North Carolina Barbecue

In December, I will be visiting North Carolina. The purpose is to witness the re-enactment of the Wright Brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk, but I cannot resist the opportunity to do a short road trip in the area while there. I intend to visit Yorktown, VA, as well as drive the highway along the Outer Banks from Kitty Hawk down toward Cape Hatteras and beyond, as time permits.

I REALLY need to find some great barbecue while I am there (since North Carolina is the official home and birthplace of American barbecue)! I will be staying in Petersburg, VA, and Elizabeth City, NC. Is there anyone on this forum that could direct me to some excellent barbecue establishments in those parts?

Bubba's BBQ, two locations on the Outer Banks. Avon, and the original in Buxton. We stopped twice at the one in Avon, next to the Food Lion for lunch. Fall-off-the-bone sweet and tender pork, beef, and chicken, ****drool****

They're right on my route. Thanks for the information. Bob

I didn't get to stop, but there's always...

<url>http://www.roadtripamerica.com/signs/crabs.htm</url>

I didn't get to stop, and it's not BBQ, but since you'll be in the area, there's also...

http://www.roadtripamerica.com/signs/crabs.htm

If it is convenient -- we would like a better photo...

Any information about where the sign is located? I am intending on driving the outer banks from Kitty Hawk to Ocracoke, so if it along there or nearby I can probably get a shot or two of it no problem. Bob

One of our correspondents knows where it is. I will find out.

How is the BBQ hunt going? Makes my mouth water...

I haven't been able to eat BBQ for a few days -- but I was able to substitute with North Sea fish and chips -- traditional -- wrapped in newsprint and liberally doused with malt vinegar and salt... I HIGHLY recommend Eck's Fish Bar in downtown Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, Scotland -- or the Ashevale Fish Restaurant in downtown Aberdeen! Both excellent, with the edge, I think, going to Eck's!

Not exactly on the American road -- but I'd adopt any of those Scots, I think, as honorary Americans -- very fine people and a very fine country!

I saw several signs for Dick's along US-17 & US-158 on our way down this past Summer.

I also have a menu somewhere, full of the requisite gag gifts. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of any of the signs.

Be aware that, at least as of mid-October, you could not drive from the northern Outer Banks all the way to Ocracoke. The hurricane had washed out the highway just south of Hatteras. Perhaps it has been restored by now, but you'll want to check. I didn't, so I had to radically change my plans when I discovered I couldn't get from Hatteras to Ocracoke. Fortunately, I had a very pleasant stay in Manteo at the Tranquility Inn.

Daniel,

Thanks for that update for roadtripping information!

I'm glad you posted this. I will be there in about 1.5 weeks so will probably have to alter my plans. This could pose a problem for me as the lodgings in the northern sections of the drive are pretty much booked because of the Wright Bros commemoration -- my plan was to go farther south in order to find accommodations more easily and see that section of the country for the first time. I'll check with the North Carolina folks to find out what their repair schedule is. Bob

I'm headed to Yorktown, the Outer Banks and the Wright Bros Centennial celebration this weekend. For the information of anyone who may also be headed that way, I called NCDOT on the Outer Banks road closure mentioned in this thread, and they now have a detour around the damaged road, so you can once again get from north to south and vice-versa along SR12 (the recent hurricane had severed the road at Hatteras Village). Coming from the north, the detour route is Eagle Pass Road, and locals tell me its junction is right by the "Hatteras Man Drive-In" -- a restaurant that looks like it is closed. Supposedly, it is easy to miss. That road winds around and eventually you can get back to the highway near the ferry landing.

Hoping the weather is good at the Wright Brothers celebration party. Should be a fun time of the year to be there. Have fun!

I'll get lots of photos and let you know how real NC BBQ stacks up against Arizona cowboy barbecue. I sure hope Bubba's is OPEN...

My roadtrip to the Outer Banks and the Wright Brothers' First Flight Celebration is history. The highlights were a visit to the Yorktown Battlefield where I stood where George Washington stood (in his tent, even!), a drive to Ocracoke Island along the Outer Banks, and two days at the Wright Brothers celebration.

Stopped at the Hatteras Lighthouse, but it was closed for climbing so that will have to be done on a later trip. Also learned a little about Blackbeard; he spent a good deal of time in those waters and was killed in a battle off Ocracoke Island. Not surprisingly, much of what I learned about him as a kid turns out to have been wrong. (I am SUCH a tourist! I bought a book at the Visitor Center...)

We got rained on quite a bit on 12/17, but otherwise we couldn't have asked for better weather. Things (restaurants, stores, etc) are closing up along the Outer Banks now -- I guess the tourist business fizzles in the winter there -- but it would still be a great time to visit as there are NO crowds. I walked on the beach twice and shared it only with a couple of surf-fishermen and one or two beachcombers.

Bubba's Barbecue was among the places closed for the winter -- but I stopped at Pigman's near the Kill Devil Hills and tried the BBQ Pork plate. It was great, but I have to say I prefer the Tennessee or Western style barbecue (sweeter, smokier). The North Carolina style is not sweet at all. I loved the hush puppies though! I also ate at Dirty Dick's Crab House -- great crab! Had the Hush Puppies there too, and Fried Potato Salad. If you get by there, you've got to try it! Trust me!

We found the Ocracoke Harbor Inn to be a comfortable and reasonably-priced place to stay -- you can find them on the web if you are headed that way and looking for accommodations -- we had a great view of the sunrise over the harbor from our little veranda.

There's lots of hurricane damage. Those folks will be cleaning up and rebuilding for months. I guess the hurricane used up all the wind they had -- the replica of the Wright Brothers Flyer didn't get off the ground during the celebration events because of lack of wind. It needed at least 10 mph to fly and at the times they attempted it, it was only 5 or 6 mph, so no go. Still, it was great to be there to see the aircraft and aviation VIP's who also attended -- Neil Armstrong and General Yeager, to name just two. There were many others as well.

The detour around the bridge wash-out on Hatteras Island (on SR12) is now marked with a sign -- it is no trouble to get around to the ferry dock.

Thanks to all of you that assisted with information about this trip!