Ready for an Outer Banks Weekend, 5/31/2026
May 31, 2026
What a Week!
Having sold Kitty Hawk Watersports a few years ago you'd think I was over-compensating by leaving the beach every summer holiday. I swear it's just a coincidence.
This past Memorial Day weekend we were lured away by the NCAA lacrosse championships in Charlottesville. This worked out perfectly with our condo at Wintergreen which is only 45 minutes away. Having last lived in Charlottesville thirty years ago I'm glad Bonnie and I didn't have any other passengers in the car while we drove around the UVA campus trying to find parking. Our conversation alternated between two topics. One, "Where does this road go?", and, two, "I have no idea where we are." How could everything look new and, yet, familiar?
To make the weekend more interesting we had a wedding in Bristol on Saturday. The venue was a beautiful, little farm that has been re-purposed as an event site. The more we walked around the more we fell in love with this place. This week's photos hopefully capture some of the beauty. Congratulations to my niece, Sally, and her husband, Phoenix.
Wednesday we regrouped in Dale City, VA (don't recommend it) and drove in to D.C. (don't recommend it) for the Springsteen concert (highly recommend it) at Nationals Park. When I last lived in the D.C. area 35 years ago the traffic had a fairly predictable rhythm. Now, and I've heard this from the locals, there's no rhyme or reason as to when you'll be at a complete standstill. Such was the situation when we drove to Nationals Park on Wednesday evening. A few days prior I checked the driving time from Dale City and it told me 35 minutes, which may be accurate if I drove that route at 2 a.m. in a jet-propelled vehicle. Even still, old logic was telling me that at 6:30 p.m. rush hour would be over and we would sail straight in to town. Not so fast, Ricky Bobby. I was reminded of the famous (to me) line from the movie poster Escape From New York, "Breaking out is impossible. Breaking in is insane." Little did I know how hard it would be to break out at 11 p.m. Chaos.
As usual, Springsteen was excellent. The music was loud, the seats were pretty good, the rain didn't deter us, and people were dancing everywhere including on the concourse. When we saw Springsteen in 2023 the theme of the show seemed to be about lost friends. This year's theme was about the current political landscape and may have had more emotional juice. As a big fan of The River album I was pumped to hear Two Hearts. https://youtu.be/fMEXgwgQw-k?si=_LVux4MoJgUhR0cD
It was my first time to Nationals Park and I was shocked how gentrified the neighborhood had become. Walking in from the parking lot a few blocks away was very inefficient and disorganized. I was a little surprised there weren't more police officers or National Guardsmen to facilitate street crossings and traffic. Stadium staffers were polite and friendly. That being said, I'm not sure I'm a fan. Camden Yards (2024), on the other hand, was a much better experience and the parking was better in Baltimore.
Bo Dog- 2/27/2014-4/4/2026
You may have seen this on my social media but for those that haven't we lost our dog Bo very unexpectedly in April while staying in Wintergreen. For several years he was our mascot at Kitty Hawk Watersports and one of my favorite memories from back then is a large group of kids petting him as he soaked it all in. In my next life I want to come back as Bo and hang out at a watersports business all day.
THINGS TO DO
Soundside Market, Wednesdays, June 17 to August 26
Held at the Soundside Event Site, MP 16, Nags Head, this weekly event has created a very strong following.
Share
If you enjoy these emails/posts please share this link with a friend. I promise I won't be annoying. Cheers!
https://www.treasuresoftheouterbanks.com/site/contact
Wee Print
Should you use any of the links to purchase something I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Cheers again!
Have a great weekend,
John Van Lunen
Feel free to email me with any questions or comments.
[email protected]
Stay connected with stories and updates!
If you love the Outer Banks you'll enjoy our weekly posts containing local information, things to do, and observations.
In appreciation you'll receive a list of highly recommended books that are set on the Outer Banks.
We hate SPAM. We will never sell your information, for any reason.
