Things to do / Travel Guide
Parasailing in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Float like a butterfly and sail like a ship; parasailing is big in the eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland region. Hang out 800-feet above the tail end of a boat with a parachute harnessed to your back for some of the best bay and shore views the region has to offer. After a peaceful float on the sea breeze, you can either land on the deck or request that refreshing, skim-the-waves landing. On the Delmarva Peninsula, parasailing is available in Dewey, Delaware or Ocean City, Maryland. In eastern Virginia, you will find parasailing companies in Virginia Beach, while on the North Carolina shore you can try a ride on the Currituck Sound in Duck, (on Bodie Island in the Outer Banks) or Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington.
Hang Gliding in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Tourists flock by the tens of thousands to follow in the footsteps of Orville and Wilbur Wright by hang gliding over the North Carolina shore. The world's largest hang gliding school, Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding Training Center in Nags Head, North Carolina (on Bodie Island in the Outer Banks), claims they can get just about anyone flying with grace and confidence in no time. Lift-offs and landings are soft - hang gliders usually begin and end their flights on the sand dunes. Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head is another favorite hang gliding hangout (Orville and Wilbur actually frequented these parts); the dunes there vary between 80 and 140 feet high. On-site instructors will help you get set up to skim the winds.
Skydiving in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
See eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware from the vantage point of the sea gulls. Twist and turn, jackhammer, somersault, spread eagle, drift, or plummet at break-neck speeds as you skydive toward the vast Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay. Keep your eyes open to see the white crests of waves crash against sweeping shorelines as you prepare for your soft sand landing. Beginner-level (tandem) and advanced-level skydiving excursions are available throughout the region. On the Delmarva Peninsula you can skydive at Laurel Airport, 15 miles north of Salisbury, Maryland, at Bennett Airport in Salisbury, or at the Ocean City Airport in Ocean City, Maryland. In eastern Virginia you can skydive at Suffolk Airport, 25 miles west of Norfolk, and at Middle Peninsula Regional Airport, 45 minutes east of Richmond. Finally, on the North Carolina shore, you can hitch a ride into the sky at Currituck County Airport, 30 miles north of Kitty Hawk (on Bodie Island in the Outer Banks).
Kiteboarding in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Kiteboarding is a mixture of parasailing and surfing: you're hooked into a parachute-like contraption to let the ocean breezes propel and lift you to “ride the curl.” With a couple of classes under your belt, you'll be kite-surfing the waves like a natural. But if you're already a pro, then you've come to the right place. Kiteboarding is the fastest-growing water sport in the U.S. and some of the country's best schools and centers are located in the region at the Cape Charles beachfront, Virginia (on the Delmarva Peninsula), and Cape Hatteras, in North Carolina shore's Outer Banks. Companies offer kiteboarding classes and expeditions for beginners and experienced kiteboarders alike.
Sandboarding in Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland
Gaining popularity by the season, trick-running, stunt-mastering daredevils are slowly but surely “making waves” on these wild and wacky sand-shredding rides. Strap your feet on a waxed-up, snowboard-type rig and then skim the side of a sand dune. If you haven't got the gear, a flattened cardboard box, a car hood, a piece of formica or just about anything else you can scrounge up will also do. One of the best places on the planet to go sandboarding is at Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, North Carolina. New and experienced sandboarders can pick up a free permit from the park office and can ride the dunes from the beginning of October until the end of March.
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