S & N Carolina in April/May

[Emilie]

We have finally settled on the location of our 'babymoon' - South and North Carolina. We are planning on heading down for a week either the end of April or the beginning May. I will be around 5 months along, showing but still okay to walk around and tour.

We are probably flying into Charlotte, driving to Charleston, up to Wilmington to see friends and then to the Outer Banks, back to Asheville for the Biltmore and then home again. Lots of driving but we are okay with that.

So, anything we must, must, must see while in Charleston, Outer Banks and along the way? Plus the best places to stay in the Outer Banks (hoping Courtney can chime in on that). TIA!

[ManteoChik]

I'm here! :D

You'll be in luck, I hear our weather is really going to start getting nice here in the next few weeks. Last week we had a couple of days when it was in the 70's...and today was pretty as well. Later this week we should be getting back up into the low 70's again...I hope it keeps up.

Anyway, do you have any preference as to what type of place you'd like to stay in?? Hotel/B&B? On or Off the water?? Price?? How many days will you be in town and do you know what week in April?

Not too familiar with places to stay in wilmington, but the historic district is BEAUTIFUL. There are a couple of people who live in Wilmington on here as well as a couple of people who went to school there at UNC-W...hopefully they'll see this.

There is a great B&B in Ashville near the Biltmore Estate, it's called The Wright Inn (www.wrightinn.com). My friend from college, his parents own it and while I've never been some of our other friends went out for a stay and said it was very nice. However, staying at the Biltmore on property is also very nice too and you'll be right there.

[Emilie]

Yay! Thanks for checking in, Courtney!

It is looking like we will be arriving the evening of May 1 and leaving the morning of May 3. We want to stay on the water definitely. Either a hotel or B&B is fine but leaning towards an inn or B&B. We don't really have any preference for which town in the OBX we will stay except someplace that we can explore the whole area a bit. Price? We would like to stay under $250 a night - less than that even better of course.

Thanks for the info on the Wright Inn - that looks great!

[ManteoChik]

Well with that info, this is what I'd suggest.....

Roanoke Island (Manteo) Which is the most centrally located
-Tranquil House Inn (www.1587.com) - This place is beautiful. Its a B&B located on the Manteo Wafterfront with rooms overlooking the shallowbag bay and the Elizabeth II. They also have an AMAZING restaurant called 1587 (the year the colonists came over). This time of year rooms range from $149-179. This place is nice because you are no more than 5-10 minutes from quite a few of the driving attractions and you are centrally located for walking around the waterfront shops. This is where most all of our family and friends stay when they come from out of town...truely one of the nicest places.

Attractions

-Roanoke Island
*Elizabeth II (Roanoke Island Festival Park) - www.roanokeisland.com ---> Here you can tour the boat as well as the museum and the colony reenactments
*Elizabethan Gardens - http://www.elizabethangardens.org/ ---> Pretty self explanitory but they are very pretty and I often photograph portraits there.
*The Lost Colony - http://www.thelostcolony.org/ ---> The play only runs in the summer but its all open and you will be able to walk around and see the stage, ect..
*NC Aquarium - http://www.ncaquariums.com/ri/riindex.htm ---> The touch tank is really cool and they recently redid the whole place a few years ago and its really nice.

-Nags Head/Kill Devil Hills/Kitty Hawk
*Jockey's Ridge - http://www.jockeysridgestatepark.com/ ---> Tallest natural sand dune in the east coast. Its pretty cool and open to the public so you can climb it or walk up. Kitty Hawk Kites does hang gliding off the dunes
*Wright Brother's Monument - http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/ ---> Monument/museum to the Wright Brothers. In 2003 we celebrated 100 years of flight, they totally redid the whole park there and its really nice.
*Outer Banks Lighthouses - http://www.outer-banks.com/lighthouses.asp ---> There are several, but the closest (about 10 min) is the Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is located in South Nags Head on Rt 12. You can't climb them anymore, not that you'd want to 5 month pg..lol, but they are cool to see.

Can ya tell I have some free time on my hands tonight?? lol

[Emilie]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! The Tranquil Inn is EXACTLY what I was looking for! It looks perfect!

And thank you for the attraction info - lots of things to look at! Yay!