OBX family vacation

We are looking to plan a wonderful family vacation for my two girls ages 4 and 7. We have never been to the outer banks, but would love to try it. Does anyone have any tips on towns, locations, and rentals? We love the sunset, sand and picking shells. My girls enjoy swimming, but are not strong swimmer so surf is important. The Jersey shore was too much for them. Is there something quieter in NC? Thanks for any advice.

OBX family vacation

There is so much to do all up and down the Outer Banks. You will have a wonderful vacation.

I would suggest checking out the forums for each area starting with Corolla, Duck, Kitty Hawk, Nag%26#39;s Head, Kill Devil Hills, and then further down to Avon, Hatteras, and Ocracoke.

As for the water, it%26#39;s still the ocean down here, it is rough on any given day. Some beaches have steep drop offs, and all areas have the threat of rip currents.

I am not trying to scare you, but you just have to be careful, there are drownings every year, even with strong swimmers.

That said, we have been vacationing with our now 15 year up and down the banks since he was a toddler; you just can%26#39;t take your eyes off them, even when they protest!

You also may want to consider a house with a pool so they can get some swimming in. Here is a site for you

http://www.outerbanks.org/

Others will write more I am sure.

OBX family vacation

When you ask for ';quieter';, I am assuming you are refering to the surf. If that is the case, than the above poster is correct, and there are strong rip currents, etc. here on the OBX. That said, there can be big waves, strong currents, and rip tides at any east coast beach. I like the idea of the house, or hotel, with a pool as it does give that other option for swimming. Also, on days when the surf is rough, you can always enjoy swimming in the sound. There is a great State Park access in Nags Head just north of Jockeys Ridge with a beautiful sound beach.

The OBX beaches are not as built up as many other areas, and there is no boardwalk. There are lot%26#39;s of good places to eat, sightsee, and there are some local attractions like the Wright Bros memorial, the Lost Colony show in Manteo, and the aquarium.

Let us know a little more about the activities you like, etc. and people here will help. There is a lot of knowledge on this board, and people are happy to help and offer suggestions.

Do check all those forums Lynn mentioned and do word searches in the little empty box right on top of the topics for anythin you%26#39;re interested in. In some of the the posts on a forum people responding might contribute into on other areas since the towns are so close together...and some people post just on the NC or Outer Banks forums. The search is fun and wonderfully informative, though.

Thank you for your insightful tips. When I can get some ';quiet'; time, I will be sure to check out the other forums. A house with a pool sounds like a wonderful idea...finding one in our budget is the challenging part. Has anyone ever rented a house, or a condo in the area? I prefer a house in close proximity to the shore...any thoughts?

Thanks again.

When you do your word search you%26#39;ll see some posts of mine about Corolla Light. We like that one for some of our family gatherings. It%26#39;s handy with all the activities the kids can take part in or not...low key stuff occasionally during the week; hairbraiding, sno cones, game hut, restaurant, shops nearby, trolley. We like the young child pool with its own fence and gate and large deck and adult size chaises so adults can relax there with one taking turns watching the kiddies and playing with them...yes, actually playing with them because it%26#39;s that in between depth, not tiny like the baby pool and not deep like the adult. It think the deepest it gets is 4 or 5 feet with a big section of much shallower. There%26#39;s also the Sport Center for indoor stuff, including a pool. But our group always seems to like to head to the beach. The pool around home is not different enough for those kids I think:)

For magnificent views and a lower price, try some of the soundfront or soundside places. If you%26#39;re in Duck or Corolla, etc. Rt. 12 is just two lanes so the trip to the beach isn%26#39;t bad and some communities have a trolley to take you. The sound is enormous and can offer boating if you%26#39;re into it. That%26#39;s where the absolutely fabulous sunset views are.

Many homes listed as just ';oceanside'; actually have terrific ocean views.

If you can, you might be a tad flexible on dates and search a week or two either way of your preferred week to see if the rates would be lower then. Just a way to save if you have the flexibility.

When you do your search you%26#39;ll see lots of ... even recent ... tips on kids and the beach and things to do and bring and all the great places to eat and play.

I would look into the Buxton/Frisco area. The beach is more shallow around the airport beach access than in most places that I%26#39;ve seen on Hatteras Island. I can%26#39;t give any advice about the northern beaches since I never venture up that way. Also there are several nice beach areas on the sound. Less than a mile north of Buxton there is an outstanding beach right on the sound. You can walk out into the water for what seems to be forever and still barely be over knee high.

There is less to do on Hatteras Island when it comes to non-beach activities. There isn%26#39;t as much shopping or dining options but there is enough.

Thanks for the new tips...I plan to look into them!

For a smaller home for one family try Wright Property Management. We%26#39;ve rented a couple of beautiful smaller homes form them. www.wpmobx.com Good luck.