Tower Circle Motel

Tower Journal

Notes on renovation, local travel, and life on this stretch of the island — written by whoever has time to write them down.

A large wave breaking on a gray, stormy Outer Banks beach.

Hunter Nutter · September 28, 2025

Stormy Sunday Thoughts (Hurricane in Outer Banks)

A stormy Sunday and a few thoughts on the impermanence of this fragile sandbar — and why caring for Tower Circle still matters. “Legacy here isn't measured in permanence. It's measured in presence.”

A man and woman riding cruiser bikes down a sandy Buxton road at sunset.

Hunter Nutter · July 8, 2025

Why Buxton, NC Is My Favorite Underrated Bike-at-the-Beach Destination

“I fell in love with Buxton on two wheels.” Notes on the Lighthouse Road bike path and maritime forest trails that make for a quieter ride than the crowded beaches up north.

A swimmer's head surfacing in clear turquoise ocean water.

Hunter Nutter · June 22, 2025

The Perfect Beach Day in Buxton, NC

Rare turquoise Gulf Stream water, a family surfing and swimming together, and a whole beach that seemed to feel it too. “The magic wasn't just in the ocean — it was in the way the whole beach felt it.”

A child sitting on an old gravestone beneath a canopy of gnarled live oak branches.

Hunter Nutter · June 10, 2025

The Old Villages of Hatteras Island — More Than Just a Vacation Spot

Hatteras Island's historic villages sit soundside, not oceanfront, built around fishing and lifesaving rather than tourism. “This island wasn't made for tourists. It was made by time.”

A woman carrying a baby in a hiking carrier on a wooded trail near Frisco.

Hunter Nutter · June 10, 2025

A Local's Guide to Frisco, NC

Frisco, NC, described as “the quiet heart of Hatteras Island” — a local's guide to its hidden coffee shops, restaurants, water sports, and best sunset spots.

An old family photo of two men and a truck parked outside a house near Cape Point.

Hunter Nutter · June 9, 2025

Where the Current Meets the Past

Cape Point's fishing history and Tower Circle's place in it. “It was about more than the catch. It was about being here” — where the currents converge.

A weathered brick building mid-renovation on a clear day.

Hunter Nutter · January 1, 2025

Everything You've Wanted to Know About Buxton, NC

A local's guide to Buxton covering the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Cape Point, surfing, dining, and where to stay — the one to read before you plan your trip.

A man and woman standing together beneath a massive live oak tree.

Hunter Nutter · May 28, 2019

Shaping Our Lives in the Outer Banks

How Hunter and Olivia built a life in the Outer Banks from scratch — starting with a first modest home project that taught them everything they'd later need to restore Tower Circle Motel.

A brick motel building mid-renovation with exposed framing and stripped siding.

Hunter Nutter · May 28, 2019

The Phoenix Motel

Hunter and Olivia bought a dilapidated motel in Buxton and set out to bring it back to life — a piece of the community's heritage worth preserving.

The motel exterior mid-renovation with sod rolls stacked out front and the Tower Circle Motel sign visible.

Hunter Nutter · May 28, 2019

Four Rooms and a Dream

Health code violations meant only four rooms could open at first. Renovated with care on a tight budget, they welcomed back longtime guests. “We weren't just running a motel. We were opening a time capsule.”

A red brick motel building under renovation with a ladder leaned against the roofline.

Hunter Nutter · May 28, 2019

The Year of Synergy

“Construction and the motel weren't just coexisting — they were feeding each other.” The year all eleven rooms opened, the hurricanes were weathered, and Tower Circle started to become a real destination.