Travel NC With Kids: Outer Banks

Showing posts with label Outer Banks. Show all posts

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 Lost Colony - Excellent Production © Katrena

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.

Learn About The Lost Colony Through Stage Production © Katrena

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.

Tips for Taking the Family to see The Lost Colony © Katrena

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.

Lots of Action in The Lost Colony Play © Katrena

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.

5-Star Production of The Lost Colony © Katrena

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.

The Lost Colony Mystery © Katrena

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.

Sunday, July 10, 2016

Jockeys Ridge State Park - One Heckuva Sand Dune!

Jockeys Ridge State Park © Katrena

Jockeys Ridge State Park, located at 300 West Carolista Drive in Nags Head of North Carolina, is the easternmost state park in NC. The entrance sign is easy to spot near mile marker #12 on South Croatan Highway on the Outer Banks. This park is also the easternmost location on the Mountains to Seas Trail for NC State Parks. You can pick up a free NC Parks passport book and receive two stamps at Jockeys Ridge: one for the park and one for the trail. No admission fee is charged to enter this park, walk on the boardwalk, climb the sand dunes, or enjoy the visitors center. They say for most things you get what you pay for: well, I disagree with that regarding this free park as it was an unusual, interesting, and fun destination for my family!

Jockeys Ridge Sand Dunes at NC Outer Banks © Katrena

My family thoroughly enjoyed visiting Jockeys Ridge. We visited in early July when temperatures reached nearly 100 degrees daily. On hot days, I highly recommend arriving near opening at 8:00 a.m. or in the evening. The park remains open until 9:00 p.m. at the time of year we visited; I hear sunsets are beautiful to enjoy at this location! The park offers a program on the sand dunes at sunset on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Sand Dunes View from Observation Deck at Nags Head in NC © Katrena

A family can easily enjoy the park for several hours, depending on weather conditions and the group's physical abilities. You will probably want to allot a minimum of at least an hour for climbing the dunes and at least 30 minutes to tour the nature center.

NC State Park on Outer Banks © Katrena

I visited this park when I was very young and have vague memories of trying to catch up with my siblings who left me behind while climbing the huge sand dunes. Now I have new memories of trying to catch up to my daughters who were climbing the dunes. It's funny how life often moves full circle.

Handicap Accessible Boardwalk at Jockeys Ridge State Park in NC © Katrena

The state park now offers a nice boardwalk (360 feet long) that is handicap accessible. You can choose to take a trail or the boardwalk to get to the dunes. My family decided to go on the boardwalk. Folks who are not up to climbing the dunes can get a pretty nice view of the sand dunes from the observation deck.

Jockeys Ridge State Park Boardwalk on Outer Banks © Katrena

Parts of the boardwalk are shaded, but the observation deck is not. I recommend a hat or umbrella, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Benches are on the observations deck for those who choose to watch part of the group climb the dunes.

Tips for Visiting Jockeys Ridge State Park © Katrena

Footwear is required on the boardwalk. Sand temperatures can become 30 degrees hotter than air temperatures, so plan to climb with footwear as well. Because we arrived early on a cloudy morning, sand temperatures were quite comfortable, but we could begin to feel the sand warming up just in the time we were hiking early in the morning.

Climb Huge Sand Dune at Jockeys Ridge © Katrena

If you are climbing the Tracks in the Sand trail to the dunes, be prepared for a fairly steep, moderate hike. The sand is soft, so your feet will sink slightly as you begin to climb. The wind can be pretty significant on top of the dunes; when we visited, wind speeds were around 8-14 mph, but wind speeds are often 25 mph or more at the peak. If you hear a siren, lightening has been spotted in the area, and all hikers should move off the dunes immediately.

If you wear a hat, consider one with a strap under the chin or one that fits very snugly on your head. I would not recommend lathering oneself with sunscreen and then rolling down the dune as one visitor did while we were there; she said her whole body was exfoliated by the time she got to the bottom! I'm sure she was ready for a bath after covering all of her skin with sand. Spigots are located next to the restrooms for rinsing one's feet after hiking in the sand.

If you plan to stay on the dunes for a while, I recommend packing drinking water, particularly if the weather is hot. Several folks brought kites when we visited, like this family from Massachusetts who has visited Jockeys Ridge several times over the years. The sand blows with the wind; be careful with cameras and keep them covered when not in use to protect the lens and movable parts of the camera. I made quite a few pictures when we visited without issue, but I did keep my camera covered between shots. The sand hit our lower legs with gusts of wind; small children might want to be carried if the sand is blowing in their face. You might also consider safety glasses or goggles if the winds are particularly high.

My crew simply climbed the sand dunes and enjoyed the amazing view. We could see the boardwalk and observations deck from some areas of the dunes. We enjoyed a view of the Sound on the western side and the Atlantic Ocean on the eastern side. I believe visitors could walk all the way down to the Sound, but we enjoyed walking around the top and talking with some of the other visitors on the dunes.

Several sporting activities in addition to hiking are available, such as sandboarding (designated areas and times), hang gliding (regulated), and kiteboarding. Those who want to learn a new skill might want to take scheduled hang gliding lessons here. Several picnic tables are located at the park, so the family might want to enjoy a meal at the park as well.

Folks interested in education will find a wealth of informative boards along the boardwalk and an interactive educational nature center. We saw a lot of these ant lions (see photo above) while visiting - they are like huge dragonflies. A knowledgeable ranger gave us all sorts of information about the ecosystem and items on display in the nature center. The park also offers a variety of information sessions, such as Blackbeard's Treasure Hunt (registration required), a program focused on using a map and compass.

The park works to conserve natural resources; I hope future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy the many wonderful natural resources for years to come. Using wind to create energy is just one conservation method employed at this state park. The dunes are constantly changing, so the pictures you see as you read this article will certainly be different from pictures you may make at the state park.

Other people visiting the park offered great stories about their previous experiences at the park and other local areas to visit as well. Van, a local visitor from Columbia NC enjoying Jockeys Ridge with two beautiful dogs, gave us all sorts of information about the park and suggested also visiting the Nags Head Woods Preserve, a park with a very different ecosystem less than three miles from the dunes.

Rangers were traveling on motorized vehicles. I'd love to see rides to the top offered for those with mobility challenges, but traffic is very limited to protect this fragile ecosystem.
UPDATE: On August 5, I received a nice email from Candis George from Jockeys Ridge State Park, who let me know that they offer free all-terrain vehicle rides to the top for those who are mobility impaired. They need 24-hour advance notice in order to provide the rides. That's a great opportunity!

Jockeys Ridge State Park is near several other interesting activities in the area, such as the Wrights Brothers National Memorial, Hatteras Lighthouse, the N.C. Aquarium at Roanoke, and Nags Head Woods Preserve. Check out my site map on this web site for a variety of articles featuring many NC destinations.

Visit Jockeys Ridge State Park official web site for directions, hours, registration for programs, and more.

Additional articles by Katrena

Beautiful Hike

Thanks for visiting my Travel NC With Kids blog. Have you visited Jockeys Ridge State Park or the Outer Banks? Feel free to comment in the comment section below!