Question 1

Day Trippin' - Upstate SC Backroads

Accepted Answer

Looking for an easy day trip from Asheville or Hendersonville? We put together a scenic route that had interesting sights along the way and didn&#8217;t require a lot of walking. One of us is recovering from a recent knee injury.
And we intentionally chose a route that wasn&#8217;t the most direct. See a map of our route at the end of this article.
Our first stop was the Fred W. Symmes Chapel, also known as &#8220;Pretty Place&#8220;. It&#8217;s part of YMCA Camp Greenville and at the end of a windy road you&#8217;ll need to backtrack to continue to the next stop. Click the link above for more pictures of the Chapel.
Take Hwy 64 West out of Hendersonville to Penrose, turn left onto Crab Creek Rd. then right onto Dupont Rd. Dupont becomes Staton Rd. Take Staton to it&#8217;s end and turn left onto Cascade Lake Rd. When Cascade Lake Rd ends at a &#8220;T&#8221;, turn left onto Greenville Hwy (US 276). Finally, turn left onto YMCA Camp Rd and take it to the end where you&#8217;ll find the Chapel. NOTE: Check the Chapel Schedule to see when it&#8217;s booked for private events.
If you have the time, the Blue Moon Gallery at the intersection of Cascade Lake Rd and Greenville Hwy looked promising. I&#8217;m planning on going back to check it out.
When we got to Pretty Place, there was a group of bikers hanging out, taking in the view. Made sense since the roads on this route are perfect for sports cars, convertibles, and motorcycles.
Fred W. Symmes Chapel, aka Pretty Place
Memorial plaques are placed on Pretty Place&#8217;s wall. A number of them seem to be for young men who were lost during WWII.
Fred W. Symmes Chapel, aka Pretty Place
From Pretty Place, head back out to Greenville Hwy (US 276). Keep your eyes open for one of South Carolina&#8217;s many natural springs, Ceasar&#8217;s Head Spring. It will be on your right. There&#8217;s very little space to pull over if you&#8217;d like to taste the water or fill up a bottle, so be prepared. As far as I know, the water is fine to drink.
Ceasar&#8217;s Head Spring
Ceasar&#8217;s Head Spring
Continue on US 276 until you spot a gravel parking lot and peek-a-boo view on your left. You&#8217;ve arrived at Bald Rock Heritage Preserve. if you don&#8217;t see it in time to pull over, there are a couple easy turn-around spots right down the road.
Graffiti is normally a bad thing, but there are some places that it&#8217;s not only okay, it&#8217;s actually kind of cool. Take Austin&#8217;s Graffiti Park at Castle Hill. Of course, Bald Rock would be beautiful without the graffiti, but we didn&#8217;t have a problem with it.
It&#8217;s a short walk across a wooden bridge and onto the rock. You can move around easily, getting as close to the edge as you like. Careful, now.

Continue on US 276 into the Cleveland area where you turn left onto Hwy 11 &#8211; Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Byway. The link takes you to what looks like the official Scenic Byway website. it&#8217;s a horrible website &#8211; not intuitive at all and hard to find usable information, but there it is. Look around online if you want more detailed information on the entire Scenic Byway. Here&#8217;s one site we found helpful: Our Upstate SC.
Turn left onto Callahan Mountain Rd, traveling a short distance until you see a crosswalk, black railing, and stairs on the right. A &#8220;loop&#8221; parking lot is on your left. You&#8217;ve arrived at Poinsett Bridge (video) in the 120 acre Poinsett Bridge Heritage Preserve. Believe it or not, this bridge was built in 1820 as part of the State Road from Greenville to Asheville. Can&#8217;t you picture wagons and carriages crossing this narrow bridge, working their way up or down the mountains between those two cities? Wonder how long the trip took?

Take time to walk down to the creek below where you&#8217;ll see the unusual and fantastic Gothic Arch.

The creek spills over what looks like a mini Sliding Rock. This day there was a family with young children picnicking at the creek. They couldn&#8217;t keep the kids out of the water. It&#8217;s not too deep and not especially fast flowing.
From here we dropped down into Greenville for lunch. It was rather disappointing, so no lunch review.
Any GPS or paper map will easily be able to get you back to Hendersonville or Asheville.
Epicurean Notes:

Remember that &#8220;getting there&#8221; is part of the journey. Enjoy the winding, wooded roads.
Car trip conversations are some of the best.
Play good music and don&#8217;t be afraid to sing along out loud. Head banging is allowed if it&#8217;s Queen, or any group that moves you.
If you decide to take this drive, let me know what you think!

Question 2

Best budget friendly things to do in the Outer Banks

Accepted Answer

A series of fun beach towns and quaint villages on a long stretch of narrow land and islands, including over 100 miles of beach, on the eastern coast of North Carolina are known as the Outer Banks &#8211; OBX for short.
A favorite vacation destination, it&#8217;s not too late to book a beach rental this summer. And whether you&#8217;re new to the OBX or been year after year, there&#8217;s something budget friendly here for you.
Beach Time
4-Wheeling
Driving on the beach is a fun new experience for many people. Even if you&#8217;ve done it before, it&#8217;s a great way to check out the Cape Hatteras shoreline. An off-road permit is required and can be purchased here. You can get a a 7-day Permit ($50, valid for 7 consecutive days) or an Annual Pass ($120, valid for the calendar year). Click here for beach driving guidelines and rules.

Beachcombing (aka Shelling)
Shells and other treasures that have been tumbled in the sea wash up on the beaches throughout the Outer Banks. When my children were young, we&#8217;d bring egg cartons along for storing small found treasures. Here&#8217;s a cool site that tells you what types of shells you can expect to find, the best OBX shelling beaches, and tips & tricks.

Camping
Everything from campgrounds with pads for RVs and tents, to camping on the beach, a jetty, and tent-only camping areas is available in the OBX. Get all the details here.
Image: http://www.outerbanks.com/campgrounds
Fishing
Disclaimer &#8211; It looks like fun, but I do not fish. I don&#8217;t like putting bait on a hook. I don&#8217;t like taking a hook out of a fishes mouth. That said, I can point you to two excellent resources on OBX fishing: Outer Banks Fishing (types of fishing and which fish run when) and information on licenses and permits &#8211; Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses and Permits.

Fires on the Beach
Get the hot dogs and S&#8217;mores ready! Fires are allowed on the beach, but a FREE permit is required. There are some location-date-time-age restrictions. See information on Beach Fires here.
Horseback Riding
Equine Adventures, located in Frisco on Hatteras Island, does a great job with all skill level riders. They &#8220;offer a two hour guided tour to the beach! It is approximately 45 minutes through the North Carolina Coastal Reserve and the Maritime Forest out to the beach. . . ride along the ocean for 30 minutes. Then it is 45 minutes back through the woods to the barn. . . see a variety of wildlife depending on the time of year.&#8221;

Kill Devil Hills
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Both my brothers are pilots and I even have a few pilot hours logged, so standing where the Wright brothers first flew was pretty inspiring. A reconstructed 1903 camp building like the one in which the Wright&#8217;s lived and worked, markers at the spots where liftoffs occurred, a large monument, and a sculpture of the Wright&#8217;s plane are on property. You can climb up on the plane sculpture for fun pictures. Enter the Visitor Center to see displays, presentations by park rangers, and a scale reproduction of the Wright&#8217;s plane. More information on the Memorial here. Tickets: Adult (16 and older) $7, Children (15 and younger) FREE

Nags Head
Jockey&#8217;s Ridge State Park
&#8220;The tallest living sand dune on the Atlantic coast is a premier location for kites, sightseeing and sunsets, with a view arcing from the ocean to Roanoke Sound. A visitor center with museum and 360-foot boardwalk with exhibits explain the dune’s ecology and are a gradual entry to the massive dune field. Sandboarding is welcome with permit and hang-gliding is available through a vendor. Shoes and sun protection are recommended. By calling ahead 24-hours in advance, it’s possible for mobility-impaired visitors to schedule a ride in our all-terrain-vehicle to the top of the dunes. The sound-side access of the park is a different experience offering sunbathing, wading, paddling and a one-mile nature trail that opens onto wetlands, grassy dunes and maritime thickets.&#8221; Follow this link for everything you need to know about Jockey&#8217;s Ridge State Park.

Seaside Art Gallery
Seaside Art Gallery just wrapped up the 25th International Miniature Art Show held each year. Luckily, all the miniatures were on display when our group looked through the gallery. Amazing what artists can create on tiny canvases. There are 12 rooms of great art to wander through. Watch the video below to learn about this oldest gallery in the Outer Banks and the largest privately owned gallery in the Southeast.

Rodanthe
Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site and Museum
The birthplace of today&#8217;s Coast Guard, the Rodanthe main building houses a museum and small gift shop. Two stations and five out buildings are on the property, along with an old cistern and a couple old water tanks. It&#8217;s is run by enthusiastic and very knowledgeable volunteers. The stories they tell of practicing amazing rescue techniques from back in the day, and famous historic rescues by surf boat (see one in the Station). Tickets: General Admission $8, Seniors (65+) & Students (per person) $7, and Youth (4-17) $6. Kids under 4 Free. More information on the Live-Saving Station here.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and Visitor Center
This is a great FREE spot for adults and children alike. There&#8217;s a &#8220;touch&#8221; box full of fun and interesting bits and pieces right outside the Visitor Center door. Inside is a wall of windows and high-power telescopes overlooking the Refuge. Ask for help spotting water birds and other sights with the telescopes if you can&#8217;t find anything interesting. Then walk the boardwalk (look for turtles in the water) and trails, passing through a cool tree tunnel. There are usually volunteers on hand, many of them avid birders with lots of information to share. Across the road from the Visitor Center, walk over the sand toward the ocean and you&#8217;ll see the wreck of the steamer ship Oriental poking out of the sea.

Waves
REAL Watersports
&#8220;Founded in 2001, REAL has become the number one kiteboarding and surfing shop, lesson center and destination in the world.&#8221;
Looking for an adrenaline rush? REAL Watersports is the real deal for kids and adults. They offer kiteboarding camps and lessons from pros &#8211; prices vary. Also on site is Watermen&#8217;s Retreat (below left) with 14 luxury condos available for rent, and Watermen&#8217;s Bar & Grill, serving up great food and views. More on the food at Watermen&#8217;s Bar & Grill in a future article about dining in the OBX.
Image: REAL Watersports
Roanoke Island
Manteo
Manteo &#8211; Visit this quaint waterfront town
Located on Shallowbag Bay, slow down and wander the waterfront marina. Be sure to stroll the boardwalk that links the marina to a nice playground, picnic areas, the George Washington Creef Boathouse, and the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. Don&#8217;t miss the FREE Maritime Museum next to the marina. A lovely building looking like it&#8217;s been there far longer than it has, it&#8217;s &#8220;a working boat shop where volunteers and staff take on projects including small craft restoration, exhibit design, and new boat construction.&#8221; Read more about Manteo.

Elizabethan Gardens, The
Stroll through this Elizabethan pleasure garden, located next to (easy walk) The Lost Colony site, on shaded paths, admiring a variety of garden areas/types, statues, and plants. Be sure to peruse the Gatehouse gift shop, which is full of garden-related items.  Admission prices are: Adults (18+ years): $9 +tax; Youth (6-17 years): $6 +tax; Children (under five): $2 +tax; Pet Admission (one pet per owner): $3 (see our dog policy) Read the interesting history of The Elizabethan Gardens here.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
&#8220;Fort Raleigh National Historic Site protects and preserves known portions of England&#8217;s first New World settlements from 1584 to 1590. This site also preserves the cultural heritage of the Native Americans, European Americans and African Americans who have lived on Roanoke Island.&#8221; Think outdoor explore; trails, monuments, and the earthwork. When you&#8217;re ready for a break from the heat on warm days, step into the Visitor Center. Also on site is the famous Waterside Theatre where the history of the first English colonies in North America on Roanoke Island, North Carolina are commemorated through a symphonic outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, and various educational events and programs. Of note: &#8220;The Lost Colony is the nation’s premier and longest-running symphonic drama.&#8221; See all the things to do at Ft. Raleigh here.

Outer Banks Distilling
Recently opened, Outer Banks Distilling has already developed a reputation for quality with the release of their Kill Devil Rum. &#8220;From Molasses to Glasses&#8221; is their slogan. I tasted the molasses they use and it&#8217;s delicious by itself. Of note: they use pecans grown right on their property to make their Rum with Pecans and Honey. Also delicious! Distillery tours are available Tuesday &#8211; Saturday at 1pm and 3pm. Tours are $5 and you must be 21 or older. Call 252-423-3011 Tuesday &#8211; Saturday 9am &#8211; 5pm to reserve your tour time. Their Rum can be purchased at the Distillery and in many NC ABC stores. Outer Banks Distilling Website

Wanchese
OBX Crabbing & Shrimping Charter with Captain Marc
Let me begin by saying that Captain Marc is a seaman with heart. Weather adult or child, he takes the time to explain crabbing and shrimping, what it&#8217;s like to fish for a living, and doesn&#8217;t hesitate to slow the boat down or change course to follow dolphins. He&#8217;ll let everyone in your party who wants to, hook and reel in crab cages &#8211; either by hand or by the mechanical wheel on board, and re-bait the cage. Spending time on the water &#8211; 2 hours for $300 per party or 4 hours for $475 per party &#8211; is totally worth it. If you have young children, I&#8217;d recommend the 2 hour charter. Details are here.

Hatteras Island
Buxton
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Incredibly, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was built with bricks. Take a close look at the outside before going in. Can you imagine the laborers laying brick after brick in ever-narrowing circles? With no elevator, no air conditioning, and 257 steps to the top, climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a MUST DO. It&#8217;s equivalent to climbing a 12 story building on narrow stairs with a handrail on one side, two way traffic, and a landing every 31 steps. Step out onto the observation deck for an incredible 360 degree view. Climbing tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (62 or older), children (11 and under, and at least 42&#8243; tall), and the disabled. Get more information on Lighthouse and the Light Station history, both in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore here. Details on the climb can be found here.

Even though this list of Budget-friendly things to do in the OBX is pretty thorough, it doesn&#8217;t cover everything. And don&#8217;t forget to leave time for swimming and plain old hanging out at the beach. For all kinds of OBX information, visit The Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Question 3

Sanderling Resort Completes Property-Wide Reimagination

Accepted Answer

Duck, NC &#8211; Sanderling Resort, the idyllic coastal Carolina retreat set on the shores of the Outer Banks, has completed a multi-phase re-imagination, presenting for the 2016 summer season a fully enhanced resort experience complete with 120 all new guest rooms and suites. Fresh culinary leadership and artisanal specialties program, excursions and activities with a distinct sense of place and award-winning spa therapies mark the fresh new look and spirit of a destination that continues to lure back generations of travelers year after year.
“At the heart of our vision for the refreshed Sanderling Resort is the desire to evolve with the needs of today’s travelers and elevate the guest experience while remaining true to the distinctive character and spirit of this special corner of the world,” said Dick McAuliffe, General Manager of Sanderling Resort. “Guest feedback on the new guest rooms has been overwhelmingly positive and we look forward to welcoming the summer season on the Outer Banks.”
Epicurean Notes: I recently spent a night at Sanderling and had dinner at their gorgeous restaurant, Kimball&#8217;s, and breakfast at their sweet Lifesaving Station restaurant. I can tell you first hand that this is the top flight NC beach resort you&#8217;ve been looking for. Staff are friendly, accommodating, and long-term -many of them returning yearly from Jamaica. They do a beautiful job hosting couple&#8217;s getaways, family vacations, and destination weddings.
Two honeymooning couples and I chatted for quite a while as we soaked in the hot tub next to the adults only serenity pool. Having been married for 31 years, it was fun hearing them compare their wedding colors, receptions, ceremonies, and more.
Just one of the fun touches you&#8217;ll find in your room is a complimentary S&#8217;more Kit with all the makings for S&#8217;mores at the large fire pit near the beach. Unfortunately, it was raining the night I was at Sanderling&#8217;s, so no roasted marshmallows for me.
Making S&#8217;mores at the Fire Pit
Notable touchpoints in Sanderling’s evolution include:
• New Guest Rooms – A study in relaxed coastal elegance, all guestrooms, bathrooms and suites in the Beach House, North Inn and South Inn have been redesigned with beach chic furnishings, oversized bathrooms with luxurious appointments and stone tiling, spacious balconies outfitted for outdoor living and a color palette inspired by the unspoiled surroundings that embody the feeling of toes in the sand. Inspired features include Ocean to Sound Suites with uninterrupted water views of dramatic sunrises and sunsets via dual balconies that overlook both the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean; neighboring guestrooms with “pocket” balcony dividers that can be fully withdrawn to expand alfresco living space; a pillow menu with feather and synthetic options; and welcome s’mores kits.
King Room, similar to my room.
• Fresh Culinary Perspective – A renewed energy and focus on the resorts culinary approach is evidenced with fresh leadership and a commitment to partnering with local artisans and farmers who have perfected their craft.
New menus in casual dining restaurant, Lifesaving Station are seasonally fueled and explore the lighter side of Southern fare with healthy twists on classic flavors that include North Carolina Shrimp Ceviche, Coastal Cioppino and Carolina Farro Risotto with Summer Vegetables and Wild Mushrooms.
Lifesaving Station
In fine dining room Kimball’s Kitchen, Chef de Cuisine Dan Grunbeck will premier an array of specialty OBX infused items he personally crafted during the winter season that include house-aged charcuterie; gourmet cheeses such as salt water mozzarella made with sea salt sourced from the Atlantic and house made smoked tomato jam. His elevated approach to Southern comfort flavors shines through Shrimp and Grits with Bourbon Glazed Shrimp, Pimento Grit Cake, House Cured Lardons, Seasonal Melon and Berries and Fennel Slaw; Grilled Local Ahi Tuna with Heirloom Carrot Puree, Sea Beans, Coconut Carolina Rice and Muddled Benne Seed; and a Watermelon and Honeydew Salad that features Ricotta Salata and Lomo Crisp, house made this winter.
Kimball&#8217;s Restaurant
• Welcoming Social Settings – Reflective of the current Carolina micro distillery craze, the resort will debut a series of culinary craft cocktails that showcase the resorts mixology expertise and the areas trend-leading small batch distilleries, with spirits such as sweet potato and green pepper distilled vodkas. Culinary craft cocktails can be ordered in the No. 5 Bar & Lounge, Kimball’s Kitchen and at the Beach House Bar. Located on the main floor of the Beach House building, the Beach House Bar is a new social and small bites setting with inventive cocktails, interesting wines, craft beers and late night coffee drinks. Surrounded by cozy nooks set for conversation or rousing games of checkers, and positioned just ahead of a sweeping outdoor deck, the Beach House Bar is a bustling yet relaxed setting reminiscent of a family living room.
Sanderling Resort, Cocktail at Kimball&#8217;s Restaurant
Steps from the Beach House Bar on a sprawling, sun-splashed deck is the newly expanded Sandbar. This casual, dune front restaurant features refreshing cocktails, frozen concoctions, smoothies and a menu of fresh beach-eats with salads, burgers, veggie burgers, fish tacos and more. More than a coastal dining outpost, Sandbar is a sparkling alfresco gathering space from day to evening with flat screen televisions and an oversized fire pit outfitted for lingering with comfortable cushions, live musical entertainment and gooey s’mores kits.
• Kitty Hawk Kites Pop-Up Unlocks Endless OBX Adventure – An array of sun-splashed and star-lit options for exploring the natural playground of the Outer Banks are available through an on-site Kitty Hawk Kites pop-up location. The leader in Outer Banks recreation, the Sanderling outpost offers active pursuits including: standup paddleboard yoga; surfing; kiteboarding; jet packing; hang gliding and wakeboarding. Quintessential Outer Banks excursions include sunset kayak tours through the salt marsh islands and flat waters of the Currituck Sound; pontoon tours through scenic canals and historic hunting areas to Sanctuary Vineyards for guided tastings from the local vintner; and exclusive four wheel drive access to the preserved dune side sanctuary for the legendary Wild Horses of Corolla. A fleet of signature orange Sanderling beach cruisers are available to guests for two wheel exploration of the charming town of Duck.
• Naturally Inspired Spa Therapies – Furthering the “shore to door” concept of spa experiences reflective of the Outer Banks, the Spa at Sanderling offers luxurious therapies such as the Island Oasis, which envelops guests in the relaxing spirit of the region as two therapists work in tandem to perform a customized Sanderling facial and reflexology massage. This summer guests can enjoy Sanderling long after returning home with an expanded line of Sanderling spa products available for purchase, now including nourishing face and body creams and scrubs infused with ingredients indigenous to the Outer Banks.
About Sanderling Resort
Sanderling Resort, the only AAA Four Diamond resort on the Outer Banks of Duck, NC, has beckoned families and couples to its picturesque shores for generations. In 2016, the property showcased the completion of a multi-phase, transformative renovation project, revealing a fully enhanced resort experience with stunning new guestroom design, culinary team and programming with a distinct sense of place. Sprawled across 13 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and the serene Currituck Sound, Sanderling boasts 120 guest rooms and suites in addition to five rental homes. Amenities include two dune-side pools, oversized fire pits and the award-winning Spa at Sanderling. Dining options include the Beach House Lobby Bar; the AAA Four-Diamond Kimball’s Kitchen for local, sustainable fare, Lifesaving Station and No. 5 Bar for a casual dining experience with elevated twists on Carolina comfort flavors; and the Sandbar’s outdoor deck for poolside refreshments. For brides and meeting planners, Sanderling features more than 12,000 square feet of updated indoor and outdoor event space, offering a venue to suit every taste. For more information, please visit www.sanderling-resort.com or call (877) 650-4812.
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