Photo Tour of Oriental, NC

Sailing Capital of the World

The Oriental, NC area abounds with creeks and waterways. Many converge at Oriental, flowing into the mighty Neuse River.

The Neuse is the widest river in the country. At Oriental, it stretches almost six miles across as it flows into the vast Pamlico Sound behind North Carolina's famous Outer Banks.

Oriental, NC hosts many imaginative festivals throughout the year.

Many homes in Oriental sport wild and funky colors. Reds, pinks, yellows and greens are favorites.

Oriental has a handful of shops, almost all eclectic and offbeat.

Oriental residents are convinced the charm and allure of the Village hinges in part on its friendly canine population. Man's best friend roams freelythroughout town. Every spring, the community hosts its famous Dog Parade, sponsored by PAWS — Pamlico Animal Welfare Society.

Oriental is a patriotic community. Flags and dragons are displayed prominently throughout town.

Colorful, friendl dragons frequently guard the entrances to Oriental's shops and restaurants.

An untold number of Dragon Eggs show up in unlikely places throughout town.

Aerial Shot.

Things nautical predominate in Oriental, even during flea markets.

Oriental welcomes transient boaters, offering free dock space within easy walking distance of all necessities.

Oriental has done an amazing job of preserving and restoring some of its most historic structures. In the early 1900s, this walkway once led to two jail cells, memorialized with a unique sign.

Dinghies co-exist with massive fishing trawlers on the Oriental harbor-front.

Learning to sail is fun, easy and inexpensive in Oriental.

Picturesque Oriental is home to this massive Live Oak as it slowly absorbs a pair of concrete love seats. The site once featured an artesian well, where young lovers went to steal their first kiss.

This antique hints that Oriental restaurant prices have remained reasonable throughout the years. Local eateries offer many custom dishes, featuring seafood and other fine cuisine.

The Marinas in Oriental are among the finest in the country, featuring knowledgeable staffers, well versed in Southern Hospitality.

Known as Patrons of the Dragon, large numbers of Oriental residents pitched in to fund a floating dragon for the town's duck pond. The creature sports colorful glass beads that glisten in the sunlight.

Oriental features a "working waterfront" where some of North Carolina's best fresh seafood is off-loaded from these vintage trawlers, and then trucked up and down the east coast.

Oriental is well-known on the Intra-Coastal Waterway. here, boats from Texas and Miami spend some time at a local marina, stopping for fuel and provisions.

Oriental's two motels both overlook the water. Long-time visitors are in for a treat when they discover that the old River Neuse Motel has recently been transformed into classy, swanky accommodations.

In 2006, Rob Lucey chose Oriental as a base of operations from which to launch his popular Carolina Currents boating magazine.

Hard to believe but true, sailboats in Oriental outnumber residents three to one.

As the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina," canvas shops and sail-makers do a brisk business supplying boaters from all over the east coast. Many hard-to-make items can only be crafted here.

OYC, the Oriental Yacht Club, has been a fixture on the Oriental waterfront for more than 100 years.

Affectionately known as The Old Theater, the former movie house is owned and operated by a local nonprofit corporation. The facility thrives with a number of performnces, all well-attended throughout the year.