The Historic River City Lodge is on Fearing Street in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The main building was built in the 1800s. It is advertised as a wedding venue with three suites available for your wedding party. In addition, there is a separate studio called The Secret Room. I'm not sure how it got it's name, however, it was nearly hidden from view, tucked between the lodge and the building next door. The windows were dark with heavy curtains and could easily be mistaken for an emergency exit. We kept that door locked when we were in the suite which was a good thing. Someone who was a bit lost tried to enter before realizing it was not the front door to the lodge. It felt private and separate from the other suites. We could come and go without being seen or seeing the hosts or other guests. The Secret Room shared walls with the lodge so we could hear everything going on in the main building and at the Biergarten. The lodge is in the historic downtown where roads are paved with Baltimore cobblestones.
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Historic River City Lodge - 1847
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| Cobblestone road - Baltimore bricks |
The Secret Room was clean and comfortable. Our hosts, Donnie and Olivia left us snacks and a gift card to the local coffeehouse, Muddy Waters, just a couple blocks away. They also provided us with access to a local gym. The studio had a kitchen and private bath. A door in the back of the suite led to the Leatherneck Lounge where we could play pool and do our laundry for free. The River City Lodge Biergarten was just off the lounge. During the summer they offered music on the patio behind the lodge.
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The Secret Room tucked between buildings
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| Front door to the Secret Room |
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| Reflections |
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| Kitchen |
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| Looking out of the Secret Room |
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Comfortable and inviting
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| Living area with lots of room |
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| Kitchenette with bathroom down hall |
Our hosts invited us to the St. Patrick's Day celebration. We joined many locals in full Irish regalia for karaoke. The place was mobbed. We took the last open table in a small entryway room by the door and enjoyed one beer, just a little disappointed that we didn't get to talk to anyone. On Thursday, the Biergarten was open again featuring great acoustic music. We sat by the bar and stage along with a moderate crowd. We met Alice who told us she'd moved to EC, (as the locals call the town), ten years earlier from Long Island. She had a strong New York accent that had weathered her time in the south. We sat with Alice and her husband, along with their friends, all night long, listening to their stories about back home and life in North Carolina. By the end of the night Alice was trying to convince us to move there. We really enjoyed the evening!
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| Alice took a photo of us on the Patio |
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| St. Patrick's Day in EC |
The lodge is close to the historic downtown restaurants and breweries. We got to know Elizabeth City on long walks through town. We visited both college campuses and spent a morning at the Maritime Museum learning about the nautical history of the area. We also walked along the Pasquotank River through the upscale neighborhoods.
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| Maritime Museum |
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| Shad boat in Maritime Museum |
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| Pailin's Alley |
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| Fire Hydrant Table in Pailin's Alley |
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| Pool Street Park |
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| Puschkinia was blooming everywhere |
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| Elizabeth City Water Tower |
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Cool windows in deserted building
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The River City Lodge was a great spot for us to stage our week of adventures in the Outer Banks, as well as make visits to local communities. Since it was off season, our stay was very reasonable. The locals were friendly and our hosts were attentive without being invasive. We came and went from the Secret Room almost completely undetected. We would book the Secret Room again! It was worth it!
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Enjoying a sunny day on the patio
at River City Lodge |
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