08/28/15

8 Reasons to Love Fall on Hatteras Island

Some places it’s the turning color of the leaves, or the start of football season. On Hatteras Island fall is marked by cooler comfortable evenings and warm golden light. The waters’ warmth lasts into October, the pace slows down a bit after the full swing of summer. Residents and visitors take a deep breath and pause to enjoy what for many is the most savored time of year on the Outer Banks. Here are some of the best things about Fall on Hatteras Island, won’t you join us?

Beach Bonfires
Allowed with a permit year-round, beach bonfires bring a warmth that’s especially welcome when the air is a bit cooler in the evenings on the beach. Whether roasting marshmallows for S’mores or just hanging out and telling stories in its glow – there’s something comforting about gathering around a fire with the people you love the most.

Beach Bonfires

Fall Restaurant Fare
It’s harvest season. Pair that with the bounty the sea brings this time of year and you’ve got the perfect recipe for fall feasting at locally-owned Hatteras Island restaurants.

Fishing
Speaking of fresh catch, fall fishing is a favorite pastime of many residents and generations of visitors to Hatteras Island. Whether you charter a boat off shore, paddle a kayak out in the sound, or cast a line from the beach or one of our piers – fishing is truly fantastic in the fall.

Fall Fishing

Golden Sunsets and Color-drenched Sunrises
Because of its position in the sky and the increasingly shorter days, sunrises and sunsets in the fall a spectacle to behold. Set against the golden sea oats or the fluffy marsh grass, the silhouettes and skies of fall please photographers and sky-watchers of every caliber.

Surfing and Kiteboarding
Hatteras Island claims the best surfing and kiteboarding on the East Coast, and wind and wave conditions are particularly good in Fall months. Rodanthe and Buxton are the most popular spots for surfing and uncrowded breaks can be found up and down the island.

Surf Season

Fireplaces
When you aren’t gathered around a bonfire outside, you can gather in your home’s great room around the gas-log fireplace to tell stories, play games or watch a movie.

Hot Tubs
Find respite from the crisp night air by slipping into your warm hot tub, listening to the waves and taking in the stars in the island’s unpolluted night sky.

Fall Festivals and Events
With a festival or event nearly every week, there are many wonderful ways to get involved and get inspired by the food and music of the region. Here are just a few, check out our Event Calendar for a full run-down of what’s happening.

Island Art Show – October 10, 2016 in Rodanthe
Come out and enjoy the work of over 20 local artists and their wares, enjoy live music, lunch, and a raffle. Show is FREE and raffle and food proceeds benefit local causes.

Outer Banks Triathalon – September 17 – 18, 2016 in Manteo
An annual racing event, Individual athletes and relay teams exhibit various ranges of skill and expertise. 2 days of inspiration, excitement, relationships and achievements. USAT Sanctioned event includes custom designed finisher medals, SWAG, and post race party with free beer and food for all Finishers.

Day at the Docks – September 16-19, 2016 in Hatteras
A celebration of Hatteras watermen with seafood cooking demos, fishing boats and gear, fishing industry skills contests and competitions, live music and games for children.

ESA Surfing Championships – September 18-24, 2016 in Nags Head
The largest amateur surfing organization in the world hosts the season’s “grand finale” where the best of the best surfers go head to head.

Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival – September 20-24, 2016 on Roanoke Island
4 days of down home cookin’ and good ‘ole Southern pickin’ featuring National Bluegrass Artists Rhonda Vincent, Sam Bush and Sam Vincent in a beautiful outdoor waterfront venue.

OctoBEERfest – October 1, 2016 in Avon (Pangea Tavern)
Gather at Pangea Tavern (I mean the German beer hall) for German food, beer specials, and live music. Cheers to fall!

Hatterasity Bluegrass Festival – October 6-8 in Hatteras Village
A three day Bluegrass Block Party featuring local food and talent, with regional and national bands playing bluegrass and Roots music. An event for food, fun, family and community.

Duck Jazz Festival – October 9, 2016 in Duck
Free day-long festival showcasing national, regional and local jazz musicians on two stages.

Outer Banks Seafood Festival – October 15 , 2016 in Nags Head
A fun and educational experience promoting, honoring and celebrating the area’s seafood heritage and community. You’ll find cooking demonstrations, educational booths and, best of all, the chance to eat fresh, local seafood from more than a dozen restaurants.

Fish Like a Girl Charity Fishing Tournament – October 15, 2016 in Avon
The Avon Pier’s all girls fishing tournament. A portion of proceeds will go to support the Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation.

02/19/15

Cape Hatteras Named Travel Channel’s #5 Sand and Surf Hotspot

With miles of uncrowded beaches and unrivaled kiteboarding conditions, it’s no surprise that Cape Hatteras was named #5 on the Travel Channel’s countdown of the Top 101 Sand and Surf Hot Spots in the world. The unique shape of the island means there’s almost always a hot spot for watersports – a place where the conditions are just right for surfing, kiteboarding, sailing, boogie boarding or just flying a kite.

The unique geography of the Outer Banks is what drew the Wright Brothers here over 100 years ago to test the flying machines that would become the first airplanes. It’s also what brings kiteboarders from all over the world to Hatteras Island to experience the thrill of riding the wind. With soft sandy beach breaks and miles of coastline the island is known as the best place on the East Coast to learn to surf. Another reason Hatteras Island is a must visit vacation destination.

Each hour-long Travel Channel episode features 20 Hotspots. Travel fans have been eagerly awaiting the top 20- catch it tonight at 5:00 Eastern Time on the Travel Channel or check out the Hatteras Island clip here:

02/11/15

Exciting new ways to search for your vacation home

The process of finding the perfect Outer Banks vacation home has naturally evolved over the years. Instead of just bookmarking pages in a catalog, now you can walk through the house with an interactive floor plan, compare your favorite homes side-by side, and invite family members all over the country to leave comments and vote on their favorite houses while saving all of the information in your online account.

When redesigning the Surf or Sound website we thought long and hard about the best ways to help people discover the perfect vacation home for their family. We wanted to go beyond the typical web search and make finding a vacation home both exciting and intuitive. We had custom features built, like the ability to view the homes in your search result in a gallery-like grid or on a map with optional aerial overlay to get the best idea of the home’s exact location, interactive maps that let you find things to do and places to eat near homes you’re thinking of renting and a total cost calculator that lets you determine the total cost of your reservation and see the price per person or per bedroom with just one click!

Check out this video that takes you through the different ways of finding your home on our website:

12/17/14

Perfect Weather for the 2014 Hatteras Village Christmas Parade

This Saturday was a beautiful cool sunny day – perfect weather for the annual Hatteras Village Christmas Parade! This mile-long traditional parade brings out neighbors, businesses and visitors full of holiday cheer and a real sense of community.

Among the school marching band, the police departments, churches, horse stables and fire engines were the Surf or Sound Realty Elves! Bounding along the parade route next to a Surf or Sound maintenance truck all done up as the “seashells and jingle bells” float – the elves happily greeted parade-goers and handed out candy canes.

Afterwards everyone gathered at the community center for hot chocolate and cookies, another Hatteras Holiday tradition.

If you are ever in town parade weekend in December – the Christmas Parade is a village event your whole family can enjoy.

12/12/14

Shop Daniel Pullen Photography – Fine Art Prints, Wedding & Portrait Photography

Shop Hatteras Deal: Get 10% OFF Your Order of $10 or more of Fine Art Prints next week (December 14-20) Use the code SURFORSOUND at checkout. 10% off a Professional Wedding or Portrait Photography Package when you book it next week

Hatteras Island native Daniel Pullen is the descendant of 9 Cape Hatteras lighthouse keepers. His photography has been published by the world’s leading surf publications and he has become one of the leading photographers on the Outer Banks. His fine art photography is available for sale online in a variety of formats from gorgeous 5 foot wide photo canvases to incredibly affordable 8×10 fine art prints.

Daniel’s intimate knowledge of the Hatteras Island landscape and his gift for lifestyle photography make him one of the most popular portrait and wedding photographers on the Outer Banks. Is your family planning a 2015 beach vacation? A portrait package would make a memorable gift. If you know a bride-to-be getting married on Hatteras Island a wedding package would make an amazing Holiday and Wedding gift. Be sure to book next week for 10% off!

12/11/14

Shop Kinnakeet Clay – Handcrafted functional works of art

Shop Hatteras Offer: FREE shipping until December 19 when you mention Shop Hatteras! Click here to browse their virtual catalog on Facebook to see the latest and greatest of the beautiful items that are in stock and ready to ship.

Offering beautiful, affordable, works of art – hand-crafted regionally and locally with lots of love, Kinnakeet Clay has been a favorite shop of art collectors and savvy shoppers for many years. Their online catalog is a huge hit with Holiday shoppers looking to find a unique gift for friends and loved ones. Here are ceramic artist and shop owner Antoinette Mattingly’s hand-picked favorite gifts, all handmade in-store at Kinnakeet Clay – Studio & Showroom. Don’t forget to mention Shop Hatteras for free shipping! Give art this holiday season!

1 – Nautical Stoneware Ornaments – These make a complete gift all by themselves or can be used as gift tags or a little extra something around the neck of a bottle of wine. Individually hand pressed using slabs of stoneware clay. These ornaments are glazed in Peacock or Mint Green glazes. Design choices include: Crab, Seahorse, Starfish, Shells & Dragonflies. Remind those special folks on your list of their favorite Hatteras Island vacation! $12 each or 3 for $30.

2 – PEACE, LOVE & JOY Heart ornaments – Stoneware ornaments with net or vintage lace impressions and your choice of Peacock or Mint Green glaze. Wishing you Peace, Love & Joy this holiday season! $12 each or 3 for $30.

3 – Jar Frogs – What is a jar frog? So glad you asked! Simply place this stoneware jar frog atop a “regular” mouth jar and insert your fresh cut flowers. Voila! One stem or ten, you’ll create a beautiful arrangement. This is – by far – our most popular gift. Everyone loves a jar frog! $15 each. Glaze choices change often, see our Virtual Catalog for today’s options.

4 – Original Watercolor Beach Scene by resident artist Denise Gaskins – A well known local artist, Denise has been painting scenes depicting the stunning nature of Hatteras Island for the last thirty years. Her work is included in the collections of many Hatteras Island enthusiasts. This image measures 11″ X 15″ with an outer mat measuring 16″ X 20″. Make someone very, very happy with this fabulous gift. $175

5 – Mugglies – a CatFish Pottery original! Local potter, Edith Camp, sculpts characters onto her thrown stoneware forms. These are one of a kind, useable art pieces. No two are ever alike. Look around, you may see someone you know. Any resemblance to relatives, neighbors, friends or enemies simply can’t be helped. Starting at $50 – $68

12/10/14

Shop Kitty Hawk Kites – Give the Gift of Flight with a Kite

Shop Hatteras Deal – $5 OFF your $30 order at the Kitty Hawk Kites online store all the way through January 31, 2015 when you use the Coupon Code: SURFORSOUND.

Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching the world to fly for 40 years. With locations in Rodanthe, Avon and Hatteras Village, Hatteras Island vacationers never have far to go to find the perfect kite. With kayak tours, jet ski rentals and kiteboarding lessons offered all summer long, there are even more reasons to visit. Check out these featured kites and wind spinners that someone on your list would love to find under the tree this year!

1 – Disney Frozen Elsa BreezyFliers Kite – This colorful nylon Frozen Elsa Kite is 57″ tall and will look awesome flying through the skies or as room decor. This single line kite is easy to fly for beginners and fun to fly for almost any age or skill level! Assembles in minutes and comes ready to fly with handle and 120′ of line included.

2 – Nutcracker 20″ Whirligig Wind Spinner – The Nutcracker Whirligig will spin its way into your heart with a flurry of color and motion. The Nutcracker 20 Inch spinner is a perfect way to accent your home, garden or business this holiday season!

3 – North American Cardinal Bird 23 Inch Wind Spinner – The Red Cardinal wind spinner will be a cheerful touch to any lawn, garden or patio. The Cardinal bird spinner’s wings rotate in the slightest of breezes while the spinner vanes with the wind.

4 – Prism Nexus Stunt Kite – The Prism Nexus Stunt kite’s dual line sport kite is tough enough for the beginner stunt kite pilot! It includes a compact carrying case, line set and wrist straps (is a great kite for traveling!).

5 – Kitty Hawk Kites Festive Sky Delta Kite Package – The Festive Sky Delta Kite Package comes complete with a stable, high-flying delta kite, a Yo Yo Winder of kite line, a Hypno Twister Tail and 2 Streamer Tails. The Festive Sky Kite Package makes a great gift for any age or skill level.

12/9/14

Shop Real Watersports Online – Fashion & Gear for Cool Kids of All Ages

Internationally known as one of the best kiteboarding and surfing retailers, lesson centers and destinations in the world REAL Watersports is proud to call Hatteras Island home. Their team of experts is down to earth and eager to help you find just what you’re looking for, whether that’s the perfect Stand Up Paddleboard or the coolest new pair of shades. Here are some of their favorite gift ideas this holiday season, each with an offer ranging from free shipping to $100 OFF!

1 – Catch Surf “Beater” Boards – 30% OFF – The Grom Favorite, this soft style, slick-bottom board is being ridden by stoked kids everywhere. From first rides to 360-spinners and shove-its, the Catch Surf Beater Board is endless fun.

2 – Strive “Skip Jack” Fish Surfboard – $395 ($100 OFF) – The Strive Skip-Jack Fish is the perfect easy paddling, user friendly design for a wide range of waves. The board offers classic soulful lines and flow, with modern maneuverability.

3 – Rip Curl Search GPS Surf Watch – FREE SHIPPING – The Search GPS is the worlds first GPS Surf Watch. Auto-sync tides to your location, track your session and share it with friends. GPS Tracking along with wave count, top speed and more. This watch is SOLD OUT many places – order yours from REAL today!

4 – GoPro HERO4 Black and HERO4 Silver – FREE SHIPPING – The new HERO4 cameras from GoPro are the perfect gift for any sport enthusiast. Countless surfers, snowboarders, fishermen, kayakers, hunters and more are using the HERO4 cameras to capture the action and share it with the world. The Black Edition is the most advanced GoPro ever with exceptional image quality and high frame rates. The Silver Edition is the first GoPro to feature a built-in LCD screen for reviewing your pictures and videos.

5 – Billabong Purses & Bags – 20-50% OFF – From the beach to the city, the latest bags and purses from Billabong are the perfect gift for ladies who love surf-inspired style.

6 – Stance Socks – 20-60% OFF – These funky-fun socks from Stance are the perfect stocking-stuffer! The rest of your outfit is awesome, why shouldn’t your socks be too?

12/8/14

Shop Hatteras with Buxton Village Books!

Shop Hatteras Offer: 10% OFF and FREE shipping until December 19 when you mention Shop Hatteras! Just browse the website at: www.buxtonvillagebooks.com – make your selections and call 252-995-4240 to place your order with the discount. Shopping locally? Get 10% off through Christmas Eve when you mention this offer!

So many vacationers have a special place in their hearts for Buxton Village Books. After all, what better time is there for reading than your beach vacation? Channel the island charm of your favorite independent bookseller and browse shop owner Gee Gee Rosell’s hand-picked selections online. Indie booksellers specialize in choosing the best books for every season. Shop Small, Shop Local, Shop Hatteras where we’re All Small! Here are a few she just loves, perfect for gift-giving or for yourself this Holiday season.

The Southern Living Community Cookbook – Celebrating Food & Fellowshop in the American South by Sheri Castle

Southern food and food stories are bound together. This book will reflect people, regardless of where they come form, who claim Southern food as their own, whether for a lifetime or a mealtime. People feel deep affection for their local community cookbooks, especially those well-worn volumes that serve as a timestamp of a particular place and time. No other type of recipe collection is more generous, gracious, and welcoming. Before we give you a bite, we Southern cooks have to tell you about what we’ve made. Southern food is evocative, so our food and food stories are bound together in our communities. A memorable Southern cookbook holds good food and a good read, the equivalent of a brimming recipe box plus the scribbled notes and whispered secrets that cover the tips, advice, and stories that a generous cook shares with family members, friends, and neighbors. These recipes bring all sorts of cooks, recipes, and stories to a common table to bring readers a cookbook filled with good things to eat that have something to say.

Good Dog – True Stories of Love, Loss and Loyalty – A collection of stories from David DiBenedetto and the editors of Garden & Gun

Garden & Gun magazine’s aptly named Good Dog column is one of the publication’s most popular features. Now editor in chief David DiBenedetto and the editors of Garden & Gun have gathered their favorite essays as well as original pieces for this must-read collection of dog ownership, companionship, and kinship.
By turns humorous, inspirational, and poignant, Good Dog offers beautifully crafted stories from such notable writers as P. J. O’Rourke, Jon Meacham, and Roy Blount, Jr. From the troublemakers who can’t be fenced in to the lifelong companions who never leave our sides, this one-of-a-kind anthology showcases man’s best friend through all of his mostendearing (and maddening) attributes.

The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass – Finding, Collecting, Identifying and Using the Ocean’s Most Beautiful Stones by Mary Beth Bueke

As the owner of one of the world’s most elaborate sea glass collections, Mary Beth Beuke gets to talk about these prized ocean gems on a daily basis. Unfortunately, with each passing day, sea glass becomes more and more difficult to find, making the hunt more of a challenge to the seeker–especially one with limited experience in sea glass hunting.
There are several reasons why the hunt is so important to the sea glass seeker. Some find their Zen moments in the solitude and beauty of the hunt. Some collect to add color to their life. The history, mystery, and discovery of sea glass are also strong forces that draw collectors to shorelines around the world, looking for these pieces of physically and chemically weathered frosted glass.
Whatever your reason for wanting to learn about and start your own collection of sea glass, the window for doing so is closing as pieces are becoming more elusive due to a growth in sea glass popularity and a decrease in recent glass bottle production.
In “The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass,” Beuke provides information that will help first-time seekers start new collections and veteran hunters learn more about their current sets. Beuke shares her experiences in gathering her own collection via photographs of vibrant and rare pieces, as well.

12/5/14

Shop Hatteras Online! Exclusive deals on Special Gifts from Hatteras Island

We are excited to announce a week of Hatteras Island Holiday Deals – Shop Hatteras! Starting Monday we will reveal a featured shop each day with unique gift ideas and special discounts available in store and online just for Surf or Sound friends. You may not be on island time again for a few more months but that doesn’t mean you can’t do some Holiday shopping at your favorite Hatteras Island businesses! Pick up a few things you won’t find anywhere else and get everyone excited about your next beach vacation.

From handmade pottery to kites for kids of all ages to books perfect for curling up to read by the fire this winter, get ready to Shop Hatteras and give the gift of Hatteras Island this Holiday season! Check out our Shop Hatteras Pinterest board to quickly see all the deals in one place!

Monday, December 8 – Shop Hatteras with Buxton Village Books!
10% OFF and FREE shipping until December 19 when you mention Shop Hatteras! Just browse the website at: www.buxtonvillagebooks.com – make your selections and call 252-995-4240 to place your order with the discount. Shopping locally? Get 10% off through Christmas Eve when you mention this offer!

Tuesday, December 9 – Shop Hatteras with REAL Watersports Check out some gift ideas and great deals from the experts at REAL watesports, with offers ranging from free shipping to $100 OFF!

Wednesday, December 10 – Give the Gift of Flight with a Kitty Hawk Kite. Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching the world to fly for 40 years. Shop in their online store and get $5 off any order of $30 or more with the code SURFORSOUND

Thursday, December 11 – Shop Kinnakeet Clay – Beautiful, affordable works of art hand-crafted by local and regional artists. Shop their online catalog and get FREE SHIPPING through December 19 when you mention Shop Hatteras!

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