I am frequently asked about my Outer Banks vacations.
I thought I would put together a Q&A and answer some of the most asked questions in a post!
How do the Outer Banks differ from let’s say Ocean City MD & NJ or the Delaware beaches?
For one, it is not as commercialized. Obviously, people live on the Outer Banks year round, so there will be stores, restaurants and the like. However, there is no boardwalk. There isn’t the normal flashy lights along ‘the strip’ sort of thing. There are not many hotels and there sure aren’t many motels anymore. Now, I realize the Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey beaches have beach houses to rent, but it is just a different vibe down in the Outer Banks. It’s laid back. You can go there, relax and get some peace and quiet. It truly is a get away, if you want it to be.
How far is it?
Well that depends on where you live. Here in PA, it will take you about 6-7 hours. However, we stop and eat breakfast and it could take us 8 hours. Also, you need to figure in traffic. We had a Sunday to Sunday rental this year and our travel time was very pleasant. The traffic was not near as heavy as it is on Saturdays. Plus more people have Saturday check ins. This causes a bit of a back up on the Wright Brothers Memorial Bridge because of the first traffic light off the bridge.
What area do you like to stay in? There are so many different town/village options.
We have stayed in Corolla, Corolla Light Resort, Duck, Kitty Hawk and South Nags Head. We have family and friends who have stayed in Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Nags Head, Rodanthe, Salvo and Waves. I personally love Duck. It’s a quaint area, but has a lot of things to do and you can walk to shops. Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head are where a majority of the shopping, entertainment and places to eat are located. This is where the 158 Bypass is located. They have nice neighborhoods throughout. Rodanthe, Avon, Salvo and Waves are the more quiet, old style, classic fishing/beach village towns. Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras are similar but a bit more busy than Rodanthe, Avon, Salvo and Waves. If you want very quaint, not be connected to mainland then Ocracoke is for you! You can ditch your vehicle (although you can still drive around by car) for golf carts, bikes or walking as your main transportation. However you will need to take a ferry to get there.
When is the best time to go?
The best months to visit are September and October. However, try to go before the end of October. One year we went around Halloween time and it was very windy and chilly. You can still walk on the beach and enjoy activities but it just was a different weather than we are use to. We started the week in shorts and ended in coat and jeans. September is a great time if you don’t have kids in school.
Normally we go the weekend school lets out for the Summer. It is always over our anniversary- June 10th. This seems to be before a lot of people start taking their vacations and it is before the rental rates start climbing. I also hear it’s the same weekend as the local graduations.
How can you stay there on a budget?
Well for starters, think about going in with other family members or friends on a beach home. There are many rental companies you can go through. There are a lot of airbnb options as well. When we stay in Kitty Hawk, my mom goes through woman who is local to us. When we stayed in South Nags Head we went through my husband’s friend. You can search Brindley Beach, Twiddy, Sun Realty, Village Realty, Carolina Designs for starters. There are hotels available at certain parts of the Outer Banks but not as many as there are in the Northern beaches. You can also camp at certain areas on the beach. In Rodanthe, there is a KOA and an RV resort and campground. There is also the OBX campground in Kill Devil Hills. Doing a quick Google search will yield a bunch of options.
I have become spoiled since renting a beach house. The kitchen typically comes fully equipped, so you can cook all your meals in the comfort of your beach house. We usually make a lasagna or casserole a week ahead and freeze it. We take coolers of food and also take pantry items with us. Then once we are settled, we buy the rest at a grocery store on the Outer Banks. You can save money that way.
Can you recommend some restaurants?
Miller’s Waterfront at MP16 (Milepost for those who aren’t familiar with how businesses are ‘landmarked’ in the Outer Banks) This restaurant is located by the Manteo Causeway in South Nags Head is a nice family friendly place.
Black Pelican is oceanfront in Kitty Hawk. It is a nice, family friendly and laid back.
Blue Moon Beach Grill– awesome crab cakes, according to friends of ours.
If you venture over to Manteo (on Roanoke Island along the Sound) Lost Colony Brewery and Cafe is a good place. My husband liked their beer selection. 1587 Lounge looks like a good place I want to check out too!
Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar is a popular place.
Mako’s Beach Grille and Bar is very family friendly.
Sunset Grille in Duck is Sound front and has a Caribbean and New Orlean’s inspired food.
Cosmo’s Pizzeria in Corolla is delicious and ranked as the best pizza in Corolla.
Max’s Pizza Company is also good if you are in the Kitty Hawk area.
Coastal Cravings in Duck has a great variety and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Any good date night restaurants?
We went to Miller’s Waterfront restaurant (listed above) before we went to the Lost Colony show.
Colington Cafe is a fine dining experience but the staff are so welcoming and friendly. We went there for our anniversary and had a nice time. The food was delicious! I wish I would have found this hidden gem sooner. They have been in business for around 36 years.
Really, any restaurant in the Outer Banks that I mentioned, among others would be a good for a date night.
It is my first time vacationing in the Outer Banks, what should we do?
There is SO much to do in the Outer Banks that my family and I have vacationed for years there and we haven’t seen it all! But for starters, definitely check out Jockey’s Ridge State Park. We literally have gone every trip. It never gets old because it is the largest natural sand dune on the East Coast and the winds and storms are constantly changing it’s landscape! You can climb the sand mountains, fly a kite, hang glide (you will need a reservation), sand board, and just explore the many attributes of the park. Like for instance, there is a golf course half covered at the foot of the dunes near the edge of the Bypass.
Check out any of the five lighthouses on the Outer Banks- Cape Hatteras, Currituck, Bodie, Ocracoke and Roanoke Marshes. The most popular ones are Cape Hatteras and Currituck lighthouses. You can venture down to Ocracoke via ferry and see the Ocracoke lighthouse. We did that this year, check out the blog post here. There is also Bodie Island in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Roanoke Marshes in Manteo.
Have you heard of the Lost Colony? No? Ok, here’s a brief explanation. In 1587, English colonists settled on Roanoke Island. Between the time that the governor of the colony, John White sailed back to England to get more supplies and finally was able to return three years later, the colonists vanished! This included his daughter and his infant granddaughter! John White and his crew only found the word ‘Croatoan’ carved into a post and ‘Cry’ in a nearby tree. No other trace of the settlement! This gave them the idea that they went to Croatoan Island. However, a big hurricane came up and damaged his ship and he had to return to England. Check out the National Historic Site of Fort Raleigh (This is part of the National Parks Service and has cancellation stamps available for those who collect them as well as Junior Ranger booklets and badges!) then catch The ‘Lost Colony’ show. It has been running since the 1930s and is a great production! Intrigued? Read more and buy tickets go here.
Why not check out the site where the first flight was made? Walk along the original flight line at The Wright Brothers Memorial and visit the museum The memorial is located in Kill Devil Hills. This is part of the National Parks Service and has cancellation stamps available for those who collect them as well as Junior Ranger booklets and badges!
Go see the Wild Horses– the surviving descendants of the Spanish Mustangs that swam ashore from shipwrecks and call the Outer Banks home. These horses are located in Corolla Light and Carova (which is the 4×4 area). You can also take a jeep tour from one of several tour companies. You can also drive on the beach looking for the wild horses yourself, you may need to let air out of your tires, watch for people and horses on the beach. On a good day/time you won’t have to go looking for them. On my high school Senior trip, we actually had two horses end up under our beach house!
If it rains and you need something to do, check out the North Carolina Aquarium!
Are you into sea glass hunting? You can find some all over the Outer Banks but the prime spots are Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Pea Island, Bodie Island and Ocracoke.
How is the fishing?
It is great fishing, however, it just depends on the time of the year, what you are fishing for and what is running. If you are staying up in the Northern beaches, my dad likes to stop at Bob’s Bait and Tackle in Duck and Fishing Unlimited in South Nags Head near the Manteo Causeway. At places like this you can rent equipment and they are very helpful! FYI- you will need a North Carolina fishing license to fish. These can be purchased at Walmart or at a local bait and tackle shop.
There you have it! My first Q&A on the blog! I hope you gleaned some good information and are ready to plan your first Outer Banks vacation. If you are an Outer Banks veteran, maybe you learned something new to check out! If you are planning your first Outer Banks vacation, let me know! Also, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask me!
Have a great week,
