We're Northwesterners taking an east-coast vacation this summer, late June through mid-July. Are the Outer Banks, N.C. worth a visit if we're not too far from there anyway? Which is your favorite island and why?

Yes.

Duck + Carolla are upscale with huge houses but traffic is a problem and they are a pain with teens, who want to be around the action.

Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nagshead have attractions, amusements, etc. but no high rises.

South Nags Head is quieter but still close to the action.

South of Nags Head: Rodathe, Avon, Salvo, etc. is very, very quiet with few amusements.

I guess it depends what kind of beach vacation you want.

Hope this helps.

Worth it? Yes! But try to think of the OBX as a long chain -- therefore a little misleading to ask which island is a favorite. It's more a matter of saying that the Nat'l Seashore is a wonderful thing to drive through and then to try to choose a community for food and lodging.

Be aware that reservations for that time will get tight quickly AND that the earlier you go, the better chance of not getting completely fried by the heat.

North to South: The Duck/Corolla area used to be unspoiled but got developed quickly and with wealth -- McPalazzos all the way and only the Sanderling as a reasonable hotel-ish place for only one or two nights. Southern Shores is an older community and somewhat residential, less "scenic."

Kitty Hawk/Nags Head is very dense with elbow-to-elbow houses, motels, restaurants, etc. Not particularly lovely to see, but the Wright Memorial is interesting and it's easy to find places to eat.

South of Nags Head through the Seashore to Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo -- less densely developed but on their way -- a little quieter, too.

Hatteras south to Ocracoke, increasingly less developed to the point that Ocracoke is just a little town around the harbor and otherwise protected beaches. A few B&B type places, not much nightlife, but very idyllic and, imho, the most peaceful and quaint. But by the time you get down there, you are 6 hrs. from anywhere -- well, it's 1 1/2 hrs. on the ferry to Cedar Island (not exactly an island, but nearest "city" is New Bern) if you don't want to turn around and drive all the way back north.

Before you do anything else: Look at a map!

We go every summer (for 15 yrs) so it is definitely worth a visit. Rich w/history, but also lots of fun things to do, great piers and beaches, friendly people.

I miss obxgirl on this board. A lot.

Hatteras or Ocracoke sound interesting, because we would be looking for the quieter spots. I did look at a map, but I guess it wasn't detailed enough to show how you actually get from one place to the next, or from the mainland to any of them. Are there good restaurants on Hatteras or Ocracoke? We don't need a lot of stuff to do, other than enjoy the beach and eat some nice meals out. We will have a 14 yr.old son and friend along, but most Northwest beaches/islands are somewhat quiet, so they aren't used to a really busy scene. I had read about traffic problems. Is the ferry you're speaking of a way to get to the quieter locations without doing a highway crawl? And I also saw some mention of charter flights? Thanks for your help.

Think you need a more detailed map.

This one's kind of fun: http://www.outerbanks.org/location_m...index_1152.asp

This is the Park Service's: http://www.nps.gov/archive/caha/map.htm

But you also need to look at a map of all of eastern NC -- note A. that there's nothing like an interstate east of I-95 and B. that from the north, you can only get onto the banks across one of the two bridges at Manteo or near Southern Shores -- instant traffic back-up.

You can drive all the way down the spine of the OBX on Rte. 12 until you get to the end of Hatteras Island, at which point you take a ferry to Ocracoke. You can also come in from the south, from the New Bern/Morehead City area, but you have to take a ferry out to Ocracoke (and will need a reservation on that ferry), either from Swan Quarter or, more conveniently, Cedar Island.

How will you be getting here and getting around? Fly into what city?

Hatteras and Ocracoke are going to be really quiet. I would check to see if there is a tv where you are staying.

If you are considering a hotel, Hampton Inn and Suites in Corolla is really nice. It sits alone on a very nice beach.

If you want a cottage rental, I would look aggressively now. A lot of places are booked up for the whole summer. Some good rental agencies are Nags Head Realty, Stan White Realty, Beach Realty, Carolina Designs and Twiddy.

Btw, the closest airport to fly into is Norfolk International.

Howards Pub on Ocracoke is good but your not going to get gourmet food in those two areas. Think basic seafood, etc. If food is important, than I would stay in Rodathe, Waves, etc., where good restaurants will be within 45 mins. These areas are very quiet.

One more important point with kids. Educate the kids about rip tides before they go in the ocean. Sometimes, they can be bad in that area.

Thanks for all the great tips. We'll probably go with a hotel because it's only for 3 or 4 nights, and the Hampton Inn and Suites looks very promising. Any restaurants recommendations in the Corolla area and near this hotel would be much appreciated.

We absolutely love lunch at The Blue Point Grill in Duck whenever we vacation in Corolla (be sure to make a reservation). Other favorites of our family include the Red Sky Cafe in Duck, North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar in TimBuck II Shopping Village Corolla, and Cosmos Pizza in Corolla Light. Be sure to get some bikes and explore Corolla, especially the grounds of the Whalehead Club and the lighthouse; you can even ride bikes on the beach in the four wheel drive area! Enjoy!

Absolfreakinglutely!

Nags Head/Kitty Hawk absolutely nothing to do...but the dunes, the smell of the salt water, and the breeze has made it one of my favorite get away from it all travel spots.

Only spot on the east coast that has waves large enough to surf.

Stayed at the HAmpton Inn at the tip of NAgs head near the lighthouse....great hotel...clean and perfect location.

THEre is also a great seafood restaurant to the south of the hotel away from the tourist....where the locals eat at....one of the best southern style restaurants I have ever ate at...hush puppies,fried catfish, crab cakes...I Thought my wife...the little waif that she is...would never stop eating it was so good!!

Cant remember the name, just ask the front desk where all the locals go for seafood.

If I see a military person boarding on my flight, I always offer to exchange my 1st class seat with his coach. I Saw this happen a few years back...and I Thought what a great thing to do for our brave military.

Keep up the great work in Iraq...I support you 100% !!!!

How the he11 did this get here!!!

Mark,

What a terrific thing to do to support the troups!

I'm certainly in the minority here, but I didn't care for the Outer Banks. One of my sisters-in-law and her family go every year so I thought I'd join them one year. I was disappointed. They'd rented a beautiful house where you just walk down the street to the beach. We went to Duck to shop and eat so I was in the nicest of areas.

I didn't care for Cape Cod either so I'm just an oddball, I guess.

I must be a Caribbean water and beach gal. I like to see what I'm about to step on when I'm in the water and what and if something is swimming around me!

Corolla is beautiful, good choice.
I second the vote on Red Sky Cafe in nearby Duck. I have been going to the Outer Banks for 15 years. Some of my favorite restaurants are Fishbones Raw bar and restaurant in Duck, although it does get extremely crowded during summer. For a nicer and quieter dinner Flying Fish Cafe in Kill Devil Hills (30 minutes or so from Corolla) is the best. It's unassuming but has unforgettable service and food/wine.

Oh, and don't forget Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, just down from Kill Devil Hills - has the largest sand dune on the east coast, you can hike up and get magnificent ocean views of the outerbanks.

If you're going for only 3 or 4 days and want to avoid traffic, try to arrive and leave on a day other than Saturday or Sunday. Those are the 2 days that all of the weekly renters are trying to get onto and off of the island. If you have to arrive or leave on one of those 2 days, make it early in the morning.

I agree with KathyK. The Saturday and Sunday check-in traffic is miserable to Corolla. Route 12 really needs to have four lanes for the traffic it handles.

Some of my favorites for fine dining are Windmill Point, which has terrific nautical antiques from the SS United States. Also, Mike Dianna's Grill Room in Corolla's TimBuckII shopping center is very good.

For more casual fare, I like Chili Peppers, Fuji Mountain Sushi, and Carolina Seafood.

You might want to consider daytripping to Ocracoke. It takes about 2-3 hours to get there. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is along the way, and you can climb up there and visit their maritime museum. The free ferry ride to Ocracoke is quite charming.

Another nice side trip would be to Manteo and Roanoke Island. Manteo is fun with great shopping and cafes. The Elizabethan Gardens are nearby and well worth a visit. A friend of mine likes to go to the Aquarium every time she comes down with us to the Outer Banks.

Roanoke Island has people in period dress replicating life for the original settlers and a reproduction of the ship that carried the first colony here. There is a play that you might be interested in call The Lost Colony. It details the life of the first colony and their eventual disappearance on Roanoke Island.

Also worth a visit is the historic town of Corolla and Whalehead Club.

There is a risk of taking in too much history. Williamsburg is not very far from the Outer Banks. And, you might want to include a few days in that area on your itinerary.