Our extended family started taking a biennial vacation to the Outer Banks, NC in 2016. After our first visit, we decided that it was the perfect destination to enjoy a relaxed bonding experience at the beach. Since we have gone for our third year now, we're going to do a series describing why we love the destination so much and talking about the town where we stay, Duck. Keep reading this first post to learn some general information about OBX. In future posts we will discuss accommodations, transportation, activities, and shopping.
The Outer Banks are islands off the eastern coast of North Carolina. Along one side is the Atlantic Ocean, and there is a bay on the other side. It is home to a variety of towns each with their own local flavor. Like we said, we stay in Duck so we can't speak too in-depth about other towns, but we will share what we know.
Duck
Duck has no public beach access because it doesn't have any hotels. It is a small town with a local feel. There are beautiful beach houses that can accommodate a ton of people, while there are also some smaller, single-family homes. Duck has some shops and restaurants, but the activities are limited to water sports like jet skiing. You'll also have to drive about 20 minutes out of town for a proper grocery store. If you're looking for relaxation, Duck is perfect! Otherwise, if you're interested in easy-to-access family fun, you might consider another town.
One thing to note is that the beach in Duck has been disappearing at a quicker rate than most of the island. From 2016 to 2020, the size of the beach changed drastically. News reports say that the locals are discussing a plan to restore the beach, but no finite news has been put out.
Kitty Hawk
We have gone to Kitty Hawk only for the day before to do mini golf and eat at a restaurant. As far as I've heard, there are some hotels and some more family activities than Duck has to offer.
Corolla
Corolla is about a 20-25 minute drive from Duck, so we have been a few times. There is a Food Lion that we shopped at for groceries, and several really nice shopping centers. My favorite store in Corolla was the Cotton Gin. We also went to the lighthouse in Corolla this year, which was cool to see.
Additionally, some of our family members stayed in Corolla in 2019 and they shared some intel with us as well. They shared that the dunes are very high, making it more difficult to access the beach for those who are less mobile. They also said that it was less walkable, and golf carts aren't allowed (which we learned makes a huge difference!). However, they said that the houses were slightly less expensive.
Other towns we don't have experience in:
Nags Head
Kill Devil Hills
Southern Shores
And more!
Overall, you have to assess what your family or friends are looking for in a vacation and do your own research on which town will best suit your needs. If Duck sounds like it could be the town for you, keep checking back at our blog every Sunday to learn more about the destination and tips.
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