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We are planning on going to the Outer Banks in August. We will be renting a home for a week and would like recommended areas as well as recommended rental companies. Also who to stay away from. Also, please tell us things to do that a family of 4 might enjoy (myself, wife, 5 yr old and 15 yr old). Good restaurants, shopping, etc. Good photographic places? Also, we have a jeep, so any info on wheel driving on the beach as well as info on fishing and crabbing. Never have crabbed before, so anywhere that you would recommend that may help.

Thanks

For lots of info go to www.outerbanks.com

The first thing you are going to have to do is decide what part of the OBX might suit you best, and for a first-tiome visitor that isn't always easy.

realty companies abound but three which have cottage searchable websites are:

www.sunrealtync.com (probably the company with the largest inventory of rentals on all parts of the OBX)

www.outerbeaches.com

www.hatterasvacations.com (the Colony realty site...a company with smaller inventory centered mainly in the area BELOW Nags Head, i.e., Avon, Frisco, Hatteras Village)

My only other advice is DON'T WAIT because you are going to find many places are already booked for the Summer.

There are lots of great places in the Outer Banks. We usually go north to Duck and beyond that to Corolla. North of Corolla there are homes to rent that are only accessible to 4-wheel drive vehicles. We like to use www.Twiddy.com.

The three sites I gave you also allow pet-friendly searches if that is an issue.

Looks at www.doghousesportfishing.com and ask Capt Britt about fishing. If he can't suit your needs, he knows all the captains down at the beach and all of the fishing spots too!

I just rented with Southern shores, and they've been wonderful. I'm headed down this week.
southernshores.com

There are lots of rental agencies, and generally they are all pretty good. Sun Realty is the biggest, then Prudential Resort Realty. Corolla has 4 wheel driving with hard sand. Coquina and Oregon Inlet also does. Sand can be very soft, so follow paths of other cars. Crabbing is good on the sound by mid summer. Lots of people hang out on bridges to Collington (just past Wright Bros) and the bridge to Manteo. Tackle shops can set you up. You need lines and a net.

A couple possibilities, depending on where you end up staying:

1.) If you are relatively close to Buxton, be sure to stop at the Orange Blossom Bakery for breakfast, and order an Apple Ugly (you'll need to get there early)

2.) At Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge they have programs to hear the Red Wolves howl --- I think the 5 year old would love it, and the adults in our group enjoyed it as well

3.) Since you'll be there in August, you could see the Purple Martin flight into their evening roost at Manns Harbor. They have programs on Thursday nights. There are so many birds coming in to roost under the bridge that it can be picked up on Doppler radar. Seeing 100,000 birds arrive at the same location over the course of a few minutes is spectacular.

We've been going to the outer banks for years, and we have used Nags Head Realty-- www.nagsheadrealty.com. They have some really nice rentals.
If you love fishing, the outer banks is great place for sport fishing.
When we visited Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, many people were parked nearby on the sand for some world class sport fishing. Cape Hatteras is easily photogenic. http://www.nps.gov/caha I usually like to take the ferry to Ocracoke, and the ferry ride is gorgeous. http://www.ocracoke-nc.com These sites can be done in one day.

I usually like to make one trip to Manteo when I am down there. There are a lot of charming shops and restaurants and boat docks to occupy your time there. While in Manteo, I have visited the Elizabethan Gardens and the Aquarium on seperate occasions. Also, the Lost Colony play is a rather well done historical drama of the first settlers of the United States. But, this show might be too much for a five year old.
www.townofmanteo.com www.elizabethangardens.org www.outerbanks.com/ncaquarium
www.thelostcolony.org
If you are staying up in Duck or Corolla, you might do a quick trip to the Currituck lighthouse.

Also, the Wright Brothers Memorial is rather neat. http://www.nps.gov/wrbr/

As for shopping, I usually do not do much shopping down there. I sometimes find nice stuff for the house at the Cotton Gin, which is a chain located throughout the Outer Banks. Also, if you want to buy a hammock, the best you could buy are Nags Head Hammocks.

As for restaurants, for a nice sit down meal, I like the Windmill Point restaurant. There is a pretty windmill on the property, as well as many nautical antiques. Carolina Seafood Buffet is an annual tradition for us, and we arrive early enough for the free lobster tail. Also, the Weeping Radish in Manteo has really good German food.

Woodsters, if you can go the week of August 19th, the prices drop significantly on most rentals (ours is $1500 less that week!).

I like kittydunes.com and Prudential in the OBX, they seem to have better prices, as does the previously mentioned Southern Shores. Pay attention to whether you rent a house within walking distance to the beach, if not, you'll want parking (parking sticker). Also pay attention to whether the house you rent has access to a pool.

This is our third summer renting that last week of August and we love it, we've had great weather, not to hot, and the lower prices are a boon.

You can bodysurf or use boogie boards, go mini-golfing, ride bikes, play tennis, rent ATV's, rent jetskis, fish, ocean kayak, drive on the beach north of Corolla, go shopping, relax in the hot tub (that most homes have) or spend all day on the beach.

A must do is to stop at the Visitors Center to get information on things to do/see/eat and coupons, there is enough there to keep you busy for a month.

Never a dull moment in the OBX.

Oh, if you like wine stop in at Elizabeths restaurant and wine shop in Duck, he has an amazing cellar with verticals of Petrus, etc., worth an absolute fortune. Fun to chat with the owner if you're into wine.

Don't forget to take your kites. I bought my first kite a few years ago at Kitty Hawk Kites in Corolla during my first visit to the OBX. The store has several locations throughout OBX and they're online. I'll be visiting again in July and plan on taking my kite collection.

Here's the address for Kitty Hawk Kites:
http://www.kittyhawk.com/

I highly recommend Outer Banks Blue - www.outerbanksblue.com. We just celebrated our 40th anniversary with our family at their property “Cara Lina" and everyone had a great time.