Question 1

Dollywood's best kept secrets

Accepted Answer

Pigeon Forge, TN &#8211; Yes, Dollywood has an amazing array of rides, including a train pulled by a historic steam engine used to move troops in Alaska during WWII and the world&#8217;s fastest wooden roller coaster.
What you don&#8217;t know about Dollywood will surprise you! I spent two days exploring the Theme Park (https://www.dollywood.com/themepark), Splash Country Water Park, and the Dream More Resort and Spa as part of a tour hosted by Dollywood for a small group of food and travel writers early this month.
The tour was culinary focused, but there are non-culinary things you might like to know also. I left with hundreds of photos and a very full belly!
FOOD & DRINK
The food is definitely &#8220;Southern&#8221; in the best down-home way, with specials changing randomly or according to what festival is going on. It&#8217;s authentic and affordable. My visit happened to be during the Barbecue & Bluegrass Festival, so . . . there was grilling going on: Ribs, Pulled Pork, Sausage, ears of corn, and even watermelon! Beyond grilling, there were creative takes on a couple standards: Crossroads Funnel Cakes topped with chicken, mandarin orange sauce and powdered sugar.  And Country Cookers &#8211; Kettle Korn made in various colors and flavors.
This brings me to an interesting point about food at Dollywood. Food service employees have a certain amount of creative freedom to come up with new ideas. The Country Cookers &#8211; Kettle Korn guys were absolutely beaming about the next flavor they&#8217;d come up with. And although they&#8217;re known for their cinnamon rolls, Pastry Chef Gidget Davis at Spotlight Bakery created new savory Maple Bacon Cupcakes. Bits of bacon are in the batter and they&#8217;re topped with sweet maple icing. Whoa! And at Splash Country you can get a &#8211; new this year &#8211; Sm&#8217;Oreo Gourmet Milkshake. Double whoa!
I just noticed there&#8217;s a theme here &#8211; sweets. Never fear, there are lots of non-dessert type options, too. We had Chicken Salad with lots of fresh fruit on the plate at Granny Ogle&#8217;s Ham and Beans and a wonderful &#8220;Grilled Watermelon Salad&#8221; in Market Square.
A word on managing dietary restrictions. The Front Porch Cafe is the place to go. Meals that accommodate just about any food allergy are available there. They also have a program called &#8220;Start Fresh&#8221; that prevents cross-contamination between foods.
Two new partnerships were recently launched with Bush&#8217;s and Lodge. Bush&#8217;s sponsors Granny Ogle’s Ham &#8216;n’ Beans and Lodge sponsors Aunt Granny&#8217;s Restaurant. Lodge is behind the complete and beautiful remodel of Aunt Granny&#8217;s, including revamping the buffet approach and serving dishes. It felt more like a meal at a friends home served family style. No huge chafing dishes or buffet pans here. Just various cast iron serving pieces, including some pieces from Lodge&#8217;s stoneware line. Very nice!

SPLASH COUNTRY
The biggest tip I can give you if you&#8217;re going to Dollywood with your family or a group of 14 or less is to get a &#8220;Retreat&#8221;. They are sweet 200 sq ft covered (think shade) enclosures with a TV screen, table and chairs, a phone for service, and a 100 sq ft sun deck with lounge chairs. It&#8217;s a good place for young children to nap, with adult supervision of course, as well as a place for adults to take a break and recharge. They are a reasonable $190 for the day. Especially good if you split the cost among a couple families.
If there&#8217;s just two of you, think about renting one of the 65 sq ft &#8220;Canopies&#8221; so you can take a break from the sun. There&#8217;s also a locked storage locker that&#8217;s a great for stashing personal items when your&#8217;re both in the water. Rent for $50 for a day.
NEW this year &#8211; Rentable Luxury Loungers for two. Located in front of River Beach, they also sport a lockable storage locker and provide shade. So new, they&#8217;re not available online yet, but you can rent one of the six Loungers when you get to Splash Country. They&#8217;re $45 for the day.
Also NEW this year are Tex-Mex Tacos at Splash Country. Multiple food options are available at this easily manageable water park.
THEME PARK
I love Dolly&#8217;s music. I like country music in general, but I was concerned about having to listen to blaring music all day. Not to worry! All music played by live groups (with mics and amps) or recorded played over speakers while I was there was tastefully subtle.
Shade and easily accessible seating are plentiful. It&#8217;s especially important on warm days.
Plan a little time for checking out the many quality shops and Dolly&#8217;s museum.
We commented among ourselves that we didn&#8217;t see any crazy meltdowns by children or adults even though the weather was pretty warm. There&#8217;s this relaxed vibe throughout the park that&#8217;s hard to explain. The employees genuine friendliness and interest in helping everyone is probably a big part of it. And the layout of the park doesn&#8217;t hurt. Lots of people were enjoying the park with us, but it didn&#8217;t feel crowded due to smart design.
DREAMMORE RESORT AND SPA
DreamMore Resort has been open for three years now. It&#8217;s beautiful and very well done. Family-friendly with a comfortable layout and a ton of amenities and special touches for guests:

If you have Theme Park tickets, skip the ride lines with a complimentary TimeSaver pass.
Items you purchase at the park will be delivered to your room so you don&#8217;t have to schlep them around with you all day.
Exclusive park entry &#8211; avoid the lines.
Free Resort Shuttle.
Early Saturday park entry.
Browse Resort features HERE.

The food available at the Resort eateries is notched up a bit from what you can enjoy at the parks. Everything I sampled, including the breakfast buffet at Song and Hearth was exceptionally good.
Many people won&#8217;t notice, but between the Song and Hearth deck and the pool is a Kitchen Garden planted with a nice variety herbs they pick fresh and use in food preparation as well as cocktails. Any gardener will tell you that Mint has a way of taking over, which it&#8217;s done here. There are plans in the works to re-do the garden using large planters. It should be even prettier and controlled at the same time.
If at all possible, enjoy the Salon and Spa. They feature FarmHouse Fresh products. The irony of being on a culinary tour and farm-related spa products wasn&#8217;t wasted on me. I wasn&#8217;t a believer, but am now. Lean in, I&#8217;m going to tell you something personal. I had my usual Summertime dry skin on the heels of my feet. After my pedicure, including a foot massage using the Honey Heel Glaze ($26) FarmHouse Fresh product, my heels showed no indication of dry skin for at least a full week! Now that I check, they still look good weeks later. That&#8217;s really unusual for me. Most products wear off after a few hours or a day, if I&#8217;m lucky. And this is not a paid endorsement.

I found Dollywood to be refreshingly, unapologeticly all about Dolly Parton. Sweet and welcoming, butterflies and positive never-give-up messages, without being sappy in the least. I think you&#8217;ll agree.

You have GOT TO GO! You won&#8217;t believe the quality of the food, the amenities, the extent they&#8217;ve gone to making the Theme Park, Water Park, and DreamMore Resort family friendly, and the overall value.
Be sure to check out Camp DW at the DreamMore Resort, if you&#8217;re staying there. They have a lot of activities for kids and adults every day. Some are free. Some are for an additional cost. Bedtime stories, arts & crafts, live music, and more.
Dollywood was awarded a whopping Four Golden Ticket Awards, the so-called Oscars of the Industry, this year alone by Amusement Today, the amusement industry’s go-to publication for the news within the industry.
Many employees are area folks that have retired from their careers. They love working at Dollywood and come back year after year.
Dollywood is a few years away from completing a $300 million expansion. It&#8217;s not your Memaws Dollywood.
Download the Dollywood Park App (App Store or Google Play) for maps and ride wait times. It definitely comes in handy!

Dollywood (https://www.dollywood.com/)
2700 Dollywood Parks Blvd
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863

Question 2

Dollywood's Aunt Granny's Restaurant Recast With New Look, Menu Items

Accepted Answer

Pigeon Forge, TN &#8211; One of Dollywood’s (https://www.dollywood.com/) best-known restaurants has been recast in 2018 with a little help from another iconic Tennessee brand, Lodge Manufacturing Company. Aunt Granny’s All-You-Care-To-Eat Buffet, which earned its name from the loving nickname Dolly Parton’s nieces and nephews have called her for years, receives a fresh look this season complete with new menu items which will have guests ready to pull a seat up to the table.
Now named Aunt Granny’s Restaurant presented by Lodge, the eatery features a number of changes designed to create a bright and airy space to serve as a comfortable respite for guests to slow down and enjoy a meal together. Interior renovations include action stations, like a new carving station, where guests can watch Dollywood chefs create a number of delightful delicacies.
“Dollywood is known for its quality southern food offerings, and a visit to the buffet at Aunt Granny’s certainly should be on the list for any foodie,” said Dollywood Vice-President Phil Bernard. “With our continuing focus on great food, we felt the time was right to recast the restaurant and add new menu items, while also keeping many of the old favorites.
“The opportunity to partner with Lodge, which is another iconic Tennessee brand, also made perfect sense. When you think of traditional southern foods like fried chicken, cornbread, or apple cobbler, you think of cast iron cookware. And when you think of cast iron cookware, there’s only one company that comes to mind—Lodge.”
The unique partnership with South Pittsburg, Tennessee-based Lodge brings a selection of the company’s famous cast iron cookware into the dining experience. The iconic cookware adorns displays throughout the restaurant, while food on the buffet line will be served from Lodge products.
“We are extremely excited about the collaboration between these two great Tennessee companies,” said Mike Otterman, President of Lodge Manufacturing Company. “We share company values, consumers, location and brand similarities that should allow us to grow together for many years.”
With more than 130 different items, Lodge Cast Iron produces the largest selection of cast iron cookware on the market, including skillets, griddles, grill pans, Dutch Ovens and restaurant serving pieces.
Founded by Joseph Lodge in 1896, Lodge is the oldest continuously operating cast iron cookware foundry in the U.S. The company is also the oldest family-owned cookware company in the country. Henry Lodge, CEO, and Lee Riddle, Vice President of Sales, are fourth and fifth generation descendants of Joseph Lodge.
Located in Dollywood’s Rivertown Junction, Aunt Granny’s was constructed in 1986 and opened during the park’s inaugural season. It has been a favorite spot for guests, as its all-you-can-eat format offers up a wide selection of the southern staples Dollywood’s foods team has cooked up for years.
Fresh off winning Amusement Today’s 2017 Golden Ticket Award for Best Theme Park Food, the foods team has refreshed the menu with a number of items that will surely become new guest favorites. Among those new offerings are Southwestern herb baked chicken, country chicken & dumplings, roasted red-skinned potatoes with cheddar cheese & bacon, corn puddin’, and much more. Stone Soup, inspired by Parton’s famous story about how her mother would use the classic fable to encourage her children when they might be discouraged, also finds its way on to the buffet. Those with a sweet tooth have plenty to select from including apple cobbler, various cupcakes, brownies and more.
For more information about Dollywood’s 2018 Season of Showstoppers, please visit www.dollywood.com or call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD.
About The Dollywood Company: A highly-awarded and widely-recognized leader in the amusement industry, The Dollywood Company consists of the 150-acre Dollywood theme park; the 35-acre Dollywood’s Splash Country; Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa; and Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins. As unique as its namesake and owner Dolly Parton, Dollywood is the 2010 Applause Award winner, the theme park industry’s highest accolade; winner of more than 30 Golden Ticket Awards; and recipient of 26 Brass Ring Awards for Live Entertainment (more than any other theme park in the world). The park is located near Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which celebrated record attendance in 2017. Dollywood was named a top three US theme park by USA Today in 2014 and 2017, and TripAdvisor recognized Dollywood as a top-20 worldwide theme park in 2015. Dollywood is open nine months a year (late March through early January) and offers rides and attractions, shows, and crafters authentic to the East Tennessee region. Dollywood’s Splash Country, recognized by the Travel Channel and TripAdvisor as one of the country’s most beautiful water parks and named 2009’s Must-See Waterpark by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, operates from mid-May to Labor Day. The 300-room Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, which received the 2017 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, provides guests spectacular mountain views and family-friendly amenities next door to Dollywood theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country. Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Cabins offers luxurious cabin accommodations overlooking Dollywood. For more information, call 1-800-DOLLYWOOD or visit dollywood.com. Operating days and hours vary.

Question 3

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 4

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 5

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.
Release | Comp

Question 6

Lake Lure's Flowering Bridge

Accepted Answer

Rather than demolish a decommissioned bridge in 2013, folks in Lake Lure got creative and re-purposed it as a walkable garden spanning the Broad River. The garden extends just beyond each end of the bridge, also.
Next time you&#8217;re in Lake Lure, stop, walk the bridge, and breath deeply.
&#8220;Officially dedicated Oct. 19, 2013, the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge blooms on the historic 1925 Rocky Broad River bridge in Lake Lure, NC. When the bridge was closed to traffic in 2011, the Friends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge came together to create gardens on the 155 feet of the bridge and along a pathway at both ends of the three-arch span itself. With an emphasis on native plants, the Friends mission is to create a “Gateway to Somewhere Beautiful” for the enjoyment of the public.&#8221; ~ Friends of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
The Flowering Bridge website
Facebook.com/LakeLureFloweringBridge

Question 7

My trip to a Michelin Starred Chef Dinner

Accepted Answer

Next week I&#8217;ll be heading to the Grand Hotel Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, as the guest of IBEROSTAR Hotels and Resorts, to attend an incredible dinner by multi-Michelin-starred Chef Jordi Cruz.
Chef Cruz is one of 16 acclaimed Chefs participating in IBEROSTAR&#8217;s ambitious initiative, &#8220;Iberostarchef on Tour&#8220;. They&#8217;re spotlighting the flavors and creativity of some of the most renowned Spanish chefs, through exclusive dinners at IBEROSTAR hotels in the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Cuba and Mexico) and Spain.
Each month, one of the most important contemporary Spanish chefs will visit our stoves and create some of the best dishes from his or her recipe collection.
Also on Tour are Chefs: Dani García, Ángel León, Quique Dacosta, Andoni Aduriz, Nacho Manzano, Marcos Morán, Fernando Pérez Arellano, Pepe Solla, Pepe Rodríguez, Paco Morales, Fina Puigdevall, Beatriz Sotelo, Yolanda León, Macarena de Castro and Begoña Rodrigo “Top Chef Spain 2013”. See bios of all participating chefs HERE.
Putting an additional twist on the last few dinners of the tour, they&#8217;ll be collaborative efforts by 5 top Michelin-starred female chefs.
Back to Chef Jordi Cruz. I&#8217;m over the moon at the opportunity I&#8217;ve been given to meet this culinary star and try his food. He&#8217;s the second youngest chef in the world to gain a Michelin star (he now has four), and offers a cuisine defined in his words as &#8220;evolutionary and restless, based on the product and where creativity and tradition are merged.&#8221;
Is it wrong of me to say that it&#8217;s going to be hot in the kitchen?
Chef Cruz currently heads up the culinary team at ABaC, Barcelona, Spain.

All the latest news and the Iberostarchef on Tour calendar can be found on the initiative’s website at www.iberostarchefontour.com.
I&#8217;ll be staying at the adults only, all-inclusive, 5-star Grand Hotel Bavaro for a few days. That way, I&#8217;ll have time to check out the resort, fun local activities, and report back to you. The Dominican Republic is just south of Cuba, an easy half day flight away from the Carolinas.

Carolina Epicurean

Wanderlust

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