As we said last week, our extended family goes to the Outer Banks every other year. We have always stayed in Duck because we know it is the perfect town for our family! In this post, we will talk about some basic information that you should know before you stay in Duck.
Duck is a small town without any hotels or condos, just beach houses. This means that there is no public beach access, just access from the private neighborhoods. It makes Duck a nice destination because it doesn't get overcrowded and it has a local feel. Keep reading below to learn more about housing!
Another thing to know about Duck is that it isn't the most entertainment-forward destination. We have gone with people of all ages, from a 2 to 72 and everyone has had a great time. However, if you're looking for a "Jersey Shore" vibe with go-karts, mini golf, arcades, or nightlife, it isn't the town for you. There are water sports in town like jet skiing and surfing, and other towns are only a 20-30 minute drive away to take part in those family fun activities. Still, we never get bored in Duck!
Housing
Location
As mentioned, Duck has only beach houses. Many of them can hold multiple families, but there are some single-family homes. The closer you are to the water, the more expensive the house becomes. With the island only being 1 mile wide, we always choose a house right in the center so that we have quick access to the beach and the Bayfront with shops and restaurants.
For location, you also have to consider the neighborhood you'll be in. The main strip of Duck is quite small, only a couple miles long, making it very walkable. However, you can also stay in the "outskirts" and drive into town. We have stayed on three different streets, each a little further south: Sea Colony, Schooner Ridge, and Scarborough. All of them were great and had easy access to the boardwalk and beach, but our favorite so far was Scarborough. It helps to look at the map to see what is directly across from the street to decide which shops or restaurants you'll want to frequent. The price can also vary by street, among other factors.
Booking
We aren't the experts because our aunt and uncle take care of choosing the house and booking it. However, we know that there are several different rental companies, and of the 3 we've used, Twiddy was the favorite. They have nicely updated homes and quick customer service. You can search for houses by visiting these companies websites. We've noticed that a lot of bookings happen in December and January around the holidays, so it's best to book by then to have the most options available, and bookings typically are for one week.
Amenities
The amenities in each house vary. Most houses are at least 3 stories tall and there are some with elevators if that is an issue. We've also always had a full kitchen and laundry. We learned after our first year that a pool is a must, because we spend the afternoons when it is hottest there rather than the beach. There are plenty of neighborhood pools, but we prefer a private pool to avoid crowds. We have also seen game rooms, outdoor corn hole and mini golf, and more!
Weather
We learned over the years that we prefer to go at the end of June. In 2016 we went in July and it was far too hot for us Northerners to be on the beach! In June it still gets hot, but bearably. It's tough to plan for storms, but we've always gotten lucky with a few showers here and there, but nothing consistent throughout the week that ruined our trip. We always like to go to the beach early in the morning and again at night, and then go to the pool during the hottest part of the day.
Transportation
As far as I know, there is no public transportation onto the island. Being that it is an island, traffic going on and off can be pretty congested. Once you're in Duck, it is pretty easy to get around with parking at each shopping center. You might sometimes have to walk a bit.
We definitely have to highlight our new vacation staple: a golf cart! 2020 was our first year renting one and it was a complete game changer! Even though Duck is so walkable and quite condensed, it does become a lot of walking to go back and forth from the beach, the house, and shops. Especially with older adults and young kids, sometimes we'd all hop into the car and drive, which is a bit of a hassle. This year our uncle decided to rent a golf cart and now we will never go back!
There are rentals available with 4 or 6 seats, and you rent them for the week. The company even delivered it to our beach house before we arrived and picked it up at the end of the week. It made it so easy to drive over to the beach with our chairs, rather than carrying them half a mile there and back. It helped not to get sand in the car and just to have the ease of hopping on and off. We had to take 2 trips to transport our whole group, but it never took too long. We had so much fun zipping around, maxing it out at 25 mph. And, you can drive on any road with a speed limit that goes up to 35 mph, so you can rent a golf cart in the outskirts of Duck to drive in-town. We learned that Corolla doesn't allow golf carts, and aren't sure about other towns.
We also see plenty of people riding around on bikes, so you can bring your own or rent one. Drivers are very generous with sharing the road.
In Conclusion
Thanks for reading our introduction to Duck! In our next post, we will talk about activities, shopping, and places to eat, all in Duck.
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