THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 10, 1996 TAG: 9607100350
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 82 lines
Clear blue skies and temperatures tempered by low humidity produced one of the busiest July 4th weekends in memory on the Outer Banks.
Record numbers of visitors crossed the Wright Memorial Bridge and fanned out across the barrier islands from Corolla to Ocracoke, filling restaurants, hotels and beaches.
``It was awesome - we had so many people,'' exclaimed Yugonda Leavitt, hostess at Howard's Pub and Raw Bar in Ocracoke. ``This whole island was packed. It was nonstop. We were so busy - people were waiting in the parking lot.''
With this year's holiday falling on a Thursday, visitors took to the barrier island beaches in larger numbers than last July 4, which fell on a Tuesday.
Visitors starting pouring into the Outer Banks early in the week. The numbers soared the day after the nation's birthday celebration, and went through the roof on Saturday.
The Aycock Brown Visitor's Center in Kitty Hawk counted more sun worshipers Saturday than it's had since it opened in 1984 - 3,156. Last year, 2,323 visitors stopped at the center the Saturday before July 4, 2,003 the Saturday after.
Steady streams of vehicles crossed the Currituck Sound on the four-lane Wright Memorial Bridge,peaking at 39,040 on Saturday. In 1995, the highest number of cars traveling over the bridge during the holiday week was on Saturday, July 1 - 33,580.
``We had such beautiful weather over the July 4th weekend, and of course we are weather-driven,'' said Rebecca Moore, the Director of Tourism and Marketing for the Dare County Tourist Bureau. ``It seems like everybody was very positive about business - I'm just glad that Mother Nature cooperated.''
Moore said 8,082 tourists detoured off the bypass to the Aycock Brown Visitor's Center between July 4 and July 7. On Independence Day in 1995, 736 tourists stopped at the center, compared with 1,378 this year. She added that visitation is up 43 percent over last June.
At the Roanoke Island visitor center kiosk, tourist stops rose 220 from last July 4 - 1,606 - to this year - 1826.. At the Whalebone Junction kiosk, visitation rose from 1,710 to 1,815.
A similar jump was recorded at the Hatteras Island Visitor's Center at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton. During the holiday week last year, said Andy Kling, the center's district interpreter, 7,300 people visited the lighthouse. This year, the number jumped to 7,811.
Retail stores, restaurants and motels from Corolla to Ocracoke reported unprecedented business over the extended holiday weekend.
``It was good, very good,'' said Warren Judge, manager of the Sands Restaurant in Nags Head and the Days Inn in Kill Devil Hills. ``We run full, and July 4 is a very good time every year, but yes, we did do better than last year. It was an exceptionally full July 4th.
``The weather was wonderful. It was the best weather on July 4th I can ever remember . . . (it) just made everybody happy.''
This summer's new fireworks displays in Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head added to the celebratory atmosphere, Judge said. Diners in his restaurant were delighted that they could watch the fireworks while they ate.
``I think more visitors saw fireworks this year,'' said Angie Brady-Daniels, public relations director for the Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce. ``We had really good comments from our guests. Anytime they're happy, they'll come back.''
Corolla restaurateur Dan Beck, part owner of Steamer's, said July 5 brought him more customers than he has had since he opened two years ago. ``We were still seating people at 10:45 for dinner,'' he said.
Rental cottages also were filled to capacity, said Janice Farr, vice-president of property management for Sun Realty. Last year, she said, there were still a few vacancies remaining when the holiday rolled around. And considering that the rental market has been ``slack'' most of the year, Farr said, the booming holiday weekend was not typical. ``I don't think we had anything left open.''
Brady-Daniels said every innkeeper and motel operator the chamber contacted reported full booking July 4 through 7. Rooms did not fill as fast or as early last year, she added.
Alvah H. Ward Jr., the tourist bureau's executive director, said good marketing came into play, as well. ``It points to how really sensitive this area is to weather conditions,'' he said. ``But you also have to have an effective promotional plan because we're competing with other East Coast beaches.
``It sure paid off.'' by CNB