Travel NC With Kids: Fun Things to do at the Outer Banks

Showing posts with label Fun Things to do at the Outer Banks. Show all posts

Thursday, April 27, 2017

The Christmas Shop and General Store - Manteo, Outer Banks, NC

The Christmas Shop and General Store in Manteo NC © Katrena

Go ahead, look back at the date. I realize April is not anywhere near Christmas, but my crew tends to celebrate holidays at any time of year. After working as a cancer nurse for nearly 18 years and losing quite a few relatives suddenly, I decided that any holiday is fair game on any given day!

Star Trek Themed Room at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

I last visited this shop about 25 years ago, but I remember how much fun it was to look at the vast supply of ornaments and other holiday items way back then.

Fun Things to do in the Outer Banks © Katrena

My kids and I were headed back from a short vacation at the Outer Banks, so I thought it would be fun to visit the store again. For me to say I enjoyed going to a store is a big deal - I typically despise shopping and would rather go to the dentist than to shop.

Fun Rainy Day Activities at the Outer Banks © Katrena

The store is easy to find. It is located at 621 S. Highway 64 in Manteo. It is very close to The Lost Colony theatre and the NC Aquarium at Roanoke. You could easily make an entire day of those three activities.

Glass Ornaments at The Christmas Shop in Manteo, NC © Katrena

The Christmas Shop and General Store is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Apparently, the store closed for a few years, but the owner, Mr. Green, got a bit bored and wanted to open his shop again. This resulted in some challenges as the Christmas items and huge supply of antiques had been sold when the store closed. But folks who are determined simply look at challenges as another opportunity and keep moving forward.

Antique Organ at the Christmas Shop at OBX © Katrena

I don't have a good memory of exactly what the store had 25 years ago, but I was impressed with how the shop was set up, decorated, and themed. The shop looks to be an old house, or perhaps several houses connected, and each room or area features similar items.

Wizard of Ox Nutcrackers © Katrena

The very first thing that caught my kids' eyes were the nutcrackers in the check-out area as you enter the building. They were characters from The Wizard of Oz. Anything Oz is going to be a favorite with my kids, and from that point, my kids knew they would like this store.

The Christmas Story Ornaments © Katrena

There were quite a few nostalgic areas with items related to old TV shows and movies, such as I Love Lucy, Star Trek, The Christmas Story, The Wizard of Oz, etc. Many of the rooms and hallways had trees decorated with various ornaments and decorations that were for sale.

Nutcracker Room at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

One room featured different types and sizes of nutcrackers. Some of them were pretty unusual, perhaps an idea for someone who collects nutcrackers.

Minions at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

They also had quite a few themed areas featuring newer items, such as Minions, Frozen, and Disney princesses. The store had items younger boys would like, but since my crew is all girls, we didn't linger in those areas!

Antique Baby Doll at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

My youngest particularly liked the room for new additions to the family. That area had several antique baby dolls and an old play stove. According to my source, the store has fewer antiques than it did before, but the ones they have are nicely displayed.

Pet-themed Room at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

Several ornaments could be customized, with space for adding a name, such as in the pet room where they had a good variety of ornaments resembling various types of dogs and cats. They have an area at the check-out where staff will personalize items.

Beautiful and Unusual Ornaments at Manteo Christmas Shop © Katrena

One large room had several Christmas trees and many different types of glass ornaments. Some looked to be blown glass. They also had brightly colored thicker glass decorations and wild animals featured in this room.

Beach-themed Room at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

Another area featured beach-themed ornaments and items. After all, we were in Manteo, right by the ocean. We saw a few pirate-themed items as well.

Handmade Soup and Other Items at The Christmas Shop and General Store in Manteo © Katrena

Moving farther back in the store, I noticed a nativity area and another large room, this time with more of a country store feel. Jewelry, hand-made soap with fairly intricate designs, and some shells caught my kids' eyes.

Sports-themed Room at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

A sports-themed area beckoned to those who enjoy the thrill of the game. They had a pretty wide selection of different teams in that area.

Halloween-themed Room at The Christmas Shop in OBX © Katrena

Past the sports area was a hallway that led down to several Halloween-themed rooms. If you have folks in your group who are frightened by scary figures and items, I wouldn't recommend taking them through this one, but this is off to the side, so it is easy to skip.

Halloween Room Like a Haunted House at Manteo Christmas Shop © Katrena

The Halloween area lighting is low, and quite a few of the figures are motion activated. You have to go through several doorways to see all of the Halloween areas, and the area gives you the sense of walking through a haunted house. If you have people in your group who love all things Halloween, you might have to drag said members out of this area.

Suncatchers at The Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

You can bypass the Halloween area by turning left and heading down another hall toward a large room. This one has fudge, candy, magnets, suncatchers, and more. This area reminded me a little of The Candy Shoppe in Salisbury, NC.

Artwork at The Christmas Shop © Katrena

Several halls are lined with artwork, perhaps reminiscent of when Mr. Green and Andy Griffith would sit by the road in front of what would become the store and sell paintings many years ago.

Fudge and Candy at The Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

I *think* I found all of the rooms at The Christmas Shop and General Store. Although I had planned to run in for 30 minutes or so, we ended up exploring for about an hour and a half. All of the people who worked in the store were very friendly and helpful.

Entrance to The Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

The store looks to be accessible with a ramp going to the front door and fairly wide aisles for maneuvering. You might contact the store if you have special needs as they would have more specific information on that.

Nativity Scene at The Christmas Shop near Roanoke © Katrena

We visited during the off season and there were very few other customers, but I would think this store could hold quite a few people browsing due to the many rooms and shopping areas. We could have checked out very quickly, but we chatted a while since nobody else was waiting in line behind us. Like I said, everyone was very friendly!

Unusual Items at The Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

I don't typically purchase Christmas ornaments, so I'm not a good one to rate the prices. Many of the ornaments were running $10 and up. My oldest daughter said this was her favorite activity of our trip to the Outer Banks. Particularly if you run into a rainy day while at the OBX, this would be a great idea with the potential to be memorable and fun.

Nostalgic Ornaments at The Christmas Shop and General Store in Manteo © Katrena

NOTE: I wrote this article because this shop interested my group and we enjoyed the experience. I did not ask for or receive anything from this store to write this article. I can tell that a lot of effort has gone into bringing this Christmas shop back to life. For more information, including hours, visit The Christmas Shop and General Store official web site.

Frozen and Disney Princesses at NC Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

Additional articles I've written about our trips to the OBX:

Big Selection at The Christmas Shop and General Store © Katrena

Thanks for visiting Travel NC With Kids!

Fun Store to Visit at NC Outer Banks © Katrena

Sunday, July 17, 2016

The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama in Roanoke NC

The Lost Colony © Katrena

The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama written by Paul Green has been performed each summer since 1937 at Manteo's Waterside Theatre. Produced by Roanoke Island Historical Association, this play has stood the test of time over and over again as the production has persevered despite wars and conflicts, a fire, hurricanes, and many other challenges.

Roanoke Island's Waterside Theatre © Katrena

Many generations have traveled to the eastern part of North Carolina to get a glimpse of our state's oldest mystery and to imagine what might have happened to a colony that vanished from the area by the year 1590. This play is for entertainment purposes and is not necessarily historically accurate in all aspects, but I think it raises awareness of and perhaps empathy for all sides.

Learn About North Carolina History Through Performing Arts © Katrena

My family went to see The Lost Colony in July 2016. My kids are very interested in performing arts, and I thought this would not only be a good way to learn about our state's history but also an opportunity to see a first-rate outdoor drama. We weren't disappointed! All of my kids agreed this was the highlight of our trip to the Outer Banks.

Amazing Costumes at The Lost Colony Play © Katrena

I remember going to this play approximately 40 years ago. I was quite young but that memory has stayed with me. I found it interesting to learn that the director for the 2016 performances also acted in the play 40 years ago. The people who were sitting behind us were talking about going to see the play many years ago and remembering how the seats used to be long benches but are now much more comfortable. The walk from the box office to the theater is approximately 150 yards with ample parking close to the box office.

The Lost Colony Play at Outer Banks © Katrena

I ordered our tickets online. I really liked how the web site was set up. You can pick the date and the web site shows exactly what seats are available. I was thrilled to find second row seats on orchestra left. I took all of the pictures in this article, and I did not need to zoom. If you are particularly interested in seeing the Queen, you might want to choose seats on orchestra right. If you would like to see close-up Native American scenes, select seats on orchestra left.

Relive History Through The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama © Katrena

The theatre design by Albert Quentin "Skipper" Bell ensures that everyone can see well because the seats rise as they go farther back. If anyone in the group has trouble with stairs, you might want to choose seats in the back section. They do offer handicap seating at this theater and seats toward the back of the front section and toward the front of the back section will have the least number of stairs to climb - when you approach the theatre, simply turn to the left through the concession stand area and you will enter the theatre between the upper and lower sections. You have a nice view of the Sound and get a little more breeze off the water in the upper section. You are closer to the stage action in the lower seats.

2016 Season of The Lost Colony © Katrena

The play starts at 7:30 p.m. We arrived early, and I noticed that seats on orchestra right were in the sun while the left side was in the shade. Temperatures were in the 90s, so being in the shade was a big plus for us. The area in the back right was sunny for the longest period of time. If you have a little hand-held battery-powered fan, this would be a great place to use it before the show starts if you are visiting when temperatures are very high. Having some drinking water is also a great idea.

Fun Things to do in North Carolina © Katrena

I highly recommend bringing bug spray. Mosquitoes are fierce in this area during certain parts of the year. They sell bug spray on location in case you are not prepared. In July, the play begins in daylight and ends in darkness while the action on stage begins with lots of energy, singing, and dancing and elaborate sets. The stage production seems to almost mimic the natural lighting with the mood growing more somber and darker as the play nears the end.

Learn About The Lost Colony in NC © Katrena

The play is very well performed. I believe work on this year's play started in February. Many of the seasoned actors return to the stage many times over the years, sometimes changing roles as they age. A few actors from former productions of The Lost Colony launched public careers, including Andy Griffith, Terrence Mann, and William Ivey Long.

The play includes singing, dancing, and some fight scenes in addition to many speaking parts. The set includes quite a few props that are well-designed with minimal interruptions to the play as action tends to take place in one area while set changes occur in another area. The actors wear microphones and can be heard throughout the theater. My family loved the choreography; it seemed to capture the emotions through music and dance.

You can expect some scenes with gunfire - they did a great job with stage combat! You can also expect some scenes with fire. One actress ran across the stage with her apron on fire! This play is action-packed with some humor to balance out the serious topic. The performing area is huge as actors not only perform in front of the audience but also beside seating areas.

Hats off to those who worked on costumes, make-up, set design, choreography, lighting, sound, marketing, web design, clean-up, and more. Many thanks to the family members and volunteers who undoubtedly interrupted many months of their family lives to provide support. I noticed that several folks who had ancillary positions also seemed to be genuinely interested in helping this program to be successful. According to the web site, over 200 people are involved in this production.

The Lost Colony was only meant to run for one season. Franklin D. Roosevelt attended the show on August 18, 1937, which catapulted the popularity of the show far beyond those humble first plans. I could easily see this show continuing for many years to come for future generations to enjoy.

You can easily spend a whole day in this area. An aquarium is very near this area. The Elizabethan Gardens is adjacent to the theatre. A center that is focused on the history of the area through a variety of programs and displays is also adjacent to this spot. Visit The Lost Colony web site to learn more about the production, directions, to order tickets, etc.

Additional articles by Katrena

Thanks for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog! Have you seen The Lost Colony? What did you think? Feel free to post comments in the comment section below this article.

Friday, July 15, 2016

Currituck Beach Lighthouse - Great Vantage Point for Seeing Northern Outer Banks

The Outer Banks of North Carolina offers three lighthouses in which the public is invited to climb. Our family opted to travel north from Kill Devil Hills toward Corolla to see the Currituck Beach Light Station. Travel north on highway 158 and take highway 12 north toward Duck and Corolla. You'll see the Currituck Heritage Park sign on the left about 20 miles after turning off highway 158. Along the way, we saw a LOT of people riding bikes along bike routes beside highway 12. My family couldn't help but smile when we passed Timbuck II to get to this location.

This lighthouse is unpainted red brick, the last brick lighthouse built on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My grandfather was a brick mason and built many homes in Southwestern Virginia. Mom mentioned that she bet he would have enjoyed building it! The lighthouse reaches 162 feet high to the roof and contains approximately 1 million bricks. It is located between Bodie Lighthouse to the south and Cape Henry Lighthouse to the north.

The lighthouse became a beacon to help guide sailors on December 1, 1875 and still shines every night on a 20-second cycle that can be seen 18 nautical miles. Today everything is automated; however, years ago, every two and a half hours, the lighthouse keeper had to hand crank lines with suspended weights that worked similar to a grandfather clock. Many hours and funds have been put into restoring the lighthouse by a non-profit group Outer Banks Conservationists. The lighthouse was open to the public on July 1, 1990. I'm so glad the group took an interest into restoring this amazing piece of history!

If you wish to climb the lighthouse, I would highly recommend planning this trip early in the morning if weather forecasts indicate hot temperatures. This lighthouse has some different rules when compared to some of the other lighthouses in the area. I believe other area lighthouses require a minimum height to climb, but I did see some people carrying little ones when climbing Currituck. If you have little ones in your group, you might want to research height restrictions if they are wanting to climb a lighthouse before reaching your destination only to be disappointed.

The lighthouse contains 220 steps, but the steps in this lighthouse are a little different than some other lighthouses I have climbed. Landings and windows are located every so often along the way so visitors can look at the lower views and read information about the lighthouse and the area. Some fans were set up on those landings as well, which can help if it is getting hot. No lighthouses that I have climbed have been air conditioned - a true testament to those committed souls who climbed them on a regular basis to help protect those on the sea.

Visitors are charged a fee to climb the lighthouse. When we visited, the fee to climb was $10/person; children aged 7 and younger could climb free with a paying adult. We arrived fairly early in the morning with a 30-minute wait. The winds can be brisk at the top; it is wise to remove hats or other items that might blow off before walking out onto the balcony. The panoramic view from the top of the lighthouse is breathtaking. You can see the Atlantic Ocean toward the east, Currituck Sound to the west, and nearby portions of the Outer Banks to the north and south. The Atlantic side and southern direction were much more densely populated than the Sound side and to the north. We hoped we might see a pony in the northern Corolla area, but we could not see any on the day we visited.

The lighthouse keeper's house was still under renovation when we visited. There is a small gift shop near the base of the lighthouse. Visitors can peek at a nearby privy and enjoy seeing seasonal flowers. Several other buildings are located in the Currituck Heritage Park, and you might find a great breeze on the pier with the gazebo that is next to the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education.

Visit the official web site of Currituck Beach Lighthouse for hours of operation, rules for climbing, current fees, and more.

Additional articles by Katrena:

Thanks for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog!