THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, August 9, 1994 TAG: 9408090040
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E01 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH SIMPSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 99 lines
THE URGE WHEN you're driving down U.S. Highway 158 through Nags Head is to turn left toward the ocean, left toward the crashing surf, left toward the beach cluttered with tourists.
But don't.
Instead, turn right at U.S. Route 64, point your car up the Washington Baum Bridge and coast down onto Roanoke Island, a manicured, well-mannered place with an aquarium, a slew of historical sites, lush gardens and a waterfront district that's both tranquil and elegant.
Turn-of-the-century houses along the clear blue waters of Roanoke Sound are a welcome relief from beach houses swaying on stilts. But just because the island is off the main drag doesn't mean there's no tourist attractions.
For a day trip, pick off two or three sites in the small towns of Manteo and Wanchese, and head back home. Overnighters can find plenty to keep them busy for days.
First stop for us is the Elizabethan Gardens, a small Eden of flora, and a history lesson, too. The gardens are a memorial to Queen Elizabeth and the ``Lost Colonists,'' English settlers who came to America between 1584 and 1587 and then mysteriously disappeared.
What's really lost here is the history lesson on our 1-year-old and 3-year-old, but they still enjoyed traipsing down shady trails that kept them cool even in the 90-degree weather. We tossed coins in fountains scattered throughout the gardens and chased butterflies down winding trails.
There's plenty of brightly colored flowers - lilies, gardenias, crepe myrtles - at every turn to keep the attention of children, even with the nagging reminders not to pick them. During the heat of the summer, try going in the early morning or evening. Bug spray optional, but advised.
Five minutes away is the North Carolina Aquarium. It's a small aquarium but just right for the short attention spans of children.
The aquarium features the marine life of coastal North Carolina. The two most popular displays for kids are the touch tank full of horseshoe crabs, hermit crabs and whelks. The shark display with its spectacular floor-to-ceiling tank has a view that toddlers can especially appreciate. The 1-year-old splays herself across the glass, going nose-to-nose with a shark slicing gracefully through the water.
Tanks of lobsters, turtles and brightly colored fish have steps leading up to them that kids can stand on for a better view, plus wide ledges for leaning against. An outside walkway takes you past sunning alligators and turtles swimming through ponds.
Next head for the waterfront district of Manteo.
Here you'll find restaurants with flair and character, plus small shops and a bookstore that appeals to adults and children as well. A gazebo on the waterfront gives you a close-up view of the water. A stone's throw away is a playground where children can burn off any excess energy before the ride home. (Helpful hint: Make this trip during the week if you can to avoid weekend traffic snarls on Highway 158.)
The three of these activities - plus a leisurely lunch - will absorb a day in no time, but there's lots left for a return trip:
Elizabeth II State Historic Site: This replica of the Elizabeth II, a 16th century ship that brought Sir Walter Raleigh's colonists to Roanoke Island and the New World in 1585, floats in Manteo's Shallowbag Bay. A visitor center is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with 40-minute tours of the ship beginning every 30 minutes until 5 p.m. Tickets are $3 for adults, $1.50 for students, and children under 6 free. You can walk over a bridge from the waterfront district to get to the ship.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: You'll find a replica of a 1585 earthen fort on the original location for the first English settlement in North America. You can take a guided tour, plus there's a nature trail for walking. Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Located off U.S. Route 64/264 at the north end of Roanoke Island.
Waterside Theatre: ``The Lost Colony,'' an outdoor drama about the unsolved historical mystery, is staged Monday through Saturday, mid-June through August. Call (919) 473-3414 for ticket information. Located at Fort Raleigh, overlooking the Roanoke Sound. ILLUSTRATION: Staff color photo by STEVE EARLEY
The lush Elizabethan Gardens at Roanoke Island are a memorial to
Queen Elizabeth and the 16th century ``Lost Colonists.''
ROANOKE ISLAND, N.C.
Travel time: About two hours from the Nags Head exit off
Interstate 64. Take U.S. Highway 158 through Nags Head, turn right
on U.S. Route 64.
Hours: Elizabethan Gardens, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. North
Carolina Aquarium, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 1 to 5
p.m. Sunday.
Cost: Elizabethan Gardens cost $2.50 for anyone 12 and older;
children under 12 free. North Carolina Aquarium costs $3 for adults,
$2 for seniors and active military, and $1 for children 6 to 17.
School groups and children under 6 are admitted free.
Food: Restaurants in downtown historic district, fast-food and
other restaurants along U.S. Route 64.
KEYWORDS: ROANOKE ISLAND
by CNB