cindyrob

We'll be in North Carolina in April. We'd like to take a 2-3 day vacation to the Outer Banks. We need some advice as to what area to stay in. We're looking for a bed and breakfast. We like small towns (not too touristy), good seafood, walks on the beach, maybe some light houses, or drives along the coast. We're looking for relaxing and romantic "mini-vacation."

What area should we visit?

Thanks!
Cindy

cartera45

If you are willing to splurge, the Sanderling Inn has what appears to be a very nice spring package for 2 nights - includes breakfast and one lunch. It is a beautiful place but that package is about $250 a night. That area of the beach should be nice in April - too chilly still for big crowds.

sunflower2

If you have time to take the ferry to Ocracoke, it is a very lovely island w/ a small town atmosphere, great seafood & food in general, nice beaches, a lighthouse, and you can rent bikes & bike around the "village" & surrounding area.

We've also spent a lot of time between Nags Head & Duck at various places....i don't know about B & Bs, but Duck & Corolla might fit into what you're looking for.

Have fun!

Sunflower2

emd

Do a search for "outer banks" and check other posts here recently regarding the recovery from Hurricaine Isabel in the southern Outer Banks. It is mostly the southern area, and I can't recall what they said about Ocracoke. I think Sanderling Inn is the only nicer hotel right on the ocean. There are a few other B&Bs in the northern beaches that I have stayed in in past years, not sure if they are all still open- 5 Cents (mihgt be Advice and 5 Cents) in Duck,
Inn at Corolla Light (which gives you access to the Corolla Light amenities like indoor tennis, huge indoor pool, likely to come in handy in April).
First Colony Inn in Nags Head is favorite of mine, a very nice B&B w/water views in some rooms, a block from the beach, very nice owner and nice rooms and furnishings. I know they are still there as I went by last summer and have emailed w/them on their website recently. There are also some B&Bs on Roanoke Island which is joined to the lower Nags Head area by a bridge- and Roanoke Island may offer some of the charm you are looking for as the waterfront has an area to walk the streets, shop and dine, an interesting living historical museum on the settlement of the area by the British, and the nice NC aquarium. If you stay at First COlony or on Roanoke Island you'd be close to Bodie Island lighthouse (close to Pea Island Wildlife refuge), and Hatteras lighthouse is 30-40 min down the road from there. There you catch the ferry to Ocracoke and that lighthouse. I don't know the B&Bs on Roanoke Island (in town of Matteo) but hopefully someone can fill you in on those.
If you stay at Sanderling Inn, the hotel is nice, it is on the beach, and you'd have easy access to the shops that line the main road through Duck (also a more upscale shopping area called Timbuktu further up the hwy), and the Currituck lighthouse. It's more upscale than and fuller service than a B&B, has a full scale dining room.

chrisdave

Hi cindyrod, I don't know if you are still looking into the OBX for April, but last fall we stayed in Duck at the Advice 5 cents B&B and really enjoyed it! The ocean is just a couple of minutes from the B&B (depending on how fast you walk- you can see the ocean from their breakfast nook). Duck is very quiet, we will certainly go back. When we went to Duck to check-in we decided to drove up to Corolla to see the lighthouse and then went back to Duck and had a nice dinner in town, the next day we went to the Wright Bro. museum and enjoyed some of the other sights and then the last day we drove the length of the island and took the ferry from the end of Ork. to the mainland (Cedar Island). On OBX there is only 1 road that goes all the way up to Corolla and all the way down to Ork. so going in April would be a great time to keep you out of the touristy season.

Kill Devils Hill and Nags Head is very touristy (McDonalds, banks, an outlet, grocery stores) Duck to Corrolla and Whalebone Junction to Ocracoke is less so, you'll want to keep your fodors guide handy to find a place to eat.

For lighthouses there are: Corolla, Bodie and Cape Hatteras (you can go up in for a fee)and in Ocracoke there is also a lighthouse but you can only view it from a fence since I think it is on private land.

I hope this helps.