Outer Banks Vacation Homes

According to Mike Voss, Contributing Editor of the Washington Daily News, the Albemarle, Pamlico sounds are the focus of the next ‘Cruising Carolina’ series’ program.  “Cruising Carolina,” a television series celebrating the inland coastal waters and their communities is returning this month to begin field production on its new program that focuses on the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.  “Cruising Carolina: The Sounds” will be the fourth program in the series, which airs on UNC-TV, North Carolina’s statewide public television network. The program will put the spotlight on communities in Beaufort, Hyde, Washington, Tyrrell and Dare counties. “Cruising Carolina” is an Emmy-nominated series produced by BlueWater Media and hosted by Claiborne Young, a renowned cruising-guide author.

From day one, Carolina Designs Realty has maintained a strong commitment to exceptional customer service.

Whether you are speaking with our experienced and knowledgeable reservationists or our administrators and managers - your vacation experience is our number one priority!

To our In-house Maintenance Team  ~ There are five full time field maintenance technicians and four in-house coordinators that can address a wide range of problems expediently. 

  To our own Cleaning and Inspection Personnel ~ All of our cleaning teams are thoroughly trained and required to follow a rigorous set of cleaning guidelines. 

So, if you are looking for a great vacation experience on the Outer Banks, give our friendly staff a call toll free at 800-368-3825.  Or reserve on-line at www.carolinadesigns.com.  You’ll be happy you did!

When making a reservation, whether it is a last minute reservation or future reservation, it is extremely important to be aware of your check in location:

Duck location:  serves all vacation rental homes from So. Shores to Ocean Hill except #163 & #939

Kitty Hawk location: open SAT & SUN only; serves vacation rental homes from Kitty Hawk to South Nags Head as well as #163 & 939 in So. Shores from the first week in May to the last week in September.

All reservations in all homes, no matter where they are located, check into the Duck location after the last week of September until the first week of May.

All guests checking into homes from Kitty Hawk to South Nags Head, including #163 & #939 in So. Shores, from the first week of May to the last week of September receive a Navis Message reminding them that their check in location is the Kitty Hawk office.  However, if they do not have an answering machine at home and the phone rings 8 times with no one there to answer the call, they do not receive the message.

Submit your favorite photo (one entry per family) in the Carolina Designs Realty Photo contest for a chance to win a cash prize of $250!  The drawing will be held on September 30^th.  All photos will be considered to be featured in our 2009 Vacation Rental Catalog. Please submit your photos by email in JPG or GIF format: photo@carolinadesigns.com or drop them off at our office or mail to Carolina Designs Realty, 1197 Duck Road, Duck, NC 27949.   Please include your name, address, phone number and email.  Your personal information will be kept confidential.

Enjoy and have fun!

Outer Banks named one of the five most affordable
U.S. travel destinations by USA Today
 

In the Travel Deals section of USAToday.com on July 18^th an article by Kate Hamman of SmarterTravel.com emphasized that, while “Europe and far-flung destinations seem impossible to afford, you can still find a world-class destination in your own backyard.”  The Outer Banks of North Carolina was named as one of the top five most affordable travel destinations -  “classic stops you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Plus, you won’t have to spend a fortune to experience them in style.”

The OBX® Marathon will be at the Outer Banks Running Company this Monday, July 21^st beginning at 10:00 a.m. for the Mizuno “Run With Us” event, located at the Loblolly Pines Shopping Center in Duck, North Carolina. 

This event will include the Mizuno Run With Us Trailer, which houses the Mizuno Precision Fit System, a computer program and fit terminal that runs the athlete through a variety of tests in order to determine the appropriate type of running shoe for their foot.  Mizuno will have a pair of every size of training shoe they make, so that once the athlete is fitted, he or she can go for a test run!

Everyone who runs through the Run With Us Precision Fit will get a Dryscience Tech Tee, and will get a 15% discount on all Mizuno merchandise they buy at the event. 

Members of the OBX® Marathon race committee will be there to meet & greet, answer questions, take registrations and give out free stuff!

Source:  email from Robyn Keenan, OBX® Marathon race committee

Vacations can hold memories for a lifetime, especially those where loved ones gather to spend quality time with each other.  Providing your children with the materials to make a special vacation memory scrapbook will be cherished for years to come.  On the Outer Banks, there are several scrapbook stores as well as several Dollar Stores that provide oodles of scrapbooking materials.  Throughout the vacation, the children will enjoy making pictures, writing stories, gluing mementoes of their special time here at the beach.  They could incorporate postcards, pictures, event or show programs, etc. into their scrapbook.  This is an opportune time to spend some “one on one” with your special guy or girl while helping them think of ideas for their book.

Offering Curbside Recycling Pick Up Service 

In just about every town, now including the town of Nags Head, an outside vendor has been commissioned to provide weekly curbside pick up of recycled materials.  A minimal monthly fee is charged to residents interested in participating in the program; but it’s worth it.  Before the curbside pick up service was offered, the only way to join the green bandwagon was to drive to a recycling drop off center during the week within limited hours of operation, separate your materials and deposit them in the appropriate containers.

Elaine Breiholz, an avid runner and member of our Technical staff, ran in the second annual Killer Dunes 2-Mile footrace in Jockey’s Ridge State Park.  Jockey’s Ridge is the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States.  Located in Nags Head, it is one of the most significant landmarks on the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  The event was sponsored by the Outer Banks Running Company and the proceeds will benefit the Outer Banks Cancer Support Group, the local Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and the running club.  There were approximately 122 runners; every year the number of participants doubles - from 30, 60, 120.   Fast male was Jake DiAlesandro, from Ravenna, OH, age 19, 16:20,  Fastest female was Kathleen Gallagher, age 23, from Halifax, NS, Canada, time was 20:42.

Stu Golliday, the owner of the former Hammerheads gym that was destroyed during Hurricane Isabel, has transformed the vacant building which was once known as the Nags Head Movie Theatre at MP 10 in Nags Head, North Carolina, into an upscale, two-story fitness center.  The center has a full-service weight center on the first floor and a cardiovascular center on the second floor.  Core balance and flexibility classes including yoga and Pilates are offered as well as classes geared toward senior citizens.  Extras provided with membership include a tanning bed, massage therapists, a sauna, showers and bathrooms.  There is even an on-site nutritious smoothie bar.

The standard membership fee is $49/month for individuals; $39/month for seniors, and $29/month for high school students. Daily, weekly, and seasonal packages are provided for visitors. Corporate and property memberships are also available.

Call the Outer Banks Sports Center for hours of operation at 252-441-8361.