The family- my pregnant wife and I and 16 month old beachlover would like to go to the Outer Banks for a nice week long beach holiday in late August. I'm from New York and plan on driving down there, and having a relatively moderate priced vacation. I'm open to a luxury hotel and would like to stay on the beach. We don't need too much entertainment. Our kid loves the beach, and we love the beach, so the less crowded and more beatiful the beach, the better. Alternatively, I'd also consider a condo rental on the beach. I just want to be in the nicest area of aplace I've never been.
Any advice on areas and lodging would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Andrew

Andrew, The OBX is primarily residential property renting by the week. I think it would be very difficult to find an oceanfront home or condo (of which there are not many) offering short breaks in August. You could certainly check with some of the local realtors (Twiddy, Southern Shores, Atlantic Realty are a few that come to mind).

Regarding hotels, I'd recommend the Hampton Inn in Corolla or the Sanderling Resort near Duck. They're both on very pretty northern OBX beaches. Don't know what your moderate budget comprises but I'm guessing the Hampton Inn will be in the range of $250-$350 a night and the Sanderling $300-$500.

We just rented a 3 bedroom oceanfront condo w/a pool on a lifeguarded beach in Nags Head (milepost 14) for the week before Labor Day for $1400. The realtor I went through (Village Realty) had about a dozen oceanfront condos available that week.

Hi, I'm from eastern NC and have a few ideas to consider. Our family usually spends time down in the Atlantic Beach area. I think it's a little more off-the-beaten path than other areas of the Outer Banks. There are two popular oceanfront hotels there - the Ramada and Sheraton. There are also numerous homes for rent in Emerald Isle, which I hear are fairly reasonable for the beach. There are tons of restaurants between there, Morehead City and Beaufort. Also, look for the pedestrian ferries to Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout, which are nearby undeveloped islands and the southern end of the Outer Banks. Shackleford also has wild horses, and Cape Lookout has beautiful beaches and a lighthouse.

We recently returned from a trip to the outerbanks. (we're fron NY, also) The 2 best places are the Hampton Inn and the Sanderling. If you go for the Sanderling, ask for a corner room in the main building. They're much larger.

We stayed at the Hampton Inn and had a suite that was large. I think the suites with 2 beds are even larger. The hotel was immaculate, but the breakfast was just ok. The beach was nice and quiet, and the water so clear. You can see your feet even when waist high.

I'm from NC also and I would say 'Don't go without reservations.' As someone said, most accommodations are weekly and if you are fortunate enough to find otherwise it is usually 3 days and they won't usually allow you to take all weekend days. >-)

You may want to try the Windswept Villas in the Currituck Club - I think Village Realty rents some of them. Try to get one facing the ocean for a great view. You would then have access to their community pool and they offer free shuttle service to the beach. The Currituck Club is beautifully landscaped and has lighted sidewalks - great for walking or bike riding.