I'm so excited. We usually go to Hilton Head but decided to try something new this summer. I just booked a house in Duck OBX (in Ocean Sands neighborhood) for mid-June. Any suggestions for dining or attractions? We have two kids - age 5 & 7. Any good websites to check out? I did a ton of research in choosing this house, so now I'll be working on the other aspects of the trip! Thanks!!

When we were there last summer we went to the Currituck Lighthouse. That had some beautiful views up top.

We also went to Hawaiian Islands Ice Cream for a refreshing ice cream treat.

Hi:

The Outer Banks is nothing at all like Hilton Head. We love them both for different reasons. We have frequented Duck several times and usually stay in the Four Seasons neighborhood. Get across the bridge before noon if coming in on Saturday and your day will be less stressful. We like to stop at a fruit stand on the way in, get across the bridge, grocery shop (we take an empty cooler) and then we are usually able to get into our house early. Some realty companies will give you early check-in for a fee. We think it is worth it. We usually go to the Seamark foods (on the right as you come across the bridge because they have Boar's Head), there is now also a Harris Teeter. The Food Lion up in Corolla will have empty shelves by late evening on Saturday. There isn't a whole weeks of evening activities right in Duck. We usually spend all our days at the beach and pool and usually found ourselves heading south towards Nags Head for evening amusements. In Duck, for an adults only night out (NOT kid friendly) is Elizabeth's Wine Cafe. Splurge on the tasting menu. We also like Meridian 42 (Southern Shores Crossing Shopping Center) which is casual-nice, but there have been kids in there when we have been. the little Deli in Duck has great sandwiches and we like to eat outside at the Sunset Grille, the food is Ok, but it is very kid friendly. We like to go down to Kill Devil Hills Custard (a red and white bldg on the right in Kill Devil hills) and in that area there is a brewpub which is kid friendly and has pretty good food -the name is escaping me right now. We like to mini golf at Lost Treasure in Kill Devil Hills and there is a good pizza place called New York Pizza Pub (on the left as you cross from Kill Devil Hills into Nags Head) Up in Corolla is a take out seafood place where we usually get a clambake for one night (Steamers) in the Timbuck II shopping center. We love the tranquility of Duck, but don't expect the amenities of Hilton Head. Enjoy your trip. I think we may go in September this year with our baby who will be 1 then. We really like Duck, but haven't been there with kids. I tried to mention the kid friendly places. Happy beaching!
Kristen
ducknc.org has some info

We spent most of our vacations in the OBX and while we have stayed in Duck, the traffic can be daunting. I agree with the earlier comments about stopping in fruit stands and loading up on fresh vegetables and fruit. Great idea. If you get tired of the beach, I strongly suggest taking a day trip and driving down to the Southern OBX and checking out Ocracoke. Also there are many shops with surfing supplies that surfers would enjoy including surfboard skins.

take a look at www.obxconnection.com which is a great resource and lots of people who own and rent in Ocean sands can offer much valuable advice.

The suggestion that you visit the southern beaches is a good one and please don't overlook all there is to se and do before you ever even get to Ocracoke.

The OBX is much, much more than just Duck and environs.

We really liked the restaurant "Blue Point" in Duck. Get your reservation early, I hear it fills up fast in the summer. We have been there in two different visits and found the food very good.

www.thebluepoint.com

There's also a little shopping area around the restaurant to visit before the meal.

Blue Point and Elizabeth's are both great suggestions for dinner. I think Blue Point has a little better food.

Ocean Sands is really north of Duck and a little south of Corolla. Definitely plan on getting over the bridge early, and definitely shop at the Harris Teeter on Saturday afternoon. It hasn't been crowded at all around 2PM the last 2 summers. Take the kids to the Corolla Lighthouse and walk around that whole area. It is very pretty. You can book jeep tours of the wild horse country or kayak tours of the sound up in Corolla. Have fun!

I agree that the Sunset Grill is very kid friendly; go early for dinner to avoid a long wait; sometimes we like to go there for a late lunch, you will not wait and I find it relaxing at that time. Timbuck II is an an outdoor mall that is quite close to Ocean Sands - in addition to stores the following activities are there: we love the take-out place Steamers in that mall; they have picnic tables right on the bay so we usually eat right there; there is mini-golf and paddle boats; also rent kayaks and wave-runners there, as well as bumper cars (I found the bumper cars quite expensive).

Don't forget the Wright Brothers site in Kitty Hawk.

Jockey's Ridge is park with huge sand dunes that the kids will love. Sunset there is beautiful, don't forget flashlights for the walk back.

Depending on what your realtor supplies you should bring the following to get started: toilet paper, paper towels, soaps - just a few basics that can get you through those first few hours. Depending on the section of Ocean Sands you may be better off with bottled water for drinking (one year we needed it another we didn't).

At dusk the kids can walk on the beach with flashlights an find little sand crabs.

Most times I've stayed for a week or more at a beach, especially with kids, the evenings were for playing games like Clue, Monopoly, Charades, Mille Bornes, Fictionary/Pictionary, or - with older kids - any kind of poker. At 5 and 7, you can go a long way with a modified, kid-ified version of charades where they act out names of favorite stories or characters. Chutes and Ladders? Candyland? What's on the shelves nowadays at Toys R Us -- anyone?

Know it sounds hokey, but if you can get away from the TV and break out an interactive game, you get that quality family time that seems so elusive the rest of the year.

(Do check out the Sanderling, a bit north of you, for a nice dinner.)

I think Sanderling is south of Ocean Sands.

Blue Point is good, but maybe too pricey for kids.

Ocean Sands is a bit of a haul from Duck. There is a good fish market in Duck, we always grill out a lot.

Really, OBX is all about hangin' at the beach. So bring lots of sunscreen, buy some boogie board and kites, and chill.

(I like to bird watch and do a fair amount of it there, but most people probably aren't interested int he details on that. Ha.)

There is a bike path near Duck - if you plan on renting anything you can, and should, book it ahead of time. If you're going in the dead of summer you might rent a cabana. They're nice to have.

South of you in the Kill Devil Hills/Nagshead area are mini-golf areas but they are often crowded.

Be aware that if you run around a lot you might end up feeling like you spent your vacation in the car. Sometimes that creeps up on me there. Things are farther apart and the traffic is worse than you might think.

Get into Duck early the day of your check in. If you wait until late morning or afternoon you'll be stuck in traffic. We always drive most of the trip the day before our check in and stay in the Norfolk area and then get up early the next day and arrive in Duck by mid morning with no traffic. We aren't able to get in to our house until mid afternoon, but we spend the day on the beach or at the community pool of our development. Definitely go to Jockey's Ridge, fly kites on the beach and relax with your kids.

If you have a bad weather day and feel like the drive, go to Manteo and the aquarium there. The kids will love it. Manteo is an adorable town and there are a few good sandwich places to eat. It's also the site of the Lost Colony, but that might be a bit too mature for your kids' ages. Enjoy - I've vacationed in OBX since I was a kid and my brother lives in Manteo!

Weespxx -- There used to be a favorite restaurant on the way to Manteo - it was upstairs in a building, right on some sort of water inlet (there were a lot of junky fishing boats sort of abandoned around there as I recall). It was mostly a fish place, with really good hushpuppies and chocolate pie. Do you know the name of it? Do you know what happened to the people who ran it (I believe it is closed)? Thanks!

^ My mom says the name of it was Fisherman's Wharf.