After the Coast Guard Marathon: Edenton
The Route: Elizabeth City → Edenton → Norfolk International Airport (ORF) Logistics: Car, about 35 minutes from Elizabeth City to Edenton. No public transport has been listed for the journey. Marathon Month: April Duration: 1 night
Elizabeth City ──(about 35 mins by car)──> Edenton
│
Norfolk International (ORF) ◄──(drive, check time on the day)──┘
The Coast Guard Marathon finishes on Water Street on a Sunday in April, and Edenton is about 35 minutes away by road, according to the organiser. No public transport has been listed between the two towns, so a hire car from Norfolk International Airport is the usual answer. The town sits on Edenton Bay, and its historic district is laid out around Broad Street, which links the visitor centre, the welcome centre and the Cupola House.
April in Edenton: The bay cruises run from May to October, so the Albemarle Queen will not be sailing. Historic Edenton's guided tours run Tuesday to Saturday, which means the Sunday and Monday after the race are for walking, the gardens and the free welcome centre. The interiors come later in the week. If a longer stay suits the plans, the four-night itinerary from Elizabeth City puts Edenton's tours on the Tuesday.
Night One: Edenton
The first job is a slow walk. The Penelope Barker House Welcome Center, at 505 South Broad Street, is free. It is open on Sunday from 11:00 to 14:00 and on Monday from 10:00 to 16:00, closed on Tuesdays, and its porches overlook Edenton Bay. The house also holds a small museum on the first political action by women in colonial America. Colonial Waterfront Park is on the same water, across from a mural on West Water Street. The street numbers on Broad Street run from 108 North to 505 South, so the sites sit along one road and the walk is on town sidewalks. Drive between them if the legs object.
The Cupola House, at 408 South Broad Street, was built in 1758. Its gardens are open daily from 09:00 to 16:30, and the house is open on Sundays from 12:00 to 15:00. Most finishers will arrive after that window, so plan the gardens for Monday morning. A house tour costs $5 (approximately £4). The 1767 Chowan County Courthouse, at 117 East King Street, is a National Historic Landmark and the oldest government building in North Carolina, and the state Supreme Court still hears two cases there each year. Tours run Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 16:00, at $2.50 (approximately £2).
Where to stay
The Inner Banks Inn describes itself as just steps from the historic waterfront, with rooms in the main house, private cottages and suites, and an on-site restaurant, The Table, which serves breakfast and has limited dinner service. The Captain's Quarters Inn has eight rooms, sits next door to the Granville Queen Inn, and serves a homemade breakfast each morning. Both have reopened under new management, so confirm current room availability and breakfast arrangements when booking. Rooms in the town are limited, so book before the weekend fills.
Where to eat
Waterman's Grill is a seafood restaurant, open for dinner only, in the historic Tynch & Toppin Fish Market building. Check which days it opens before planning a Sunday dinner. Broad Street Diner serves breakfast and lunch six days a week, closes on Wednesdays and runs a Sunday brunch from 08:00 to 14:00. The Table at the Inner Banks Inn saves a walk if the legs refuse another step.
Getting to Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is the nearest airport the organiser lists for the race, 84 km from Elizabeth City. Check the drive time from Edenton to the airport on the day and leave a generous margin before the flight. Rental desks are in the arrivals terminal, and cars are collected from Garage A.