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North Carolina's Outer Banks

© Steve Strother

For the most part school is out for the summer in the Carolinas (or if it is not in your area it soon will be) and that means that it is family vacation time. North and South Carolina are filled with great family vacation spots. Whether you are looking for a vacation spot in the mountains, at a lake resort, at the beach, or in a city the Carolinas have a lot to offer. Of all the family vacation destinations in the Carolinas my favorite is the Outer Banks region of coastal North Carolina and most specifically the northern Outer Banks. The Outer Banks are a series of barrier islands which line a good portion of coastal North Carolina. The northern area of the Outer Banks is filled with beach towns and fishing communities with such varying and intriguing names as Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Duck, Corolla, Ocracoke, Hatteras, Manteo, and Wanchese just to name a few. A book could be written about the history and legends of each one of these towns (and many have) but my focus here will be on the highlights of family vacationing throughout this unique area.

My family first started vacationing in this part of the Outer Banks when I was probably 10 years old. It was the perfect age. I was still young enough so that I didn’t feel that I was too cool to be seen with my parents and I was still thrilled at the prospect of just being at the beach. At that time it didn't really matter to me whether there was anything else to do as I was happy just playing Frisbee and riding the waves (and to be honest I could still be satisfied with just these activities). At the same time I was old enough to have some appreciation for the history of the area so the sightseeing that we did while we were there was fun for me too.

Back then we would usually stay at a beachfront motel in either Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, or Kill Devil Hills – three beach towns that are adjacent to one another along a 10 or 12 mile strip of the Outer Banks. These beach towns are still the most popular tourist destinations on the Outer Banks. I have since found more romantic, secluded, and rustic locations along the Outer Banks but for family vacationing (especially for first time visitors) the towns of Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills are still the best places to stay largely because of their central location.

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