Hoping some experienced OBX-ers can enlighten me. We're renting for the first time in Salvo (first time in OBX), starting Sunday, August 26. I've been reading about the traffic nightmares on Saturdays and Sundays. Does the traffic ease up now that we're near the end of August?

I hope so--we're driving from CT and staying in DE (with an 11-month-old) Saturday night. So, unfortunately, I'm sure it will be afternoon by the time we hit the island. Hope we're not sitting in a "parking lot" with an (understandably) cranky and loud baby. Thanks!!

Laura

Good news/bad news. Good: most schools will have started, so less family vacations. Bad: watch for hurricanes.

You might want to check out www.obxconnection.com in addition to any of this.

If there is a "traffic jam" it will be on the Wright Memorial Bridge at the more northern end and I suspect possibly around 2-4 PM since check in time is (for many) 4PM.

There may or may not be fewer renters...I agree fewer families...since a lot of people without school-age kids will be renting.

Thanks. I assumed that school starting was also a reason rental $$ dropped off at the end of August--good news for us! Hopefully that does translate to less traffic. We'll plan on trying to get to the bridge before 2:00. As for hurricanes, I've been watching the tropical update and haven't seen anything in the works. Phew. That's all we need.

I should clarify: I haven't seen any NEW hurricanes in theo works, that could potentially affect NC!

You shouldn't experience much of a back up on a Sunday around 2 pm, particularly because you're headed south once you cross the bridge. It's still a slow trip for people headed to the northern beaches. But even so Sunday is nothing like the Saturday nightmare.

(This past Saturday, traffic was backed up over the bridge by 12:30. Ugh. The 4 pm check in time is really irrelevant.)

I wouldn't count on their being fewer people or school aged kids. VA folks are a large contingent of OBX visitors and school for them starts after Labor Day. There are also lots of "locals" who come for the day or the weekend.

The southern beaches are less populated so you're not going to get the same kind of crowds that Nags Head and Kitty Hawk experience.

Hope you have a safe trip and a great week!

Good information. Thank you so much!