on pilings let the water go under with minimal damage.

Topsail Reef

I read that this complex doesn%26#39;t have a pool again. Is this a result of a hurricane? My concern is the area has been devasated by one. I have read some posts about the area having damamge but being rebuilt. Can anyone clarify? Also, is Surfs Condo a nice complex?

Thanks.

Topsail Reef

The Reef does not have any pools. Any hurricane damage has been repaired and you wouldn%26#39;t know that there had been any damage except for the pools being gone. They recently trucked in sand there.

I think the Surf Condos is nice. Other condos you might want to consider that have pools are the St. Regis, Shipwatch and the Villa Capriani. There are other nice places, too, those are just the ones I can think of right off hand.

Topsail Reef

The Villa Capriani, St Regis and the Ship watch Villas and Town homes as well as the Dunes are all located in North Topsail Beach. They are all much much nicer than the reef.

Yes, the pool at the reef was destroyed by Hurricane Ophelia a few years ago. The pool was recently covered over with the trucked in sand. It will not be rebuilt.

The Island with the exception of the Reef pool has recovered form the Hurricane damage. There were several homes past the reef that were condemned. They have recently been removed. The Island looks great.

The Surf is in Surf City. It is much quieter in North Topsail beach. But Surf city is where the action is.

Check out this unit at the Villa

treasurerealty.com/rentals/鈥?17a.htm

I spent 11 years in the Villa and I can say it is one of the best places to stay on the NC Coast.The pools are great and well maintained and the beaches are clean white and pretty much deserted.Once youre there there is no need to leave.If you crave quiet and solitude this is it if you want a Zoo or Circus come on down to Surf City.

I would love to stay there but it is out of my price range. I only need a one bedroom but still too much. Thanks for your input!

grown dutch rabbit

Beware! Holiday Inn Express Gastonia

We just got back from a trip to Florida and would like to warn fellow travelers to stay away from the Holiday Inn Express in Gastonia, NC. Having read the ratings and reviews from Tripadvisor, we expected a quality hotel when we booked. Our room was small, aged, dark and depressing. The free hot breakfast was a joke! Not even any eggs and when we arrived for breakfast shortly before closing, the various trays of food were almost empty, and the person in charge of the breakfast bar was already cleaning up! A HUGE disappointment.

Beware! Holiday Inn Express Gastonia

Was this location at I-85 and U.S. 321?

Polar Express Train Trip 2008, Bryson City, North Carolina

I couldn%26#39;t believe how lame this was! We brought our whole family there. We are from Texas, so we flew to Charlotte, picked some family there, and those who flew in from DC and drove the 4 hours.

We stayed at the Hemlock Inn, which was lovely, but the train ride was horrible. One of the seats collapsed, the hot chocolate was awful and this was the exact comment from one of my grandchildren as we pull up and stop at ';THE NORTH POLE';: ';MIMI, WHAT ARE ALL THOSE CARS DOING AT THE NORTH POLE';?

I looked out the window and there were a dozen or so cars waiting to cross the road!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had gone all out for this one, including designing matching sweatshirts for everyone that said:

';The Polar Express, 2008';.

We had taken the Williams, Arizona trip a few years back with our other grandchilden that live in Phoenix, and thought the experience was wonderful.

Bryson City was anything but!

Unfortunately for those grandchildren that were of the age where ';believe'; was on the fence, this trip put them on the WRONG side of the fence.

Judie and Mike Krom

Boerne, Tx.

Polar Express Train Trip 2008, Bryson City, North Carolina

I%26#39;m sorry you had a bad experience. I%26#39;m very protective of my children%26#39;s belief also, wanting to maintain that innocence as long as possible. However, my kids knew this was just a train ride in the mountains, and we weren%26#39;t really going to the North Pole.

I%26#39;ve written a review of our experience on the GSMR%26#39;s Polar Express excursion here:

tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g48984-d7890…

We enjoyed the entire evening, but to each his own.

cosmetic products

Restaurant suggestion for this weekend

We are venturing to Nags Head for a long weekend. It has been 10+ years since I%26#39;ve been there and we are looking for suggestions of restaurants. Nothing fancy. Just good food. Thanks in advance!

Restaurant suggestion for this weekend

There are plenty in that area but One I like is Sugar Creek Its newish but good

sugarcreekseafood.com/sugarcreek/index.htm

Also Hurricane Mo%26#39;s at pirates cove is good and of course the Dunes.

there is a capt Georges opening soon in KDH too

Restaurant suggestion for this weekend

we own a vacation home in Nags Head and have made it our duty to try as many restaurants as possible. Our all time favorite is Kill devil Grill (KDG) It looks like a diner from the outside, however the food inside is incredible. Daily specials (fresh catch of the day etc.)';rock%26#39; or stick with the menu. Our favorites are crab cake caesar salad country chicken salad, roasted chicken. Wednesdays is half price bottles of wine. If you prefer a fancier place the best we found is 1587 in Manteo. Beautiful setting,great food and a cute little town to walk around after. Have a great time.

I love Goombay%26#39;s or Outer Banks Brewing Station. I%26#39;m not sure if they are open yet but Kelly%26#39;s is consistent for seafood.

If open, Bob%26#39;s Grill in KDH is awesome for breakfast.

Tortuga%26#39;s Lie http://www.tortugaslie.com/ at milepost 11.5 is one of our favorites. Consistently great food.

or

The Blue Moon Beach Grill at milepost 13 just opened a few weeks ago and has had nothing but fatastic reviews.

http://www.bluemoonbeachgrill.com/

both places are on the beach rd.

We just returned home yesterday from Nags Head. I want to go back now! Anyway - we enjoyed the Black Pelican the most. In fact, we went for lunch 2 days because everything was so delicious! Very relaxed atmosphere, casual dress - jeans, shorts, anything goes.

First Time to Asheville Area

Will be spending four days in the Ashville and Black Mountain area in mid-May. I%26#39;m looking for suggestions on places to stay and eat and things to do.

For places to say and eat, we%26#39;re looking for either a cabin or bed and breakfast type place but nothing real expensive. As far as dining, we like the local mom and pop type places.

For things to do, we like outdoor activities, so any tips on rafting outfitters would be helpful.

Thanks,

First Time to Asheville Area

have you checked into vrbo.com for cabin rentals? As far as restaurants...you might want to start by looking at chowhound.com ...what comes immediately to mind would be Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain and Moose Cafe near the Farmer%26#39;s Market in S. Asheville.

Sonny's Grill

I am devastated to learn that Sonny%26#39;s Grill in downtown Blowing Rock is closed as of today. Written up in Bon Apetit and Gourmet this was one of the home of best greasy burgers and piping hot french fries, anywhere. It was also a good place to enjoy breakfast and take in the local gossip. Will somebody please say it aint so.

Sonny's Grill

I hope that you are wrong. We were just there and the it was too cold to venture into town. Will return soon and if we venture into town, I will check ti out.

Does not make sense. They are always busy! Always!

Sonny's Grill

Hello from Blowing Rock! I am sorry to report that Sonny%26#39;s is closed. The building where it was is empty and vacated. I have heard 2 stories and will keep asking. One, the landlord asked much to much rent for a new contract and the second, someone promintent in the business passed away.

I will keep asking until I find a definate answer and let you know.

tech help and advice