Category: Announcements

Get set to get wet!   You may have heard the latest news, that the Outer Banks will have a new waterpark available to visitors in Summer of 2017.  While it is currently still under construction, we are very excited about this newest addition.  There has not been a water attraction on or near the OBX in over 20 years.  The park will be located just over the Wright Memorial Bridge on the Currituck mainland.  Visitors traveling to the Outer Banks from Virginia will no doubt see the towering slides and play structures on their drive into town.  The park will feature over 30 rides and attractions for thrill seekers of all ages. But that’s just the beginning of what’s in store for park visitors.

While you may have been to waterparks in other areas, you’ve never been to one like this before. The developers of this park took special care in celebrating the history and culture of the Outer Banks with the unique design of H2OBX. There’s a pirate themed play area, décor reminiscent of our most famous attractions and local flavor that makes the OBX so special.

The Rides:  

So now, let’s look at the rides. Of course, it’s impossible to cover every single ride and attraction, but let’s take a peek at the highlights.

The Plank

It’s time to walk the plank. This nine story 530 foot long enclosed drop slide takes you through twists turns and is the longest slide of this type in the country. Best of all, the body slide is translucent so you can see every foot of the park as you’re speeding through it.

Teach’s Tides Adventure River

Looking to get wet but thrill rides aren’t your style? Then check out Teaches Tides, the not so lazy river. This 1000 foot long river will take you past the adventure lagoon, under bridges, through rapids and under waterfalls while you float safely in your tube. This is an adventure the entire family can enjoy as single and double tubes are available.

Endless Wave Flowrider

If your family has ever wanted to learn how to surf, now’s your chance. The endless wave flowrider provides exactly what it says; a wave that never wipes you out. By the end of the day, you could be surfing like a pro. And if you’re not ready to try your hand at surfing, you can also boogie board. The endless wave offers all the fun but none of the danger of a real wave. 

Deep Six Adventure Lagoon

Picture the most fun obstacle course you can imagine. Now, move it over the water an you get the Deep Six Adventure Lagoon.  This course features climbing walls, balance pads, inflatable obstacles for climbing, aquatic basketball courts and much more. So if a waterslide isn’t really your kids’ ‘thing’ you can still all have fun in the water with the obstacle course.

Calico Jack’s Cove  

Named after a real pirate (Calico ‘Jack’ Rackham) this cove is perfect attraction for families smaller children.  The pirate themed play structure is bursting with splash buckets, dump buckets, geysers, bubblers, and waterslide adventures, all for the younger members. Kids will get to climb, pull ropes, tip cones, dump buckets, play with water shooters, water wheels, water cannons and more!    Your kids will have a splashing good time in this part of the park designed just for them.

Eating and Shopping

Of course every theme park needs eatery options, and H2OBX has some great ones.  Traditional summertime fare (hot dogs, hamburgers, barbeque, pizza and more) will be provided by such locations as Flyboys, Dune Devil’s Desserts, Outer Franks, and The Wright Stuff & Coastal Confectionaries will get your mouth watering and satisfy even the most discerning of tastes.  There will be no shortage of sweets and treats to satisfy your cravings. 

They say you should wait an hour after eating to go swimming. I don’t know if that’s true, but if you’d rather be safe than sorry, you’re in luck. In addition to a variety of eateries, H2OBX will also have a wide assortment of themed retail shops. These not only provide you with a unique shopping experience, it also enables you to find the perfect souvenir to remember your fun day at the park.

The Experience

The most unique and exciting thing about this park is the experience. Though this park is equipped to hold over 8,000 people, tickets are going to be limited to just 5,000 per day. This ensures that the lines will stay short, the crowds low, and your family will never have trouble finding a lounge chair.    Vacation Rental companies including Atlantic Realty have partnered with H2OBX to ensure that their guests get the best experience by offering discounted and advanced ticket purchases.  Being a guest of one of these companies is the only way to get discounted tickets in advance.  We expect the park to sell out on those hot summer days, so we recommend purchasing tickets early.  

From the eateries to the retail spaces, to the adrenaline pumping fast-paced rides all the way to the more relaxing ones, this park has it all! It even offers complimentary lifejacket rentals for the little non-swimmers among you. And you can look forward to short lines, great food, fun shops, incredible rides, and an unparalleled experience not available in any other waterpark.

If all goes according to plan, the park will be open by Memorial Day and will stay open through Labor Day.  Advanced ticket sales are available now for July and August dates.  If you are an Atlantic Realty guest and you would like to purchase your tickets, Contact Us for Details!  

Atlantic Realty of the Outer Banks celebrated our 30th Anniversary in 2012.  We marked the occasion with a full year of contests, giveaways, and a nostalgic look back at some of the homes that had been with us since the beginning.  

Then and Now . . . . .

The Outer Banks was very different in 1982 when Atlantic Realty emerged from the Realty World Real Estate company in Kitty Hawk. When we began this journey, our office was small with just 60 cottages and condos.   The Outer Banks building boom was just beginning and Duck and Corolla were still only accessible by dirt road. Many vacation rental homes didn’t have air conditioning and most cottages, as they were called, didn’t have telephones or TV.  The Outer Banks was a true escape. 

Today, the Outer Banks has over 25,000 vacation rental homes and condos from the 4 wheel drive area of Carova to South Nags Head.  Homes come equipped with the latest techonology and luxurious amenties including Private Pools, Hot Tubs and Theater Rooms. 

Although many things have changed over the years, one thing that has remained constant is Atlantic Realty’s commitment to customer service.  Our #1 priority is to make sure your family has the most memorable Outer Banks vacation ever!  Not only is our friendly and helpful staff the reason Atlantic Realty has been going strong for over three decades — but our Owners and Guests as well.  Some have been with us through the duration, and for that we are thankful and will feature them throughout the year.   

  In 2013, we updated our look with a newly redesigned logo!  Our motto of “Where your Barrier Island experience begins” truly reflects our mission of helping our Guests, Owners, and Clients experience the best the Outer Banks has to offer!

National Geographicâ??s acclaimed show, Wicked Tuna, made its way to the Outer Banks last winter, where they filmed a series called Wicked Tuna: North vs. South. Featuring local fishermen, the entire series was shot in Hatteras and Oregon Inlet, and depicted a battle of north and south, as â??Yankee watermenâ?? made their way down to local waters to extend their season and fulfil their Bluefin tuna quota after a loss of a year.

One of National Geographicâ??s most popular shows, Wicked Tuna presents to the everyday American, and to middle Americans who might not understand fishing as a way of life, the difficulties and excitement that make up the commercial tuna fishing industry.

Local fishermen shined and represented the Outer Banks fishing community with pride. Captains and mates of the local fishing boats the Wahoo, the Doghouse, and the Fishinâ?? Frenzy appeared on the North vs. South series of Wicked Tuna. Fishing Frenzy first mate, Nick Gowitzka, who is Atlantic Realty staff member Chrissy Mooreâ??s fiancé, proved to be an entertaining part of the show from the very first episode.  

Speaking about the Outer Banks fishing industry, in a native accent appreciated by all real locals, Gowitzka had people laughing with his humor. After he brought out a bottle of champagne to celebrate the beginning of the season on the show, he did the unexpected and tossed it into the air and shot it with a shotgun. Local banter like this filled the episodes of intense fishing, representing a true essence of local fishermen of the area.

The rivalry between fishermen is a way of life, as one boat brings a fish in, itâ??s a fish another boat isnâ??t catching. Itâ??s the name of the game. But with different regulations between the north and the south, Southern fishermen have a little more rivalry with their northern counterparts than they do with one another. Northern watermen have more time to catch more fish before the fish migrate back south, or are able to travel south to extend their season, depicted in the Wicked Tuna series, creating an unfair advantage for fishermen in the north. Southern fishermen have petitioned to extend the length of time they are allowed to fish in the winter to even the playing field.

The Outer Banks was built on the fishing industry, and to be nationally recognized meant a lot to the locals who work day and night continuing the traditions of generations of family members, to keep the fishing industry alive and well in the area.

Catch Wicked Tuna North vs. South on Sundays at 10pm on the National Geographic Channel. You can catch the episode on demand with participating TV providers.