Outer Banks Vacation Rental

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Seeing the Wild Horses on The OBX

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horses obx

Seeing the Wild Horses on the OBX

Horses and History

One of the more popular and unique attractions out on the OBX is seeing the wild horses.  Spanish Mustangs to be exact.  History says that this herd descends from a herd left behind by Spanish Explorers back hundreds of years ago.  Alternatively, they may have swam ashore after a shipwreck.  I am not sure how large the original herd may have been, but the way the Northern Outer Banks is isolated, that definitely allows for the herd to thrive and multiply.  By the way, when I say “Northern Outer Banks” I mean Currituck County, NC.  Specifically, the towns of Corolla and Carova.  The big question…how do you go about seeing the wild horses on the OBX?!

Two Ways to See the Horses

1) Tour the area on your own.This area of Corolla and into Carova is accessed at the end of a beach access.  The pavement ends at the North end of Hwy 12 and that’s where the sand and beach access begins.  You will either need to rent a 4×4 or drive your own 4×4 out onto the beach there and cruise around looking for horses.  The beach access to the Virginia State line in Carova is about 12 miles.  If you move away from the beach, you can cruise amongst the subdivision and homes that are only accessible by 4×4 vehicles.  You can often spot horses hanging out in the front yards of homes there.  Remember the golden rule though.

2) Partake in a guided tour of the area.  There are a few wild horse tour companies that will be happy to take you on a tour and show you some horses and give you some color around the area and famous folks who live there, etc.  Their vehicles are often jacked up off road vehicles allowing 10-15 people the ability to go along for the ride.  The cost runs from about $50 on up, per person, depending on the time of year.  Slightly lower for children.  If you do decide to book a tour, book well in advance as these tours do tend to sell out.  Especially during peak seasons and times.

Parting Thoughts and Notes

You must remain a minimum of 50 ft away from horses.  This is the LAW.  If caught violating this law, you will be cited for it.  It may seem like a frivolous law and rule, but these are wild animals.  You do not want to be on the other end of one of their kicks or bites.  These horses will fight with one another.  You don’t want to be in the middle of that.
Also, navigating the beach with anything less than a 4×4 is strongly discouraged.  I have seen numerous pictures and videos of people getting stuck because they thought their Honda Civic was a good offroad vehicle.  If you do venture out onto the sand, also remember to air down your tires to 20psi.  As soon as possible after exiting the beach, you can air back up to your normal pressure again.  Airing down of tires on sand allows for greater traction without sinking.

More information:

https://www.outerbanks.com/driving-on-the-beach.html
http://corollawildhorsetours.com/?utm_source=icwnet
Other activities outside of horse watching: https://mvillaobx.com/our-obx-top-10/

We look forward to having you as our guests!
Aris

OBX Rainy Day Guide

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Rainy OBX

OBX Rainy Day Guide

If you spend enough time out at the Outer Banks, at some point you’re going to run into some rainy weather.  Whether you’re there for a couple of days or a full week, a wet forecast should not deter you from enjoying the OBX.  There are plenty of activities for folks of all ages.Have a look at these recommendations.  These are listed in no particular order. So have a look at our OBX Rainy Day Guide.

Take In a Movie

The RC Theatres KDH Movies 10 (http://rctheatres.com/location/8764/Kill-Devil-Hills-Movies-10-Showtimes) allows for the classic family activity.  I know you don’t think about movies out at the beach, but you can’t go wrong!

Visit an Aquarium

The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island (http://www.ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island) is a great place to explore.  Learn about the aquatic wildlife native to area as well as some other interesting species.  The aquarium has always been a great place to visit, but they have also made some renovations over the last couple of years.

Shop

Maybe not a fun activity for EVERYone, but certainly some folks see value in it.  And if not for anything else, you’ll get alot of walking in.  Visit the Tanger Outlets (https://www.tangeroutlet.com/locations) You can grab some pretty good deals at this popular location in Nags Head.  As an aside, be sure to hit up some of the locally owned beach shops.  For example, Beach House Dreams (https://www.beachhousedreams.com/) has unique items that everyone will love.  They also work with local artists to display their items.

Play

Go on and visit OBX Laser Tag (http://www.lasertagobx.com/)  There are so many mini golf places at the OBX, but with them being outdoors, laser tag gives you an inside alternative to have some fun.  

Escape the boredom

With 7 different rooms from where you can solve problems, and ultimately escape, OBXscape Rooms (https://obxscaperooms.com/) is sure to be a hit with the family.  These venues are quickly becoming popular across the nation.  Why not the OBX too?  Looks like age 10 and older is appropriate.  Alternatively, there is another facility asking Will You Escape the OBX? (https://www.willyouescapetheobx.com/) This facility has 4 rooms and is located “off beach”.  No real age minimum, but looks like the common theme is around 10.  After all, you’d like the kids to have a good experience helping you escape!

Jump!

The Jumpmasters Trampoline Park (https://www.jumpmastersobx.com/) is a great way to get the energy out of kids of every age.  They have events and attractions for ages toddler on up.  Some of the attractions consist of an open trampoline area, a ninja warrior course, dodgeball course and climbing wall.  To put it in perspective, the facility is over 14,000 sq ft.

Remember, for more ideas have a look at https://mvillaobx.com/our-obx-top-10/ Some of these are not exclusively indoors, but perhaps you can make it work.

We look forward to having you as our guests!

Aris

Taking Advantage of The OBX Offseason

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look beach access

Taking Advantage of the OBX Offseason

Have you thought about taking advantage of the OBX offseason? As I sit here writing this, we’re heading into the New Years 2019 weekend.  I wonder, “why haven’t we gotten more inquiries about a Christmas stay or a New Years weekend stay?”  Afterall, besides the shoulder seasons of Sept/Oct and April/May, the winter is a time to enjoy everything you love about the OBX without the cost and crowds.

OBX Weather During Offseason

Maybe folks are hesitant because they think the weather is horrible?  When I looked into this, it seems the average high is in the 40s F and the lows are in the upper 30s F.  The coldest month, on average, is January.  Of course, we’re on the cusp of the New Year and I am wearing shorts and a T shirt today.  The temperature in Raleigh is in the upper 60s F.  I struggle with whether I need to cut the main water valve off at the condo to avoid freezing.  It’s been known to happen, but so far this season we have yet to see freezing temperatures out at the coast.  I was actually out at the condo last week and the temperature was in the upper 40s during the day with bright sunshine.  Not bad!

What’s it like during the OBX Offseason?

I often get asked, “what’s it like out at the coast during the winter months?”  Well, it’s quiet!.  The crowds have definitely subsided.  It’s not unheard of to walk down the center of Beach Rd and not have to worry about a vehicle.  That being said, I don’t advocate walking in the street!  A good amount of businesses have closed as of the end of November.  Others decide to take a break around Christmas and stay closed for a few weeks.  Some reopen at the end of January.  Others stay closed until March.  Quick tidbit:  Check with the business’ Facebook page or by contacting them directly to find out about any closure plans.  I’d hate to think you had your heart set on something, only to find out it’s not available.

But Why Visit During these Winter Months?

Well, besides it being less crowded, the costs are down.  Picture this.  You want to grab a bite to eat and there are NO lines at your favorite restaurant.  To make matters more enticing, many businesses actually have offseason specials.  Special happy hour pricing?  Check.  Daily specials?  Check.  Deeply discounted daily specials?  Check.  Free fishing on the piers?  Depending on the day…check!  Discounted products to make way for new products?  Check.  Deeply discounted offseason rates for your accommodations?  Absolutely.  So very quickly, we have found ourselves in a Win, Win, Win, Win, Win, Win situation.  Yes, it’s a little more chilly.  No, you won’t want to sunbathe in your swimwear and sit on the beach that way.  But overall, you can still take advantage of what the OBX has to offer.  Again, without the crowds and without the expense.

So What is There To Do Out at The OBX During the Offseason?

Pretty much the same things you can do during the prime season.  You can still go to the beach and relax.  You can still visit some of your favorite restaurants.  You can still shop.  You can still fish.  You can still catch the sun rise and the sun set.  You are still able to park your car at the condo and walk to many of these places locally.

So as you can see, you can still enjoy the OBX offseason.  Especially if you’re on a budget. The biggest difference?  You’ll have the heat on, instead of the AC at the condo! 🙂 Need ideas? Have a look at https://mvillaobx.com/our-obx-top-10/

We look forward to having you as our guests!
Aris

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS PLASTIC?!

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mvillaobx

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS PLASTIC?!

Plastic is awesome.  It makes our lives easier.  If you dispose of it appropriately and recycle it, is not so much of a problem to our environment.  However, if you don’t recycle it, it breaks down into microplastics.  Microplastics are glass like, shards of plastic.  These are no longer than 5mm in length.  You see, plastic is not biodegradable, so this is the behavior we’d expect to see.  This all comes from common items such as plastic bags, bottles and straws.  They can be found in our oceans, drinking water, and bodies of marine animals.  You can see how this problem is exacerbated in coastal communities as it’s easy for these items to find there way across our beaches and into the water there.  It has been a huge wake up call as of late that plastics pollute our environment like a disease.  It’s plaguing our environment.  Say NO to plastic use!

Just to give you an example, plastic straws are used for an about 20 minutes, yet stay around in our environment for 600 years.  In the US, we use 500 million plastic straws a day.  Think about the implications at the coast.  Many of these end up in our ocean.  If you think a plastic straw is bad, a plastic bag takes 1000 years to break down.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

There are many businesses within our OBX community that have stopped using plastic bags and restaurants that have stopped offering plastic straws with their drinks.  If they do offer straws, the switch is being made to paper straws.

NEST encouraging OBX restaurants to switch to paper straws

If you want to help, stop using plastic straws and plastic bags!  Use a reusable mug or bottle for your beverages.  Use reusable bags and containers for your food.  Avoid using plasticware.  Say no to plastic use!

Updated: 7/24/18

Campaign to cut use of plastic straws gains momentum locally

THINK ABOUT THIS…

It’s estimated that there’s 9 billion tons of plastic produced and 8 billion in plastic waste that ends up in our oceans since 1950.  Of this, only 9 to 12 percent has been recycled.

In the US, we throw away 100 billion plastic grocery bags every year.  Remember that 1 plastic bag takes 1000 years to degrade.  These bags (and other plastic) float on the surface of our oceans and get mistaken for food by many marine animals.

Scientists predict that by the year 2050, plastic will outweigh fish in our oceans pound for pound.

More and more medical studies are showing that exposure to plastics and polystyrene causes for serious health risks.  As you can understand, if our marine life is ingesting these plastics and you’re ingesting the marine life…do the math.

CALL TO ACTION

Change the way we think about plastic.  Simple as that.

Instead of thinking: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Think: REFUSE, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Say NO to plastic use.  So instead of getting annoyed at the beach when the store hands you a paper bag, or no bag at all, SAY THANK YOU!  The same deal with plastic straws.  It’s easier to not have to deal with that plastic, than to have to worry about where it’s ultimately ending up.

 

It’s That Time of Year Again

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maintenance obx vacation rental

It’s that time of year again

Well, we’ve gone straight through spring and may as well be full on into summer.  It seems that spring lasted about 3 days.  It’s the time of year when the weather starts warming up, the water is warming up, fish and crabs are returning to the area.  OBX owners are making a final push to have maintenance performed before the peak season goes all out.  There’s one more thing going on.  In our household, we’re trying to get out to the condo some final days because we realize we very well may not be able to go again until September or October.

Typical Visit

A typical visit out to the condo may start with a quick ride over to Nags Head Woods for a nature hike.  This is a pretty quiet trail system where you can easily spend two to three hours working your way North to South and then hitting the sound in a couple of different places.  After leaving the trails, you may want to swing by Biscuits n Porn for a quick bite.  Their cheese biscuits are insanely good.  Get them as a sandwich with eggs, bacon, sausage, ham or even chicken.  They’ve got plenty of options.  Please don’t let the name put you off.  There is an interesting story of how the place got its name.  It actually sits inside of a gas station.  The breakfast meal will probably hold you over for most of the day.  When you get hungry during the late afternoon, head over to Hurricane Mo’s for their 15c shrimp and 35c chicken wings.  They also have $1 tacos.  This happy hour special is good from Sep through May from 3p – 6p and during peak season from 3p – 5p.  This will fit the bill and will fill you up!

Maintenance On Our Mind

This time of year also spells out a final push for maintenance items that are performed to get ready for our guests.  Cleaning the condo thoroughly is just a part of the equation.  Swapping out batteries in devices, cleaning out plumbing and drains, as well as any new decorations getting situated are all things we perform.  Touch ups, power washing the balcony and sealing it are just a couple of things that were recently done this year.  We also hung up some new pictures and put out some new chairs and table out on the balcony.  We even upgraded our television to a SMART TV and swapped internet providers.  The cable company was dismissed and we know stream television programming.  The list goes on and on.  However, it’s all done in the name of making things great for our guests!

So hopefully, you’ll be able to come on out and see what’s new, as well as try some of what’s old!

See you at the coast!

Aris

Visit the Beach! Science Says So.

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mvillaobx

Visit the Beach

Try to think back about the last time you were at the beach and felt stressed.  Do you remember that time?  Do you remember A time in general?  The answer is more than likely, “No”.  Sure you were probably on a vacation of sorts, but more than that, the ocean has the properties needed to reduce stress.  Vacations do help us feel recharged and reinvigorated, but according to several studies, the shore is good for our minds.

The Studies

In recent years a couple of US West Coast Universities found that trips to the coast reduce stress, boost creativity, reduce tension, depression and anxiety.  Those with greater amounts of stress found that beach time was more therapeutic than average.  The mild temperatures, low tides and sparse crowds all contribute to the lower stress.  Sure, the studies focused on the West Coast, but there is nothing to suggest that what was learned, cannot be applied anywhere there is a beach!  And with our beloved OBX fitting the bill in all of these characteristics, I feel like we’re in a better spot than the more populated areas.  You may feel a reduction of stress visiting Myrtle Beach or Virginia Beach, but truth is, the OBX does not feel as commercial and as populated as the others.  Time away is truly time away.

What about if you cannot get away to the beach?  Well, other research suggests that just looking at beach and shore pictures allow for a reduction of stress.  A more recent study showed that using Virtual Reality (VR) headsets at the dentist, allowed patients to have less anxious and less painful dental visits.  Depending on the technology, a beach trip may actually be cheaper than the cost of a headset, computer, etc! 🙂

Although we’re in full swing with the Spring season, winter is holding onto whatever it can.  That being said, the sun is shining and the crowds have not fully engaged the coast as of yet.  Take advantage of the low prices, sparse crowds and warming weather and head on out! Let us know how we can help.

UPDATE:

With all of the talk around COVID-19 and Coronavirus, it becomes an even bigger discussion around visiting the beach.  One of the best things you can do to combat this virus is not get it in the first place.  You can accomplish that by boosting your immune system.  How do you boost your immune system?

Sunlight – Spending just ten minutes outside in the sun can actually allow a person to absorb their daily dose of vitamin D directly through their skin!  Vitamin D suppresses autoimmune diseases.

Seawater  – Ocean water has multiple minerals and compounds that help boost your immune system and rid your body of toxins. Why do you think seawater helps cuts heal faster and can even stop a runny nose?

Iodine – Ocean water also contains Iodine, which is great for your thyroid and subsequently boosts your immune system. Having adequate levels of iodine in the body ensures that energy levels and metabolic rates are optimal.  Iodine, surprisingly, also is taken for its anti-carcinogenic properties and for the fact that it can help reduce fibrocystic disease symptoms. Iodine is naturally present in the water because of the living organisms within it. While it’s not possible to say the exact amount of iodine present in the water, this essential supplement is absorbed through your skin when you swim.

The Air – While it doesn’t neccesarily correlate to the immune system, The natural inclination to inhale deeply when you first step on the beach is actually an automatic response to the quality of the air. Individuals with asthma, COPD, or breathing difficulties will find that it’s far easier to breathe when on the beach, than almost anywhere else. This is because not only are the chest muscles surrounding the lungs relaxed when a person steps onto the beach, but the air itself is actually charged with negative ions that work to increase oxygen absorption in the lungs.  True story.

Have a look at this article at Harvard answering different questions.  Specifically look to the question around keeping your immune system strong.  https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/coronavirus-resource-center

So as you can see, there are plenty of reasons to visit the beach even in these medically trying times.

We look forward to having you as guests!

Aris

Welcome

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welcome to the outer banks

Our New Outer Banks Vacation Rental Website

Welcome to our Outer Banks vacation rental and specifically our new website.

Please have a look around and be sure to bookmark this page as we’ll be updating this page frequently.

What we’ll look to accomplish?

First of all, we’ll look to talk about our personal experiences  on the Outer Banks.  Furthermore, we’ll look at experiences in addition to places where we eat.

Finally, it will all be about getting information to all of you…our guests and potential guests!

Until you can put your toes in the sand again,

Aris

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