Southern Shores (Outer Banks)
May 27th, 2004, 03:35 PM
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Southern Shores (Outer Banks)
I have a week-long vacation planned for mid-August in Southern Shores. There will be 10 adults and 9 children (ages 9 months to 9 years). We've rented a beach house from Sunday to Sunday (Beach Palace).
I'm looking for tips about the long drive from Cleveland OH. What traffic snags should we watch out for? Approx how long to get from the tip of the Outer Banks to our destination? Best rental car company?
Also seeking advice on things to do. Have been to the Chamber of Commerce website and received some info regarding activities. Want to find fun things for kids to do without too much driving. Any tacky carnival-type amusements? Any kid-friendly restaurants?
Thanks for any advice!
Kathy
I'm looking for tips about the long drive from Cleveland OH. What traffic snags should we watch out for? Approx how long to get from the tip of the Outer Banks to our destination? Best rental car company?
Also seeking advice on things to do. Have been to the Chamber of Commerce website and received some info regarding activities. Want to find fun things for kids to do without too much driving. Any tacky carnival-type amusements? Any kid-friendly restaurants?
Thanks for any advice!
Kathy
Jun 5th, 2004, 11:16 AM
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Southern Shores is a great stay! Refer to the Rand McNally Web site for driving directions, times, interstate construction/delays. It will take you two full days or 2 1/2 to drive.
Sorry, but there is very little on OBX in the way of carnival, (thank goodness). You'll be at one of the nations's best beach areas for pete's sake. Go for some of the water sports and visit Orville and Wilbur Wright and Jockey's Ridge.
This is a great resource: www.insiders.com/outerbanks/main-getting.htm#tod
Sorry, but there is very little on OBX in the way of carnival, (thank goodness). You'll be at one of the nations's best beach areas for pete's sake. Go for some of the water sports and visit Orville and Wilbur Wright and Jockey's Ridge.
This is a great resource: www.insiders.com/outerbanks/main-getting.htm#tod
Jun 5th, 2004, 11:50 AM
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Dfamily: You can find good mini-golf in Kitty Hawk and Nags Head areas, on the right side of Hwy 158. If those are too large or the courses to olong for your kids, there is a nice smaller course (themed on outer space) on the beach road at milepost 11 in Nags Head. There are go carts on the beach road in Nags Head, right next to that course. Also, there is a small amuzement park on Hwy 158 in Nags Head, Dowdy's, that has a ferris wheel, a small roller coaster (but good enough that my 11 and 13 yr old still like it), rides for smaller kids, a bumper car ride (good for the older ones), the whirling things that make adults sick but the kids love them, and an arcade. I think you will have mini golf up in Corolla area also, but it is packed- you might be better off driving down to Nags Head for a few evenings for the amusements.
Jun 14th, 2004, 07:35 AM
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EMD here. YEs, I second the aquarium! It's great. We always went when the kids were younger. Also went to the "Lost Colony" outdoor production on Roanoke Island -- very good. And the lighthouses. And Pea Island Wildlife refuge. And the "wolf tour" at night close to Roanoke Island where you can here the wolves howling back at you. Love the OBX- there is so much to do or you can do absolutely nothing.
Jun 14th, 2004, 07:51 AM
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Third the aquarium. Bring bug spray. Some of the mosquitoes are about the size of flying monkeys.
Visit some of the lighthouses. You can climb to the top (for a fee) at Currituck and Hatteras. There are some trails at Bode Island lighthouse.
Stop by the Wright Brothers memorial and Jockey's Ridge state park. The adults and maybe some of the older kids could hang glide there. Also bring a kite, or buy one at the beach. Great place to fly a kite.
Most of the restaurants are kid friendly because it's a beachy area.
Visit some of the lighthouses. You can climb to the top (for a fee) at Currituck and Hatteras. There are some trails at Bode Island lighthouse.
Stop by the Wright Brothers memorial and Jockey's Ridge state park. The adults and maybe some of the older kids could hang glide there. Also bring a kite, or buy one at the beach. Great place to fly a kite.
Most of the restaurants are kid friendly because it's a beachy area.
Jun 14th, 2004, 08:00 AM
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About driving from Ohio: be aware that rentals on the OBX turn over most often on Saturdays (though perhaps 1/4 turn over on Sundays). People have usually have to vacate by 10 or 11 am, and they can't enter their rentals usually before 3 am. Consider what this means for the traffic on the bridge(s) over to the OBX: REALLY heavy traffic leaving in the morning; REALLY heavy traffic coming in at midday-afternoon.
What we used to do before we moved to NC is stay over Friday night at a motel very close to our rental, usually on the mainland -- then cross the bridge the next morning (against traffic) and kill time until check-in puttering around to arcades, restaurants, etc. If you work with your rental office, you might be able to get access to the beach near your rental early on Sat., and possibly even early entrance to your rental but don't count on that.
Going home, we sometimes got packed up late Friday so as to leave very early Sat., or else we'd get packed up but spend the rest of the day on the OBX until the traffic cleared and then stay over Sat. night somewhere in NC or Va.
As to the best route from OH, you can see from a map that you have a choice of going through Richmond and south, or through Greensboro and east. It may look longer to go through Virginia but be aware that east of Raleigh, it's slow going indeed.
What we used to do before we moved to NC is stay over Friday night at a motel very close to our rental, usually on the mainland -- then cross the bridge the next morning (against traffic) and kill time until check-in puttering around to arcades, restaurants, etc. If you work with your rental office, you might be able to get access to the beach near your rental early on Sat., and possibly even early entrance to your rental but don't count on that.
Going home, we sometimes got packed up late Friday so as to leave very early Sat., or else we'd get packed up but spend the rest of the day on the OBX until the traffic cleared and then stay over Sat. night somewhere in NC or Va.
As to the best route from OH, you can see from a map that you have a choice of going through Richmond and south, or through Greensboro and east. It may look longer to go through Virginia but be aware that east of Raleigh, it's slow going indeed.
Jul 19th, 2004, 11:55 AM
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We go to the Outer Banks each year from Louisville KY. We tried the southern route one year and will never do it again - too slow from Raleigh.
From Cleveland, I would recommend you take the best way to Richmond VA, then follow signs for I64 to Williamsburg / Norfolk / Va Beach. Follow I64 to Newport News, then take 664 to get across Hampton Roads. This allows you to avoid Va Beach traffic. You should see signs that suggest you go this way to get to NAgs HEad. You will see signs on 664 that direct you to Highway 158, which you will take all the way to the Outer Banks, and will drop you almost right into Southern Shores. It's well marked.
Folks have already replied about what to expect for traffic - Sunday afternoons are not as bad as Saturday. We arrived on Sunday at about 4 PM this year and didn't hit much traffic.
The best thing to do is hang out at the beach and watch the children make sand castles.
Have a great time!
From Cleveland, I would recommend you take the best way to Richmond VA, then follow signs for I64 to Williamsburg / Norfolk / Va Beach. Follow I64 to Newport News, then take 664 to get across Hampton Roads. This allows you to avoid Va Beach traffic. You should see signs that suggest you go this way to get to NAgs HEad. You will see signs on 664 that direct you to Highway 158, which you will take all the way to the Outer Banks, and will drop you almost right into Southern Shores. It's well marked.
Folks have already replied about what to expect for traffic - Sunday afternoons are not as bad as Saturday. We arrived on Sunday at about 4 PM this year and didn't hit much traffic.
The best thing to do is hang out at the beach and watch the children make sand castles.
Have a great time!
Aug 5th, 2004, 01:34 PM
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Hi Lisbeth-
Check out sunrealtync.com. That's where we found the beach house we rented. I don't know how many people you have, but we stayed at Banana Breeze in Duck and really liked it (it has a pool, hot tub and sleeps 12 people comfortably). Just depends on what you are looking for though.
TheDFamily-
I second the NC Aquarium and also encourage you to play on the dunes in Kitty Hawk. Lots of fun. Definitely buy a kite. Also-you can try to scope out the wild horses in the northern outer banks. Bring fishing poles and maybe even some bikes. There's a great bike path in Duck (north of Southern Shores). Have fun-I'm jealous!
Check out sunrealtync.com. That's where we found the beach house we rented. I don't know how many people you have, but we stayed at Banana Breeze in Duck and really liked it (it has a pool, hot tub and sleeps 12 people comfortably). Just depends on what you are looking for though.
TheDFamily-
I second the NC Aquarium and also encourage you to play on the dunes in Kitty Hawk. Lots of fun. Definitely buy a kite. Also-you can try to scope out the wild horses in the northern outer banks. Bring fishing poles and maybe even some bikes. There's a great bike path in Duck (north of Southern Shores). Have fun-I'm jealous!
