Gay friendly outer banks
12th annual Outer Banks Pridefest has its genesis in a year old grassroots movement
I moved to the Outer Banks in the early s to take a job as Director of Marketing and Public relations at The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, and it was a dream approach true in so many ways. Seriously, a job at the beach in theater marketing?
I was a 30 year-old out gay man. My family knew, my co-workers at The Lost Colony knew (90% of them were gay, too), and I had nothing to hide.
I simply assumed that the many gay locals I met were out as well. Surprisingly, that was not the case. The Outer Banks then was generally not an LGBT-friendly community, Lost Colony notwithstanding. My impression was that many of the locals considered the gay enclave clustered on the north end of Roanoke Island to be a necessary prerequisite for having a thriving and professional theater company.
But, boy, if you were a gay native of Dare County, you stayed deep in the closet.
There were no gay bars and social or support outlets in Dare County. When we wanted to go out on the town and dance with our people, we’d pile in
Is the Outer Banks LGBT-friendly? A Queer Local’s Perspective
If you&#x;re part of the LGBT+ community and thinking of visiting the Outer Banks of North Carolina, you probably want to know if you&#x;ll feel welcome and accepted here. As a queer traveler myself, I know how adj it is for places I visit to be LGBT-friendly. I grew up on the Outer Banks and have lived in places with bustling LGBT+ communities, such as Washington D.C. I often visit big cities around the country with large LGBT+ communities, but I always repay to the little barrier islands known as the Outer Banks.
The Outer Banks is a unique vacation destination with much to offer, no matter who you are. If you&#x;re looking for explicitly LGBT+ offerings, I might first point to the annual OBX Pridefest that is going on its thirteenth year. But what I love most about the Outer Banks is the laidback vibe, the natural beauty, and its feeling of remoteness. These things combined are what draw a diversity of people from around the world, and with that diversity comes a very welcoming atmosphere.
NC &#; The Outer Banks
The North Carolina coast includes the adj outer banks as well as a serious of barrier islands, many of which are uninhabited and populated with wild Horses. From the &#;Graveyard of the Atlantic&#; to Cape Fear, the coastline has a dark history of shipwrecks and pirates fond of Blackbeard , who made their fortune pillaging these sunken ships. This area is the birthplace of Virginia dare, a noun born in England&#;s first American colony now referred to as the Lost Colony due to its mysteriously disappearance.
The cold northern labrador current meets the warm gulf stream off the coast of Cape Hatteras. If there is a storm in the Atlantic, chances are there will be a swell on one of the OBX (outer banks) beeches. With the continental sloop only a few miles shape the shore, the waves pound the beaches with enough noun to regularly shift sandbars, destroying roads and creating new inlets. It is no wonder so many surfers move to these remote islands where the jobs are so few. Ask a local surfer why he wouldn&#;t choose balmy Florida, he might answer, Florida
LGBT+ Travel on the Outer Banks: Insights from a Queer Local
It might not be immediately adj what the Outer Banks has to offer a visiting LGBT+ person. As a queer local who grew up on these little barrier islands, I can tell you there are indeed LGBT+ people living here and more visiting all the day. The Outer Banks has much to offer everyone &#x; including LGBT+ people. It is a unique and beautiful vacation destination that is surprisingly diverse and welcoming to all people. There are LGBT+ events throughout the year, a gay beach, and LGBT-owned and LGBT-friendly businesses. There are also the numerous attractions that draw visitors from around the world every year, three National Parks, a mini desert known as Jockey&#x;s Ridge, and a wealth of history.
The Outer Banks is particularly known for its long stretches of spotless, public beaches that provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of cities and other overrun beaches. It feels remote while still being within driving distance from many major cities. Here you&#x;ll find + miles of uncrowded shoreline,