Photo courtesy of The Sanderling
Visitors will notice the new refreshed look at The Sanderling upon entering the lobby to the Beach House.
The Sanderling Resort in the Outer Banks, a popular beach vacation destination just a 4.5-hour drive from Alexandria, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with some exciting changes afoot.
Located at 1461 Duck Road in Duck, N.C., on the Atlantic Ocean, the resort’s 123 rooms have been refreshed by New York interior design firm Ward + Gray.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
The Sanderling rooms and baths have a new look!
Instead of the splashes of orange seen previously, the rooms and public spaces now feature shades of sea-glass green and ocean blue in prints that echo the colors of the beach surroundings.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
The rooms and suites at The Sanderling get a new look just in time to celebrate its 40th anniversary.
The new look only enhances The Sanderling's relaxing vibe — you can go swimming in the pool (or read a book to the sounds of the pounding waves just over the dunes), take a few steps and go for a stroll on the beach and return for lunch and sit in your swimsuit at Sandbar, a poolside bar and grill, which is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Be sure to try the BBQ Chicken Quesadilla or the Santa Fe Tacos.)
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
The adult pool at The Sanderling is just steps away from the beach.
You can also grab something from Sandbar to take to the beach or to the pool. The adults-only pool area also has a large hot tub, (where you can also relax in the shaded swing chairs). Another family pool is located just a few steps from the Sandbar restaurant. At night, the staff lights fire pits surrounded by Adirondack chairs where guests can hang out, make S'mores and stare at the heavens.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
A view of Sandbar bar and grill, the pool and the beach dunes from The Sanderling.
In the mornings, you can pop over to the Beach House Bar to purchase coffee. Another restaurant on the property, Lifesaving Station, is a great spot for breakfast (try the crab cake Eggs Benedict or the fluffy biscuits). You can sit outside during nice weather.
New restaurant: Theodosia
Photo by Alexandria Living
Theodosia is the signature restaurant of The Sanderling in Duck, N.C.'s Outer Banks.
Theodosia, the resort’s signature restaurant, just opened last month over Memorial Day weekend. Located just across the street from The Sanderling, it offers beautiful views of the Currituck Sound.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
Theodosia, The Sanderling's signature restaurant, looks out on the Currituck Sound in the Outer Banks.
Decorated with an array of cozy prints, Theodosia features a primary color of a ruddy red on its walls, drapes and snuggly banquettes. The cozy vibe continues with comfortable club chairs and petite lamps that give off a flattering light at each table as the sun sinks into the sound.
Photo by Alexandria Living Magazine
A complimentary glass of champagne awaits diners at Theodosia at The Sanderling.
The new restaurant, in the same location as the former Kimball’s Kitchen, is now helmed by Executive Chef Vivian Howard of North Carolina. Howard is an award-winning cookbook author, TV personality, chef and restaurateur. Her first cookbook, “Deep Run Roots: Stories & Recipes from My Corner of the South” (2016), is a New York Times bestseller and was named “Cookbook of the Year” by the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
Photo courtesy of Baxter Miller
Chef Vivian Howard's "This Will Make It Taste Good" cookbook.
She created and stars in public television shows “Somewhere South” and “A Chef’s Life,” for which she has won Peabody, Emmy and James Beard awards. Howard also runs the restaurants Chef & the Farmer in Kinston, N.C., and Handy & Hot and Lenoir in Charleston, S.C. In October 2020, Howard released her second cookbook, “This Will Make It Taste Good: A New Path to Simple Cooking.”
During a recent weekend, we dined at Theodosia and walked away big fans. We were seated with a stunning view of Currituck Sound (actually every seat in the house has an excellent view of the sound, and if you time it right, the sunset), we were greeted with a refreshing complimentary glass of Moet & Chandon champagne.
Howard’s accolades are no joke. We tried two entrees on the menu that sounded “interesting” due to their mix of ingredients and had no idea what to expect. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised.
The first entree was Sheepshead Toast, with succotash (sweet corn and lima beans) and basil beurre blanc, a delicious sauce. After I placed the order, I remembered my distaste of lima beans. But my childhood dislike of lima beans was long forgotten after the first bite. The dish’s delightful crunch comes from the fish and toast being layered and cooked on top of each other.
Although we could’t finish a shared piece, the 8-Layer Chocolate Cake with toffee saltines is a real show-stopper. Try to save room and if you have a crowd at your table, divvy up some forks and be sure to try it.
History buffs who like a good mystery, take note: The name of the restaurant, Theodosia, is taken from a historic figure, Theodosia Burr Alston, who was the daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr (who killed his political rival, Alexander Hamilton in a duel) and the wife of the South Carolina Gov. Joseph Alston.
Many Alexandrians have heard the tale of the Female Stranger who came to Gadsby’s Tavern from a ship docked in the Potomac. She reportedly passed away in 1816 in Room 8 of the tavern and inn, only to be buried in a nameless grave at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Alexandria.
One story surmises that the mystery woman was none other than Theodosia. She was last seen boarding a schooner in South Carolina bound for New York. The ship never made it and ever since then, for more than two centuries, people have wondered what became of her — lost at sea? Captured by pirates? Did she turn up in Alexandria?
Most have discounted the story of her being Alexandria’s “Female Stranger,” but if you like a good mystery (and good food), you’ll want to be sure to make a reservation at Theodosia.
Photo by Buz Nachlas
The sunsets never get old over Currituck Sound in the Outer Banks.
Other musts during a trip to the Outer Banks:
The Colington Cafe: Although we have yet to try this restaurant, we hear it on good authority, from a foodie friend, that this is one of the top dining spots in the Outer Banks. It's on our list! Call for reservations after 3 p.m.
Jockey's Ridge: Hike up the dunes (and we do mean hike, prepare yourself!) for a beautiful view of the sunset. Jockey's Ridge, located in Nags Head, is the tallest active sand dune system on the Atlantic coast. Preserved within Jockey's Ridge State Park, this natural formation consists of three main peaks and is often referred to as "The Living Dune" due to its constantly shifting sands, sculpted by the region's winds.
Corolla Village Inn: Another great place to stay in the area is the Corolla Village Inn. Nestled in the heart of the historic Corolla Village at 1140 Persimmon St., on the Outer Banks, it offers a charming and intimate getaway. This relatively new inn with 12 suites provides a modern and comfortable retreat with a deep appreciation for the area's rich coastal history.
Duck's Cottage: Looking for a great spot for coffee, books and The New York Times? This is the place, at 1240 Duck Road. This historic coffee shop is located in a building originally known as the Powder Ridge Gun Club, a hunting cottage built in 1921 by a group of New York investors who frequented the area to take advantage of the waterfowl hunting it afforded. Be on the lookout for author book-signings there this summer.
Nor' Banks Sailing & Water Sports: This is the place, at 1314 Duck Road, where you can take a sailing lesson, charter a boat for a sunset cruise or rent a jet ski. This is also home to The Village Table & Tavern, a great restaurant for indoor and outdoor dining, with views of the Currituck Sound.
Wild Horse Tour: You can either buy tickets from several area vendors and go on a tour along Currituck Beach in hopes of spying the famous wild horses or drive yourself. If you do decide to drive yourself you should have four-wheel drive and obey the rules of the road, which you can find here on the Northern Outer Banks Visitor Guide. You'll need a permit if you want to park your car on the beach.
A little history of the Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a slender chain of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, and it holds a dramatic place in American history. The islands were home to various Algonquin-speaking Native American tribes, including the Croatan. The first English attempts at colonization in the New World were famously, and tragically, centered here with the establishment of the Roanoke Colony in the 1580s.
This endeavor is best known for the mysterious disappearance of its settlers, a group of over 100 men, women, and children, including Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas. They vanished without a trace, save for the cryptic word "Croatoan" carved into a post, leaving behind a puzzle that has captivated historians for centuries.
Following the failure of the Roanoke Colony, the Outer Banks became a haven for a different kind of newcomer: pirates. The labyrinthine inlets, shallow sounds, and remote coves provided perfect hiding spots for notorious figures like Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard. For decades, these buccaneers preyed on merchant ships navigating the treacherous waters.
The same conditions that made the islands ideal for piracy also gave rise to another of the region's famous nicknames: the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." Countless ships fell victim to the shifting sandbars and violent storms, prompting the construction of iconic lighthouses like those at Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island and the establishment of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, a forerunner to the modern Coast Guard.
The isolation that defined so much of the Outer Banks' history also made it an ideal location for a world-changing event. In the early 1900s, two brothers from Ohio, Wilbur and Orville Wright, sought a place with strong, steady winds and soft sands for their aeronautical experiments. They found it at Kill Devil Hills, and on Dec. 17, 1903, they achieved the first successful powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight, launching the age of aviation.
In the decades that followed, the construction of bridges and roads gradually connected the remote islands to the mainland, transforming the Outer Banks from a rugged, isolated frontier into the popular tourist destination it is today, while still retaining the wild beauty and echoes of its storied past.
