Outer Banks with Kids
 

We are planning a July Outer Banks vacation with 8 adults and 7 kids ranging from 1 to 9 years old. We're which area in the Outer Banks would be best for us--when people say Nags Head is built up how "built up" do they mean? We live in the Northeast and prefer places like Martha's Vineyard--is Nags Head as bad as Wildwood ,NJ? The problem is I do think we'd like to be close enough to some activities with the kids--is there any place that is not as remote as Corolla but still nice? What is Southern Shores like?
Many thanks for any advice!!!!

dee7
We have stayed in Corolla & Whalehead and loved both. 6 adults,10 kids 3-16. We went to Kitty Hawk for a day on the 1st trip & Nags Head on the 2nd trip. No one wanted to venture away from the house to much because it was so great at the beach. Nags Head is very "built up" It was good for a day. About an hour from Corolla. You may want to consider Duck. It is South of Corolla & also very nice. We are looking into all 3 areas for this summer. Have fun, you will love it!

I like the area of Duck, which is between Nags Head and Corolla. It is more upscale than Nags Head and very family oriented. The homes are newer and nicer, many with private or community pools, which is nice for the younger kids. If you need a realtor to rent a home, we have been happy with Twiddy. I wouldn't consider Corolla remote anymore, there is alot to do up there and you shouldn't eliminate it as a possiblity. My preference would be Duck and anywhere north of there. It's not a bad drive to go into Nags Head for miniature golf, restaurants, etc.

We looked at alot of property and homes for sale in Southern Shores last summer. Major concern is the BIG dropoff there. At the lifegaurd stand I talked to the lifeguard who confirmed that the drop off is as bad as it looked- I saw a man go 6 ft. into the wate rand he was up to his upper chest in water. Way too much steep drop off for kids.
We love Nags Head- also rent in Corolla (some summers a week in wach one, back to back) but Nags Head is better with kids (and we've gone to both Corolla and Nags Head since they were little- now they are 11 and 14). I posted on reasons for this in the last week on another post if you want to check it out- the poster was asking about Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, or Kill Devil Hills.

I agree with GMT. We were there last July, and I had the same concerns about isolation with kids. We had one day of bad weather and then ventured down to Kitty Hawk, etc. Otherwise we had no desire to leave the beach. Lots of people rent bikes, too.

My one suggestion wherever you stay is to be sure you have access to a pool. It made for a nice break, and on the day the ocean was COLD, we spent time at the pool.

We rented a house in Duck. Loved it. It was a compromise for we first timers between Corolla and KDH. Now that I've seen the place, I won't rent further south than Duck.

Have fun.