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Motorcoach Groups Have Many Reasons to Roll Into Elizabeth City

(Elizabeth City, N.C., 2010) -- What makes a great hub-and-spoke destination? Most motorcoach operators will tell you it’s a good central location that’s easy to reach, a host of affordable hotels, a variety of restaurants serving tasty local fare and access to nearby beaches, historic sites and attractions.

Located halfway between. Norfolk, Va.,and North Carolina’s Outer Banks, Elizabeth City, N.C. offers these amenities and something else that is gaining appeal with organized tour groups—good old southern hospitality!

“Elizabeth City is famous for its friendly ways, and visitors will find a wonderful, warm welcome here,” said Charlotte Underwood, director of the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Now is a great time for travel groups to see what Elizabeth City is all about!”

If you’re motoring toward Elizabeth City via Highway 17 from the north, make your first stop the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center and Dismal Swamp State Park in Camden County. More than 125,000 acres comprise the Dismal Swamp, one of North America’s great wetland forests. It was made famous when George Washington explored the area in 1763, and again when the poet Robert Frost lost his way therein, inspiring the poem, “The Road Less Traveled.”

Located on the historic Dismal Swamp Canal, the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center is the only such facility in the country to greet visitors by car and coach—and by a historic waterway. Here, the friendly staff is known for going the extra mile. They help with travel directions, sightseeing recommendations and even invite boaters to trade paperbacks in their boater’s book exchange. Two trails are located just outside the Welcome Center. The quarter-mile Nature Trail is great for stretching your legs. For a longer hike, take the 4.5-mile Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, part of the new North Carolina Birding Trail and East Coast Greenway, which extends from the Welcome Center to the village of South Mills.

Groups can walk from the Welcome Center across a swing-span bridge to the visitor center at the Dismal Swamp State Park. With interior exhibits that interpret the history and biological make up of the swamp, it’s a wonderful resource for learning more about the region’s rich habitat.

After visitors have a chance to tour inside, they can explore outdoors via a raised boardwalk or go for a longer hike among the 16.7 miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails into the park’s interior. Beginning this spring, visitors can rent bikes for traversing the park’s interior trails and kayaks for a paddling excursion on the historic Dismal Swamp Canal.

More fun awaits down the road in Elizabeth City.

At the Museum of the Albemarle, groups can delve into the history of 13 counties in northeastern North Carolina, considered by many to be the birthplace of English America. A permanent exhibition, “Our Story” showcases more than 750 artifacts and displays that tell the story of the region’s watermen, farm life, the Civil War, the Wright brothers, African-American history and Native American history. Highlights include the cannon recovered from the ship purported to be Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge; the smokestack from the C.S.S. Albemarle; a miniature replica of the James Adams Floating Theatre, the inspiration for author Edna Ferber’s popular novel, “Show Boat”; a horse-drawn “steam pumper” fire engine; and a 1954 Moth Boat, a small sail boat that was developed in Elizabeth City.

Last fall, the museum opened a new exhibition honoring the nation’s maritime guardians that will be open through 2014. Utilizing historic photographs, artifacts, interactive exhibits and a unique display of timelines, Out of the Blue: Coast Guard Aviation provides a thoughtful look at U.S. Coast Guard history, with an emphasis on aviation and special concentration on Air Station Elizabeth City.

You’ll experience even more history by taking a walk around town.

There are six historic districts in Elizabeth City, and therefore, many opportunities for seeing historic homes, tree-lined streets and stately government structures. At the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, pick up a copy of the new “Elizabeth City Historic Walking Tour” guide—and get started. Published by the Elizabeth City Historic Neighborhood Association (ECHNA), the first of a series of booklets focuses on sites along the historic Main Street commercial district, listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

With a corresponding map, photos and site descriptions, the walking tour features 66 parks, monuments, buildings and homes, covering approximately 20 blocks. En route, discover such sites as the Reverend Forbes Monument, where the rector of Christ Episcopal Church saved Elizabeth City’s buildings from damage by “surrendering” the city to the Union Navy in 1862, and the Arlington Hotel site, which provided accommodations to Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1900 on their first trip to North Carolina.

For an escorted tour with a knowledgeable guide, consider signing on with De’ Tours in Elizabeth City. On this guided walking tour of the Downtown Historic District, you’ll learn about the history of the beautiful antebellum homes and buildings, followed by a traditional afternoon tea in the elegant private parlor of the Hattie Harvey House.
If your group holds an interest in science, Elizabeth City has that covered too. At the Elizabeth City State University Planetarium visitors can get a sky full of information about the planetary sciences when they attend one of the themed star and laser shows that are held throughout the year. The planetarium features a 30-foot hemispherical dome, which arcs above a comfortable seating area of 60 chairs. The free programs are by reservation only for groups of 20 or more.

Student groups can explore and interact with the science around them at Port Discover Hands-On Science Center, which offers free hands-on science and health programs for children to enjoy with their parents. Kids can fly an airplane, observe sea life, examine rocks and minerals and take part in a host of special programs that bring science to life. Special attention is given to what’s unique about North Carolina’s Albemarle region.
For the visual and performing arts, The Center at Arts of the Albemarle provides a dramatic backdrop. Located in the historic Lowry-Chesson building on Main Street, the three-story, red brick building dates to 1897 and was known at the turn of the century for its theatrical and Vaudeville touring performances.

Today, thanks to a $3.2 million renovation, the multi-use arts attraction is enjoying a vibrant second act. Features include a 10,000 square-foot exhibition gallery that hosts scheduled exhibitions of local, regional and national artists; a retail gallery representing more than 200 artists and craftsmen; a 230-seat theatre that presents live musical performances and theatrical productions; and small meeting and banquet space and a catering kitchen.

Relax, Dine and See the Sights!
For lunch and dinner, Elizabeth City restaurants serve up everything from Tex-Mex to Sushi, as well as ample portions of fresh-caught seafood. Most are independently owned and operated—a refreshing change from chain restaurants. And when you’re ready to sample some of the Elizabeth City’s famous hospitality, just stroll along the downtown waterfront where you can:

  • Shop Elizabeth City’s Downtown Waterfront Market, spring through fall, for an impressive selection of home-grown produce, organic goods and handcrafted wares. Open Saturdays on the green at Mariners’ Wharf Park.
  • Swirl and sip a selection of fine wines at one of The City Wine Sellars’ wine-tasting events, or visit Weeksville Vineyards for a guided tour of the vineyard and group tastings.
  • During the summer months, view classic black-and-white movies on an outdoor screen as part of the Mariners’ Wharf Film Festival.
  • In the fall, gather for Music on the Green at Mariners’ Wharf for weekly concerts featuring local musicians performing an array of musical styles, from blues and bluegrass to jazz, rock and pop.
  • Or simply stroll along Main Street, where you can browse among one-of-a-kind shops, art galleries and coffee shops. There’s even a confectionary that specializes in handcrafted chocolates!

Elizabeth City accommodations range from a variety of cozy B & Bs and small inns to recognized hotel chains and locally-owned and operated motels.

For day trips or extensions to your stay, the beaches along North Carolina’s famed Outer Banks are less than an hour away, and the cities of Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Williamsburg, Va., are due north.

For information about group tour itineraries and accommodations, call the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-866-ECity-4U (1-866-324-8948) or (252) 335-5330 or go to www.DiscoverElizabethCity.com