Hellobee

We recently returned from a big family vacation in the Outer Banks! This spot is well loved by many on the East Coast for good reason; it’s beautiful! We joined my parents and almost all of my siblings and their families in a big semi-oceanfront rental house. The weather cooperated and we got some good sunshine each day, and the heat and humidity were never totally unbearable. We managed to all not kill each other (despite having 6 kids under 7), and had a great time filled with a mix of activities and quality time with family. The last time we went to a beach was on the West Coast last year, and neither K or D was thrilled. This year they both loved it and were much more adventurous! I’m so glad we went and I’m now pining to take another family trip.

Sunset over the sound in Duck – and you can catch the sunrise over the ocean!

I thought I’d write up some of the Pros & Cons for you all in case you were considering making a trip to the OBX yourself!

Pros:

Beautiful, Spacious Beach. If you’ve grown up along the more commercial parts of the East Coast, you may be expecting a big flashy boardwalk with lots of cheap shops. Although there’s a pier and shops spread around – there’s no boardwalk on the beach side! The only thing separating you from the ocean is some sand dunes. We were there at the height of tourist season and always had plenty of space, the beach never got too crowded. The San Diego beaches we’ve been to all have tons of seaweed and other junk floating in the water, we didn’t see any of that here.

Big Rentals.

For whatever reason, the OBX has a ton of rental houses, and most people go for those instead of high-rise hotels or other options. I think we would have had more trouble finding a house to fit our group in other vacation spots. And with so many young kids with early bedtimes and naps, being all under one roof was key to have time to catch up.

Our rental was perfect for us – pic courtesy of Outer Banks Blue. 

Mix of Activities. The OBX features a wide range of activities – you’ll be able to find something to suit everyone! There are things like mini golf, go carts, outlet shopping, and other attractions for all ages within easy driving of any of the beach properties. One pretty random activity we did this year was a Monster Truck ride! Digger’s Dungeon is just before the bridge to the OBX and impossible to miss. They actually have little ATVs for kids to race themselves, a tiny petting zoo, and then of course rides on the big Monster Truck. D was just barely tall enough to ride (I actually think he was under a bit but we fudged it), and he loved it. K was not as enthusiastic – it was very bumpy! But certainly a fun, unforgettable experience which I know the kids will just enjoy more and more as they get older.

For the more adventurous (or those without young children) there are lots of rentals for hang gliding, fishing, jetskiing, and all kinds of water-related activities. Obviously there are plenty of beaches, and there’s also the sound side of the OBX strip with a boardwalk with a few shops around Duck.

History and Nature. The famous Wright Brothers’ National Memorial is in Kitty Hawk, just off the coast. We didn’t go this year, but I’ve gone many times as a child – it’s so inspiring to be on the same field that they flew over for the first time! There are also lots of beautiful lighthouses to visit. We journeyed out to the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge which is a special spot to my dad, since both of his parents’ ashes are spread there. One great thing about Pea Island is that the beach gets much less foot traffic, so there are gobs and gobs of shells ready for picking! K and D had a field day and filled their buckets up with huge, intact shells. My sister and her family also checked out the Jockey’s Ridge sand dunes – I know when D is more confident on his feet he would LOVE running up and down the dunes!

Beautiful, empty Pea Island

Cons:

Traffic, Oh My God the Traffic. Because most rentals are Saturday-Saturday, the Saturday traffic is just awful. There’s one bridge and one road into the beach area and it got SO bogged down. It took us over an hour to go the last 3 miles to our house! Going home we weren’t as stuck on the bridge since we were out the door by 7:30am, but it still took us 8.5 hours to get home to Maryland (3.5 hours longer than it should have) due to other vacation traffic. On the way down, we split the trip going there by driving halfway in the nighttime, and whenever we go again I would just leave Friday evening at bedtime to head home, since at least the kids would be in a familiar setting when we transferred the to their beds in the middle of the night! Live and learn, and when people suggest finding alternate routes, listen!

Sharks. I feel pretty silly mentioning this, but it was on our mind a lot! In June and early July there were several shark attacks in NC. Because of this, several of us felt nervous being deep in the water. Of course I know there is still a higher risk of getting injured on the long drive down in the car, but it was still a hard feeling to shake off! I used to love body boarding and actually swimming in the ocean, but I didn’t take any time to really go deep this year. Our beach spot was close to a lifeguard stand, but still, most of us just stayed in leg-deep water. The kids were all fine with that!

Heat and Humidity. Coming from the swamp that is the suburbs of DC, I am quite used to high temps and high humidity. My siblings who are more used to Cali weather had to readjust some! We combatted this by going to the beach first thing in the morning, or in the evening just for a walk. Our rental had a pool which offered a nice break from baking on the beach or doing other activities out in the sun. It did rain for a short while almost every day, but generally I would say the weather was good to us. Just a note that if you’re not used to East Coast humidity to prepare yourself!

Evening shell hunt

You’ll note that I didn’t call out any particular places to eat. Although there are many popular restaurants, D is a pretty miserable toddler when dining out, so we kept it very casual (Pizza Hut, anyone?) or cooked at home. One day when my boys are bigger (and better behaved!) we’ll have to check out the famous seafood buffets!

Well that about sums up the OBX! Have you been before? When we go again, what should we be sure to check out? Any other East Coast beach recommendations? I’ve heard Rehoboth is quite nice…