The Outer Banks of North Carolina Adventure Trip April 29-May 1, 2025 Days 3-5 (The Travel Lady)

 Day 3: Tuesday, April 29, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included 

I ate oatmeal for breakfast at the hotel around 6:00 A.M.

We loaded onto the bus and headed to ride jeeps to see the wild Horses.

The horses roamed the beach area among the vegetation and houses that dotted the area. The only way to reach the houses was along the sandy beach. 

Depart for the Golden Nugget (Wild Horses), arriving around 9:00 A.M. and staying until 11:00 A.M. 

At 11:30, we headed to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. 

Around 12:30 P.M., we arrived at Timbuck II for shopping and lunch. 

We ordered quesadillas, avadoco dip, chips and Cokes at Mexiland. We looked through several shops but didn't make a purchase. We did get a chocolate waffle and strawberry cheesecake ice cream. 

Around 2:30 P.M., we returned to the hotel for some free time.

We put on our swimsuits and walked to the beach. We didn't stay long; we returned to the hotel and took a nap. 

At 6:00 P.M., we headed to Sunset Grill for dinner on the Currituck Sound.

For dinner, I ordered Coconut shrimp, broccoli, rice, and Key Lime Pie. 

Return to the hotel around 8:00 P.M. 

Jeep ride to see Wild Horses, Corolla, NC 8952-9027 

Currituck Beach Lighthouse 9028-9102 1101 Corolla Village Road Corolla, NC

8084 Breakfast Hotel 7:03 A.M.

8085 Sunrise 7:16 A.M.

8086 Hotel 7:16 A.M.

8087 Mexiland Restaurant Timbuck II 11:57 A.M.

Timbuck II Shopping Center 785 A Sunset Blvd, Corolla, NC 

8088-8096 Timbuck II shopping 12:50–1:20 P.M.

8097-8123 1:34–1:39 P.M. Currituck Maritime Museum

8124-8143 1:41–1:48 P.M. Beach Lighthouse Corolla, NC 

1140 Village Lane Corolla, NC 

8144-8146 7:03–7:28 P.M. Dinner Sunset Bar & Grill 1264 Duck RD, Duck, NC 

8147-8154 sunset 7:35–7:59 P.M.

9406-9410 Beach Pictures someone else's phone

Day 4, Wednesday, April 30, breakfast, lunch, and dinner included 

I ate waffles with almonds, cranberries, and cranberry juice for Breakfast at the hotel around 6 A.M. 

Around eight, we will depart for the Bodie Island lighthouse, 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road, Nags Head, NC, 9103-9129

It was built in 1872, stands 156 feet tall, and is located on Cape Hatteras. It is a brick lighthouse with a 214-step spiral staircase. It keeps a silent watch over the treacherous waters known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." 

We walked the boardwalk to the freshwater marshland and back. 

We stopped at Subway to pick up boxed lunches of ham & Cheese for lunch.

Traveling 9103-9129 Nags Head

At 9:30, we will depart for the Chicamacomico Life Saving Station, 23645 NC Highway 12, Rodanthe, NC.9171-9190

Our guide explained the importance of the life-saving station and how it has saved lives, describing the efforts and methods used by the early Coast Guard. 

I bought a shirt, a book, and postcards in the gift shop. 

We ate lunch on the bus before departing for Cape Hatteras 46379 Lighthouse Road, Buxton, NC. The lighthouse is currently closed for repairs, but the museum is open for visitors.

In 1999, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Station was relocated 2,900 feet from its original location due to the threat of shoreline erosion. 9191-9204

Our next stop will be the Atlantic Museum's graveyard, 59200 Museum Drive, Hatteras Island, NC. 9207-9230

Around 3 P.M., we stopped at Scotch Bonnet Fudge, 51684 NC 12, Frisco, NC, so everyone could purchase a piece of fudge. We ordered a quarter pound of Peanut Butter Chocolate and a quarter pound of Rocky Road. 

At 4:00 P.M., we will depart for dinner at Basnight's Long Cedar Cafe, located at 7623 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC. 

Outside our window, we saw an Osprey Nest with the female sitting on eggs and the male guarding the nest. 9205-9252

I ordered broiled flounder with green beans, potato salad, and key lime Bar. 

On everyone's table was a bowl of crab dip with chips.

Return to Hampton Inn Corolla at 7:30 P.M.

81261 6:58 AM Breakfast

8162-8164 9:01-9:34 Nags Head Lighthouse, Bodie Island 

8186 10:01 A.M. Cape Hatteras National Seashore

8187-8223 10:10–11:26 A.M. Chicamacomico Life Saving Station, Rodanthe, NC

8285-8257 12:27–12:49 P.M. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Station & Museum Buxton, NC 

8258-8309 2:13 –2:54 P.M. Graveyard of the Atlantic Buxton, NC 

8310-8329 2:55 P.M. Traveling to Hatteras, NC 

8330-8335 3:06 P.M. Scotch Bonnet Fudge Frisco, NC 

8336-8354 3:37–3:46 P.M. Traveling to Buxton, NC

8355 4 P.M. Avon stopped at the Grocery Store 

8358-8361 4:51 P.M. School, Nags Head, NC 

8362-8369 4:52-6:23 Basnight Lone Cedar Restaurant Nags Head NC 

8371-8435 6:51 P.M. Traveling Nags Head, Duck, S Shores, Dare Co, Corolla. 

8436 Receipts 8391-8435 Storm Clouds riding back to the hotel. 

It came down in a downpour as we were leaving the bus. 

Day 5: Thursday, May 1:breakfast and dinner included 

Scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, blueberry muffins, and cranberry juice for breakfast at the hotel at 6:00 A.M.

At 8:15 A.M., we depart for the Wright Brothers National Memorial, 1401 National Park Drive, Manteo, NC 9258-9314

The bus stopped and everyone got off to see the statues, airplane, and markers.

Then, several of us began our journey up the hill to visit the Wright Brothers Memorial. 

Then we had to journey down the hill to the nearby museum.

We toured the museum, and the curator gave a speech about the Wright Brothers and their determination to build a flying machine. 

At 10:30 A.M., we departed for the Village of Manteo for shopping, 9315-9337, and lunch.

My Husband and I shared a banana split with real strawberries, strawberry chocolate, and vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream and cherries.

I took a few pictures of the war memorials.

Around 12:30 P.M., Hubby and I walked across the bridge to the Festival Park Living History Museum. 

We waited for the others to arrive. 

We watched the film "Legend of Two Paths," toured the museum, and saw a replica of the Queen Elizabeth II sailing ship. 

We also saw the settlement and the Discovery Museum. 9338-9412 

At 3:00 P.M., we took a cruise on the Johnny Dolphin, where we saw several dolphins and Osprey nests. We also visited the boatyard and saw several boats. 9413-9547

At 5:00 P.M., we will depart for dinner at Sugar Creek Restaurant, located at 7340 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC. 

I ordered broiled shrimp, clams, fish, cornbread, and carrot cake. 

Around 7:00 P.M., we returned to our hotel, the Hampton Inn Corolla.

We will pack our bags and leave for our hotel in Abington in the morning. 

8437 7:02 Breakfast

8438-8479 9:11–10:06 A.M. Wright Brothers Memorial and Museum, Kill Devil Hill

8480-8484 10:02 AM Manteo 

8485-8587 11:07–11:14 A.M. Lunch Banana Split 

8488-8517 12:15-12:409 PM Ice Plant Island Museum

8518-8528 12:12 P.M. Grounds

8530-8543 2:34 P.M. Traveling Mantoe, Nags Head 

8544-8550 5:30 P.M. Dinner 

8551-8587 7:14 P.M. Sunset Nags Head Duck, Kill Devil Hill 

2023 August 27-31, Trip to Hollister, Point Lookout, Ridgedale, Branson, MO., Searcy, Arkansas, Dyersburg, TN (5 Days)

Top of the Rock Lost Canyon Cave Ridgedale Mo

 Sunday, August 27, Day 1: 

Today, we left the house around 6:30, arrived at the Robertsons, loaded their luggage into our car, and began our journey to Branson.

Our first stop was for breakfast at Jack in Tuscumbia, Al.

I ordered gravy with sausage biscuits and a soda. 

After breakfast, we began our journey west on Highway 72 toward Iuka, MS.

We traveled through several small towns, entering the interstate in Memphis. 

We crossed the Mississippi River into West Memphis, Arkansas, stopping at the Welcome Center.

Our next stop was to meet friends at Western Sizzlin Searcy, Arkansas.

There, we enjoyed a lovely lunch while enjoying the company of old friends and making new friends.

After lunch, we headed north toward Missouri, stopping at South Mountain Scenic Overlook, where you can see Bryan Mountain Elevation 1760, McCutcheon Gap Snowball, Bear Creek, Searcy County Airport, Point Peter Elevation 2040, Round Mts., Buffalo National River, Boat Mountain Elevation 2221 Marshall, St Joe and Harrison, Arkansas. 

It's a great place to stop and take pictures. 

We arrived at Paradise Point Resort in Hollister, MO, checked into room 9404, and took the elevator up to our room. We had three bedrooms, a kitchen, three bathrooms, a living room, and a pool room with a view of the White River. 

We unpacked and headed outside, walking alongside the swimming pool, hot tub, and floating pool. 

We were all too full to eat dinner, so we just snacked.

Arkansas Welcome Center 

Standing near the Swimming Pool 

Monday, August 28, Day 2: 

We ate breakfast at the Hungry Hunter Restaurant, where they served substantial food portions. 

The pancakes would cover a huge plate. The bread made for French toast was homemade and served with two huge slices. 

Eggs, Ham, and hash rounds were also served. Great place for a hungry man. I could not eat all of my French toast. 

In Ridgeland, Missouri, we took a golf cart that holds four down into the canyon, a 2 1/2 miles-long tour of caves and waterfalls. We would park the golf cart and look around in several places. 

Inside the cave was a snack bar where you could get snacks and a drink. 

After we finished the tour, we took the shuttle to the Top of the Rock, where we toured the Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum. The museum was filled with artifacts from the Woolly Mammoth. 

After the museum tour, we were told to return around 7:30–8 P.M. for the sunset, playing bagpipes and cannon firing. 

We rode to the historic part of Branson, stopping at B's Ice Cream Parlor for a strawberry cheesecake waffle Cone. We rode to Bass Pro Shop and then took a short trolley ride around the historic part of Branson.  

We walked along the River Landing and saw several new restaurants, fountains, and pipes that shot out fire. 

We ate lunch at World Famous White River Fish House, where I ordered 3 shrimp tacos. I could not eat all of them, so I just ate the shrimp.
We shopped at Elks but didn't buy anything. 

We rode back to Top of the Rock to see the sunset, tour the old church, and watch the canon being fired.

We came back to the condo, showered, and went to bed. 

Sunset at the top of the Rock Ridgedale, MO 

French Toast 

Tuesday, August 29, Day 3: 

We ate a cinnamon roll for breakfast. 

We rode to College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, MO.,  where we toured the War Memorial at the Keeter Center. 

We ate lunch at Dobyn's Dining Room at the Keeter Center. I ordered steak soup with rolled and butter. 

We toured the East End Mill, where I bought a handcrafted basket. 

Next, we toured the Ralph Foster Museum, which housed three levels of artifacts. 

This included musical talents from Missouri, musical instruments, Quilts, dishes, dolls, a circus, cars, and animals (taxidermy) such as polar bears, Grizzly Bears, Lions, tigers, buffalo, elk, deer, etc. 

It included butterflies and birds of every kind and just so much information in this one building. 

At 7:30, we boarded the Branson Belle for a dinner cruise and show.

The show was great. It started a little slow but finished with a bang.

It was another long day, so we went off to bed.

Keefer Center at College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, Mo  

This little fellow will greet you with a loud growl!

Wednesday, August 30, Day 4

I ate a bowl of instant oatmeal for breakfast, and off we went.

Today, we are going to Silver Dollar City Branson, MO., for a fun-filled day of shows.

We will also enjoy a train ride into the woods only to be stopped by train robbers.

Then we will enjoy a hamburger and onion rings at the Lumber Camp Restaurant.

Today was the hottest day yet, and after all that walking, we were ready to leave the park. 

Train Robbers 

On our way back to the condo, we stopped at Little Hacienda in Branson, MO, where I enjoyed a Margarita on the rocks and a Churro with Ice Cream. 

Hubby ordered a burrito supreme. 

We were all very full when we left the restaurant.

I took a shower and went straight to bed, not waking up until 2 A.M. Everyone was asleep, so I took out my journal and wrote for about an hour and a half, then went back to bed.

Thursday, August 31, Day 5

The last day of the month and our last day in Branson, MO.

Packed our bags, loaded the car, and were on our way around 6:30–7 A.M.

We stopped to fill up with gas in Black Rock, Arkansas. 

We didn't stop for lunch until we reached Dyersburg, Tennessee

We stopped at The Bus Stop Restaurant, where I enjoyed a half turkey sandwich with pasta, which was very good. We sat outside, for it was a very nice, excellent day.

We dropped our friends off and stopped at the car wash to wash off all the bugs that we had accumulated on the highway.

We were home by 5 P.M.

We had a great trip, but glad to be home in my own bed.

Our next trip is a cruise unless we decide to take a day or overnight trip to the beach.