We will be staying in Duck mid-June (technically one week before high season, but I'm guessing it will be pretty crowded). I'm wondering how long it takes to get from one town to the next? Is it going to take a while to get from Duck to other towns (like Nags Head & Corolla) for dinner due to traffic? I hear there is no grocery store in Duck either? Thanks!!

There's no proper large supermarket in Duck (Food Lion tried but got turned down). There is a Harris Teeter about 20 minutes north on NC 12 on the way to Corolla. That's where I'd do the bulk of my grocery shopping. It's a nice store.

There are a few options in Duck for specialty items or last minute/emergency things: Tommy's Gourmet, Winks Market, a pair of farm stands, and a seafood market.

Drive time to Corolla and Nags Head from Duck will run 30ish minutes. Saturday will be the biggest pain traffic wise. 7am to noon will be people leaving the northern beaches and Duck. Noon to five will be those arriving. Sunday can be a mini version of Sat. I'd plan to eat in or walk to a restaurant on Saturday.

Traffic thru Duck itself will always slow down a bit because there's a lot of pedestrian traffic, turning cars (no stoplights), and a 25 MPH speed limit. But it's not that big a deal.

Do you think it will take 30 minutes during the evening going to an early dinner during the week? It seems like a lot of the restaurants are outside of Duck (especially since we want reasonably priced family friendly options).

Our rental is Sunday to Sunday so at least we will avoid the biggest traffic on Saturday.

snowrooster, you'll encounter traffic.

All real estate rentals are either Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday and I'd say it is probably a good 50/50 split.

I highly suggest you stop at the grocery store for some basics before you get tot the rental.

Get that nights dinner, beverages, morning breakfast, a stuff for sandwiches.

On Monday morning first thing go back and stock up for the week.

Sunday night will be a nightmare at the grocery stores. I see it all the time here.

People check in at four, get to their house, unload, unpack, and head to the grocery store.

Locals stay out of the markets on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hopefully we will get to OBX just before check-in time - that's what we always tried to do in Hilton Head. Get there about an hour before check in, load up on groceries, and then get our keys & head to our rental. We are staying overnight in Staunton, VA so we aren't making the entire drive in one day!!

What about weeknight dining? Will it be a 1/2 hour drive between Duck and Nags Head or Corolla. We tend to go out to eat fairly early (around 5:30 - 6:00).

Yes, it probably will take about 30 minutes between Duck and Corolla or Nags Head during the week. A little less time to get to Kill Devil Hills or Kitty Hawk. All traffic going from Southern Shores to the Northern Beaches travels on one 2 lane road.

Duck is small but it has its share of family friendly restaurants. What restaurants are you going to in NH and Corolla?

I agree with most everything GoT says except the division of weekend traffic load. It's definitely worse on Saturday although leaving on Sunday can be almost as bad. OBX has a few Friday to Friday rentals.

Another locals tip: If you have out of state plates, do not speed, especially on NC-12. And not that you would, but don't even think about drinking and driving.

It's almost 15 miles from Duck to Nags Head. There are stop lights and traffic. It's about 16 miles from Duck to Corolla. So, yeah, you are in the car. (Plus it's ugly driving on the bypass.)

When we go we don't plan on eating out that often, or we'll try to eat at restaurants that aren't too far away. We also got disgusted with the smoking int he restaurants and got out of the habit of going; generally grilling out instead.


Anyway, from Duck I'd recommend the Rundown Cafe. (Beware the smoke though.)

Check out the smoking situation though. They are still arguing about that in NC. Yuk.

The drive between Duck and Corolla can be slow, because the road is winding, no passing lanes and lots of frequent stops. Traffic moves much quicker between Duck and Kitty Hawk and once in Kitty Hawk the road widens to 4 lanes and speed limit increases. While no supermarket in Duck, the Seamark and Food Lion in Kitty are not that far. If you have a cooler in the car is adviseable to stop at a supermarket along the way (before crossing the bridge).

As someone who quit smoking not all that long ago I hate the idea of being surrounded by smoke. Are there at least smoking sections?

Here is my preliminary list of restaurants to consider:

Kill Devil Grill
Run Down Cafe
Tortuga's Lie
John's Drive In
Sam & Omie's
Sooey's
Owen's
Steamers

Would love any thoughts or opinions from those who know the area. I like to go out to eat on vaca so I don't have to cook or clean up! Things have been tight for us lately but dh is saving for our vaca dinner nights out. Still, we need to keep it reasonable. He isn't a big seafood fan but I LOVE it and don't get it often being landlocked in Ohio!!

Kill Devil Hills - Chili Peppers at MP 5.5 bypass

Kitty Hawk - Black Pelican at MP 4 beach road

for burgers - Five Guys. many locations, kitty hawk, nags head, etc.

for a reasonably priced family friendly option - try takeout.
My family's favorite-steamed shrimp from Seamark grocery store in Kitty Hawk, takeout. Seamark will steam the shrimp while you wait, also has the best seafood around. Homemade cocktail sauce and dips. Grab a bottle of wine and take the whole shebang back to your beach house for a feast. Beats sitting in traffic...


Duck to Nags Head @dinnertime - estimate 45 mins one way. If there is an accident on the "bypass", you'll sit awhile. Be careful on this road - watch for cars suddenly turning or darting into traffic from the center lane.

^ I agree with the warning to be careful. The bypass is a bit of a zoo.

Last time I was there some restaurants had smoking sections, which were not secluded. Others just gave me a dirty look when I inquired. For some reason the smoking in Europe doesn't bother me nearly as much as it does here - although lots of places in Europe have smoking bans now. (Here in Rochester you can't smoke any place basically.)

Owens is a very old OBX restaurant, but last time we were there it felt kind of blue-hair. I think it's gone down hill. Service can be iffy.

I hear ya' about not wanting to cook and clean! LOL. We tend to avoid the beach between noon and 3:00 (I am very fair and have had too much sun in my life) and so by dinner time we are still on the beach drinking wine.

We are going down in May. I'm sort of so-so on the trip - mostly I don't want to be in the car that long.

There's a seafood store in Duck that is pretty good if you want to just race out and get something to throw on the grill. (I know that's hard with kids though.)

Have a great trip and bring some binoculars. The birds are great.

And hey, we just got back from a weekend in Granville, Ohio and the weather was better here than there! Unheard of!

wliwl - I can relate to the too much sun in my life (with the scars of skin cancer to prove it - and I'm only 35). We go to the beach in the morning and I wear a visor ('cause I still like the sun the brighten my blonde hair!). Our kids insist on a pool so they have that at the house in the afternoon. As long as dh doesn't make me too many gin & tonics we like to get out to dinner early to get back to the house & relax. He is the grillmaster so we will have to check out that seafood store. We do a "shrimp feast" at least once every summer vacation!

We're all just very excited to be going someplace new after several years in a row visiting Hilton Head. It seems like OBX may be a bit more laid back.

I just Googled the address for our rental location and searched for groceries nearby. A Food Lion and Seamark came up. What is Seamark?

Seamark is a small local grocery chain. I think they're pretty low end except for the seafood. And even then, I'd ask what's local and fresh. I prefer Carawan's Seafood which is in the same general shopping center. Much higher quality. Pricier.

Food Lion has sharpened its game a bit since Harris Teeter opened on the OBX but it's still Food Lion. Over all HT has fresher produce and a wider selection of food. There's one at MP 10 on the business road and one up near Corolla.

I was in the area in November and one of the Seamark grocery stores was closing then. I think it was the Kill Devil Hills location.

We really enjoy Steamers. You place your order inside and there are picnic tables to eat at outside. They are located in TimBuck II which is an "outdoor mall" in Corolla; mini-golf, paddle boats and go-carts are located there; although I think the go-carts and bumper cars are way over priced but afterall this is a tourist town. We found the seafood at Tommy's Market very fresh and there is a fruit stand right outside of TimBuck II.

No, it was Seamark in Nags Head that closed last November. The one in Kitty Hawk is still open but it looks like for not much longer. Harris Teeter will be moving in after extensive renovations. Sad to see a local business go but I don't know if the decline in quality was driven by competition or by something internal to the business.

Sorry, snow, for hijacking your thread.

You've got some real OBX institutions on your restaurant list! I agree with wliwl that the smoking thing can be an issue. There are smoking sections in restaurants but some of the places are old enough that the smoke smell is prevalent throughout.

Congratulations on quitting! That's a very big deal.

If you're driving to Virginia the night before I suggest you get on the road early the next day and into Duck so as to avoid the afternoon traffic. If by saying that you plan to arrive an hour before check in you mean mid afternoon then you'll be sitting in traffic. Arrive in the morning and enjoy the beach until your house is ready. Many times they are ready early.

"My family's favorite-steamed shrimp from Seamark grocery store in Kitty Hawk, takeout. Seamark will steam the shrimp while you wait, also has the best seafood around. "

I have to agree the steamed shrimp (and crab) from Seamark is great. Last time we were there we bought some their "rub" (similar to Old Bay but better) to take home. Sorry to hear it won't be in business much longer.