[piano intro] [bright music] - Next on North Carolina weekend, greetings from Swansboro, where we're celebrating coastal gems.

We'll visit a winery in Jarvisburg, explore the aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, and sample Britt's Donuts at Carolina Beach.

Coming up next.

[gentle music] - [Announcer] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by Visit NC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smoky Mountains across the Piedmont, to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

- [Announcer] Funding for the North Carolina Year of the Trail Series is provided by... [gentle music] - [Announcer] SECU Foundation, proving how contributions from SECU members can generate the support needed to make a difference across North Carolina in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services.

[bright music] ♪ [bright music continues] ♪ [bright music continues] - Welcome to "North Carolina Weekend," everyone.

I'm Deborah Holt Noel, and this week we are finding coastal gems.

I'm in Swansboro, also known as the Friendly City by the Sea.

Surrounded by the Intercoastal Waterway and the white Oak River, Swansboro is definitely a water town, but it's also got cute boutique shops, restaurants, and the beach is just across the bridge.

We'll explore more of Swansboro throughout the show, but first, while we're exploring coastal gems, let's head north to Jarvisburg and a small winery with a big reputation.

- This Double Barrel won Best in Show at the NC Fine Wines Competition.

My name is John Wright.

I'm the General Manager of Sanctuary Vineyards.

Sanctuary Vineyards is a continuation of a long history of farming here on our family's farm.

And we still farm corn, wheat and soybean beans, and other grains here.

But we added the grapes in 2002, and that was our way of taking on value-added agriculture and attempting to continue generational farming in a different way.

- [Narrator] John Wright and his family also went a different way with the type of grapes they're growing.

You don't typically find European grapes in our state's coastal plain.

In fact, experts told the Wrights not to plant them, but Wright says he saw that glass half-full.

- We, as a state, have lots of impediments in our way for making quality wine, but the Outer Banks has no more or no less, it just has different.

It has a different microclimate if you will.

So we plant varieties that are hardy, that are robust, that can handle strong wind, that can handle humidity, and they may not be European varieties that are particularly well-known, but we know right from the start that they're better suited to be here.

- [Narrator] Sanctuary Vineyards makes about 15 varieties of wine, steel-aged and oak-barrel aged, red and white, sweet and dry with prices low and high.

- We want to be able to open the door really wide and allow all the possible customers in to find a wine that suits their taste.

- [Narrator] The Double Barrel is a bold and savory red.

- [John] Folks would enjoy that with a big cut of steak, a serious red meat, grilled, charred, winter meal.

- [Narrator] The Morton is a lighter red and is Sanctuary's bestseller.

- [John] It's not a special occasion with the Morton.

It's anytime you want a smooth, red North Carolina wine to go with your meal.

- [Narrator] The Pearl is a crisp, dry white with fruity overtones, perfect with seafood.

- [John] Sea scallops, but also with shellfish, with oysters, shucked oysters in the winter.

- [Narrator] The Wild Pony White is a smooth white with hints of pear, apple, and lemon.

- And the best part is that for every bottle we sell, a dollar goes to the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, so it's a wine that gives back.

- [Narrator] The Wright's Family winery and their store next door, called the Cotton Gin, host a variety of annual events for the community every year.

The Cotton Gin actually was an old cotton gin the family converted into a gift store.

- [John] It sort of reminds me of when stores would offer a little bit of everything, the old general store.

- [Narrator] Sanctuary Vineyards has tasting bars and sells its wine at its four Cotton Gin locations around the Outer Banks, including this one in Nags Head.

- It's a native grape.

It's made in old wooden barrels.

- [Narrator] At the main location in Jarvisburg, free wine tastings come with a free education in wine making.

- Just finding out where the various grapes have come from to make each of these various wine flavors.

- I'm not much of a wine drinker.

I like mixed drinks primarily, but I'm finding out that I actually like more wine than I expected, so it's nice.

- This is Syrah and Tannat together.

I'd love nothing more than for our customer, when they leave here with their wines, to go home inspired to visit more wineries in their home region, because the idea of this value-added agriculture, of family farms, is really important.

- Sanctuary Vineyards is at 7500 Caratoke Highway in Jarvisburg, and they're open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

For more information, give them a call at [252] 491-2387 or go online to sanctuaryvineyards.com.

[bright country music] This is Yana's, one of the delightful restaurants here in Swansboro you do not wanna miss.

It's kind of a diner with burgers, pancakes, milkshakes, yum, and I just love the 50s decor.

Now another coastal gem that's been around for quite a while, 30 years in fact, is the Beaufort Grocery, and they still have a fresh, ambitious menu.

Let's check it out.

[people talking] - Opa!

- Every meal here is just an amazing experience.

If you're just stopping in for a quick bike for lunch or if you're celebrating a special occasion, the staff is always excellent, and the food is just excellent every time.

- Number one, check Beaufort out, because it's an iconic town.

Number two, check out Beaufort Grocery, 'cause it's an iconic restaurant.

- We've brought a lot of our Yankee friends down here, and what we tell 'em never even measures up to what it ends up being, and it's just a wonderful town.

The Parks are wonderful people, and the food here is just amazing.

- Food is is a language in itself.

The whole thing just brings people together.

I've always been intrigued by cuisine from around the world.

It is local ingredients with international preparations.

- I had the flounder, which was scored and fried, and it was very good.

- [Charles] We had some fish come in here, and the fish monger couldn't butcher it up, so I said, "Hey, let's fry a whole fish.

"Let's score it so it gets cooked in the center, and I'll take some apricot jam and mix it with a little bit of vinegar, and make a little gastrique, and we'll stick that on it when it comes out.

It's a home run.

- I had the seared tuna, which is absolutely awesome.

- I had Tuna Napoleon, that's some brainchild of mine that came out of Asian cuisine.

So yellowfin tuna is always fresh here, always get sushi-grade.

We put some wasabi into the coleslaw, and we'll layer it, and then we'll make an Asian garlic sauce to drizzle over the top.

And then we top it with pickled ginger and some cilantro, put two picks in the top, and they can use that as a utensil.

- It's a great venue, because they really focus in on fresh, local seafood.

- Shrimp and scallops, sauted in white wine and then finished with cream and red pepper.

Now the key is just cook it properly, make sure the scallops go in and brown properly and make sure the shrimp aren't overcooked, another winner.

So the lamb chops are an entire rack.

We sell a half rack here, or you can get a whole rack.

We start 'em on the grill, and then we'll finish 'em in the oven, let 'em rest.

And we serve that with a vidalia onion relish and goat cheese.

- Always save room for Wendy's desserts.

- The pecan pie à la mode, that is a recipe that my wife has come up with, and the secret is, is we put a little bit of maple syrup in it, and we finish it with a little bit of bourbon cream, and then à la mode is, if you want it that way.

[couple kisses] My wife Wendy and I have been partners ever since the beginning.

Beaufort is a small fishing village, a place where people can escape.

It's surrounded by nature.

My wife and I looked around town.

There was a lot of opportunities.

We picked up on this place right here, and it was already a grocery, and in the back there was a safe that said "Beaufort Grocery" on it, and we said, "Bingo, that's what we're gonna call the restaurant."

I would call it fish town casual.

There was a lot of boat and wood workers that helped me put this whole thing together.

And then I had one of the boat builders build me a nice teak bar back there.

- The ambiance is so upbeat when you come here.

You often know so many people.

- For any occasion, formal, fancy to as casual as you'd like it to be.

You can get married here, and you can just come have Sunday supper.

- Celebrating with my family, my birthday.

- [Interviewer] And which birthday is it?

[people talking] - 91st.

- What makes me happiest is feeding people and having them like it.

It's a huge accomplishment for me, gives me a lot of satisfaction.

Most restaurants don't last maybe 10 years.

I hope one day it'll outlive me.

- Beaufort Grocery is at 117 Queen Street in Beaufort, and they're open for lunch and dinner, Thursday through Monday.

For more information, give them a call at [252] 728-3899 or go online to beaufortgrocery.com.

[bright music] I'm on the balcony of the Bake Bottle and Brew in Swansboro, and it's a really popular place to get a sweet treat or even a beer.

And the view from here is just fantastic, check it out.

When we were putting this episode together, we decided to go back into our vault for a real coastal gem.

It's called Britt's Donuts at Carolina Beach.

And in 2015, we sent Bryan Mims there, and he really loved it.

[bright music] - [Bryan] Keeping it simple sure keeps the crowds coming.

No frills, no fruity fillings, no swipes of the plastic, it's cash only, and no coffee with Italian names.

[people talking and laughing] Your pure coffee is poured into plane, styrofoam cups.

Here at Britt's Donuts in Carolina Beach, your eyes won't glaze over by all the choices on the menu.

You have one choice, glazed, how sweet it is.

- You don't have to make any decisions.

All week, we have to make decisions.

Come to Britt's, and it's whole milk only and one kind of donut.

- [Bryan] That one kind of donut is 90 cents.

It's bronzed by a deep fryer and lathered in icing, hot, drippy icing.

It's a donut that lacks symmetry.

Yes, it's round, but it's not perfectly round.

It has wrinkles and bulges.

It has, you might say, personality, one that gets you eager to break bread.

- That's what makes 'em good, mm there's just- - There soft.

- Nothing like it.

They're soft, yeah.

- They're soft.

They're sweet, and they're warm.

[laughs] - I'm a resident here, and I try to come here to the donut shop at least six times a year.

- [Bryan] That's all, just six?

- Well, if I come here anymore, I probably wouldn't fit through the doors.

- [Bryan] The dual-garage doors open at Britt's Donuts every March through October.

The single item prepped in the kitchen has fed multitude since 1939 when Harvey Britt flung opened the doors and began rolling in the dough.

- And we have a real good product, we think.

- [Bryan] The present day proprietor, Bobby Nivens, speaks with the simplicity of his product, no need in laying it on thick by dressing up his words.

Like his donuts, less is more.

And it works for you.

- It sure does, been mighty fortunate.

- [Bryan] Here's what he means.

It's a Saturday morning on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk.

Summer is so close, you can taste it.

And as crowds are like the surf, they come in big waves.

You think a trip to Carolina Beach is complete without Britt's Donuts?

- Well, I hope Britt's Donuts is included in that trip.

We're glad people enjoy 'em.

- [Bryan] Mr. Nivens worked at Britt's as a teenager in the 50s.

When he was in his mid 30s, he decided to buy the place.

It was 1974, Harvey Britt had just passed away.

This business, beloved by beach goers, had to live on, it just had to.

And that one kind of donut still had to be one-of-a-kind.

- It's sort of a secret family recipe.

- [Bryan] So you're not gonna share it with us now, huh?

- I can't do that, I paid too much for it.

- [Bryan] He has worked to keep the place, and above all, the product, the same as it always was.

He kept the name Britt's, kept the old rolling pin Mr. Britt used.

That's not to say he hasn't thought about diversifying his donuts.

- I have over the years, back when I was younger, but those thoughts went away.

So, we're happy, we're satisfied.

- [Bryan] Besides, as much as the crowds clamor for his tried and true, when would he have the time to roll out a fancier form of donut?

He's never wanted to make the store bigger either, and he's never wanted to open other stores.

That connection he and his wife have with their regular patrons is something they can sink their teeth into.

They look forward to seeing the same vacationers, year after year after year.

- This is a part of our life at Cary Beach.

- It is a part of our life.

I don't think people come to see us.

People come to see Britt's and the donuts.

- [Bryan] Paul and Deb Fagan are among those you'll see at the counter most any weekend.

- We come as often as we can.

It's beautiful, part of our tradition.

- Couple, two, three, four times a weekend.

- [Bryan] Couple, two or three, four times a weekend?

[Paul laughs] - Five, six, seven, eight.

- [Bryan] Maybe there is too much of a good thing.

Ask six-year-old Nash Clegg of Cary, who's here with his dad, Steven, for the weekend.

- Too much donut doesn't make me feel so good.

- [Bryan] [laughs] Well they sure taste good, don't they.

- Yeah, well maybe one.

- [Bryan] He had two.

- I don't think I should have two [Bryan laughs] at the same time, 'cause that didn't make my tummy feel so good.

- [Bryan] If you think kids these days don't have the stomach for the simple and old-fashioned, if you think their world has spoiled them with too much variety, well just look at the variety of youth at Britt's.

So what do you think of Brits Donuts?

- I think it's one of the best donut places I've ever eaten.

- [Bryan] With a new generation, Britt's Donuts is still hot and very much on a roll and keeping it deliciously simple.

[bright music continues] - Britt's Donut Shop is on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach and they're open every day until the donuts run out.

For more information, give them a call at [910] 707-0755 or go to brittsdonutshop.com.

Isn't the water beautiful today?

I promise you, Swansboro has lovely views from just about any spot in the town.

You know, the last time I was here, I visited the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores and I was just blown away by how much it had to offer.

It is truly a coastal gem.

[bright music] I'm here with Emily Foy, Activities Coordinator for the Aquarium here at Pine Knoll Shores.

Emily, tell me about some of the activities that the visitors can enjoy here.

- Absolutely, so outside of just being able to tour the aquarium and enjoy our trails, we also offer daily behind-the-scenes tours for our guests to enjoy, that they can get a closer look at the aquarium and meet some animals up close and personal.

We also have weekly outdoor recreation activities that our guests can participate in, like kayak tours, standup paddleboard rentals.

We have fishing programs, beach combining, as well as sea turtle walks, so lots of different activities that our guests can do on top of just touring the aquarium.

- And I notice it's not just a saltwater aquarium, there're actually habitats from all over the state, right?

- Absolutely, so we try to highlight all of the regions of North Carolina, as well as species you find all over the state.

So when you come to the aquarium, you start in the Mountains Gallery, highlighting animals you would find in the mountains of North Carolina.

And then you go into our Piedmont Gallery, which highlights the American River Otter, as well as some screech owls.

Then you will venture into our Coastal Plains Gallery, which highlights different reptiles that you'd find around the state, different species of snakes, different types of turtles, as well as juvenile alligators.

And then you'll come into our Tidal Waters Gallery where we have our two touch pools that highlight stingrays as well as marine invertebrates.

In our Oceans Gallery, we have the living ship wreck, which is the largest habitat here in the aquarium.

In there, you'll find several species of shark, as well as lots of large fish that you find here on the coast.

So we have lots of different animals that really highlight everything you could find here in North Carolina.

- And there's certainly lots of pretty fish to look at, but there's real science happening too, right?

[gentle music] - Absolutely.

So a big part of the North Carolina Aquarium's mission is conservation work.

So we have several different projects that we take part in.

The first one is with sand tiger sharks.

There are sand tiger sharks found all up and down our coast.

So divers actually get a chance to find them along our wrecks, take pictures of them, upload them to spotasharkusa.com, where the Citizen Science Project allows scientists to actually study sharks based on the pictures that these divers upload to that website.

Another project we have is with our sea turtles.

There are sea turtles that migrate up and down the coast of North Carolina all year long, and sometimes they do wash up when they are sick or injured.

And so here at the North Carolina Aquarium, we do rehabilitate cold-stunned sea turtles, get them healthy and return them to the wild.

- The environments here are really fragile.

What role does the aquarium play in sustainability?

- So, a big part of what we do here at North Carolina Aquarium, is be a leader or a role model for the local community in protecting and conserving the natural environment.

So we're trying to lessen our impact that we have on the environment.

We do that in lots of different ways.

We do reuse gray water in our toilets.

We're trying to reach net zero emissions to really lower our impact on the environment.

We also have a breeding program, an aquaculture program, where we're able to breed fish we have here in the aquarium instead of pulling from animals out in the wild, so we can lessen our impact on the wild populations.

- [Deborah] And I'll bet you have some really great programs for kids.

- We actually have a new indoor play area for children called Imagination Bay, where kids get a chance to play around in the aquarium.

- [Deborah] Sounds sike so much fun!

- It's great, i's very fun.

- I love it, well thank you, Emily.

I can't wait to explore more of the aquarium.

- You're so welcome, thank you for visiting!

- The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is at 1 Roosevelt Boulevard in Pine Knoll Shores, and they're open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

For more information, you can call them at [252] 247-4003 or go online to ncaquariums.com.

This is Riverview Park, a wonderful seaside park that's perfect to take your dog for a walk or pack a picnic.

You know, 2023 marks the Year of the Trail in our state, so we're highlighting great trails throughout the year.

Come along with a family to Nags Head Wood, where an incredible maritime forest thrives along the Outer Banks.

- My name is Brian Boutin.

I'm the Director of the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Program for the Nature Conservancy out here on the Outer Banks.

[bright music] - [Narrator] This is Brian Boutin's office, a place on the Outer Banks called Nags Head Wood Preserve.

- [Brian] We have about 1400 acres of deciduous maritime forest here.

This is the best example of deciduous maritime forest that we have on the East Coast of the United States.

- [Narrator] That's one reason the Nature Conservancy worked with the towns of Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head to purchase land here in 1978 to create the preserve.

The conservancy grew the preserve over the next several decades.

- This area is also a historical important place for the Outer Banks.

There used to be a community back here, and we worked with that community to really preserve the integrity, both culturally and the natural heritage of this place.

Basically we are bound on two sides by some very large sand dunes.

To the north is Run Hill and to the south is Jockeys Ridge, and those two sand dunes are what makes this place possible.

- [Narrator] The two big dunes help protect these woods from the beating they might otherwise take from hurricanes in nor'easters.

Smaller dunes in between are the forest foundation.

- And so we've got a mix of swamp forest in some areas.

We've got some tree species that you don't see anywhere else outside of the Piedmont in here.

- [Narrator] The woods are home to 500 species of plants, 50 species of birds, 28 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians, and a few warm-blooded creatures like bobcat and deer.

There are lots of ponds in the preserve, some carpeted with duckweed and some not.

- There's a little bit of everything in these woods, and you get a lot of topography, which is something that you don't get much on the Outer Banks.

We've got 14,000 people who register as a visitor here every year, and we've got countless others that use it.

We've got visitors that come from pretty much all 50 states and about 20 or so countries every year.

Most people come for a hike.

We've got some regulars around here that run every day.

We've got seven miles of trails.

They're open dawn-till-dusk, seven-days a week, 365-days a year, and we have both pet friendly trails as well as some more strenuous trails, some that actually kind of feel like you're in the mountains when you're walking up and down the sand dunes.

- [Narrator] There are ADA accessible trails too.

- I bring my dog here with my family a lot.

We like to go down to the end of the Roanoke Trail, and he likes to play around in the water.

My son fishes in some of our ponds here.

- [Narrator] They are experiences most people don't expect to find at the Outer Banks.

- Everybody comes here for the beach, and this is one of those hidden gems that shouldn't be so hidden.

- [Narrator] Boutin says people who find this gem are often surprised.

- It's almost a daily occurrence for visitors who come into the preserve.

They say, "Oh wow, I never knew!"

- [Narrator] Well now they do, and Boutin wants them to enjoy Nags Head Wood Preserve as much as he and his family do.

- I just want people to be able to come and enjoy this place and get a little sense of serenity out here in the hustle and bustle of all that goes on, on the Outer Banks.

So I want them to see that this is what the Outer Banks used to feel like.

[bright music continues] - Nags Head Woods Preserve is at 701 Ocean Acres Drive in Kill Devil Hills, and they're open from dawn-to-dusk.

And for more information about the Year of the Trail, go to greattrailsnc.com.

[bright music] I'm with my buddy, Ethan Johnson of Pogie's, and I'm about to take a guided eco tour of the local island to hunt for shark's teeth, fun, right?

Well, we have come to the end of another show, and we've had a great time here in Swansboro.

It is truly a coastal gem.

And if you've missed anything in today's program, remember, you can always watch us again online at pbsnc.org.

Have a great North Carolina weekend everyone.

[bright music continues] Thanks!

[Deborah laughs] [bright music continues] ♪ [bright music continues] ♪ [bright music continues] ♪ [gentle music] - [Announcer] Funding for "North Carolina Weekend" is provided in part by Visit NC, dedicated to highlighting our state's natural scenic beauty, unique history, and diverse cultural attractions.

From the Blue Ridge and the Great Smokey Mountains across the Piedmont to 300 miles of barrier island beaches, you're invited to experience all the adventure and charm our state has to offer.

- [Announcer] Funding for the North Carolina Year of the Trail Series is provided by... [bright music] - [Announcer] SECU Foundation, proving how contributions from SECU members can generate the support needed to make a difference across North Carolina in the areas of housing, education, healthcare, and human services.

[bright music]