Take US 13 south from Newark Delaware. Stay in Salisbury if you want to cut the trip in half. Take the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel into Norfolk and then US 17 to head for OBX.
Stay out of Washington DC if you want to avoid traffic tie ups.

>>US 17 to head for OBX.<<

I don't think US 17 is part of the mix if you're taking the CBBT. Instead, from the CBBT:

I-64 east to VA 168 south to US 158 east to the Outer Banks.

Should take on the order of 1.5 hours to get to the Wright Memorial Bridge onto the Outer Banks. Plan to get to the bridge prior to 10am or you will spend another hour and more getting over the bridge and winding your way up to Corolla.

Thanks for the advice. Any tips on getting around DC? I always end up sitting in and around the area and never quite know the best way.

If you take the advice of the above posters you don't go near DC.

Continued, go down the Garden State to Cape May, take the Ferry to Lewes DE, take 13 to the Bay Bridge,etc.

Take 13 or perhaps even 113 south from 95 or take the Cape May ferry to Lewes and south from there.

You will, as was NOTED, not be anywhere close to DC but I am telling you from LONG experience...if you don't plan it right and get into that Wright Bridge back-up, you could easily spend a LOT more then 1.5 hours to get across.

Case in point happened to us a couple years ago when we got delayed leaving home from the DC area. Got to the end of the Chesapeake Expressway fine and THERE is where the traffic became bumper to bumper.

Take heed.