N.C. Coast / Outer Banks - Visitor Info?

[spinr]

I'm somewhat ashamed to say that I've lived in NC all my life, but have never visited the NC coast.  Furthest East I've been was to Fayettenam a couple times.

However, there's a fairly decent chance I'll be visiting the Nags Head / Kill Devil Hills area for a couple of days, the week after next.  I'll definately swing by the Wright Bros. Memorial and will very likely roll down the Banks to Hatteras.  Probably do some general exploring in the area too.

So what are some other good things to do, see, etc?  Any can't miss restaurants to eat at?

[grislyatoms]

I spent many a summer tromping around the Outer Banks during my late teens/ early twenties, as such, some of what I say may be outdated.

If you can afford a charter out of Oregon Inlet to go fishing for tuna, do it. When I went, we caught so much darn tuna it payed for our charter! Some guy bought it right off the boat when we returned. I got to keep @10 lbs. of excellent tuna steaks.

If you have a four wheel drive, you can drive right on the beach at Oregon Inlet and surf cast. During spring bluefish season, (probably over by now) you can haul them in like gangbusters.

Forget about driving down during Memorial Day weekend. The traffic is horrible.

The Wright Brothers memorial is worth a look, and if you are prone to "extreme" sports, try the hang gliding at Jockey's Ridge. Even if you don't want to do the hang gliding, Jockey's Ridge is still fun just to climb. As I recall, it is the tallest sand dune on the east coast. The view at the top is spectacular. You can see the sound on one side and the ocean on the other.

If you can spare the time to go to Ocracoke Island, go. It's what the Outer Banks was like many years ago. A few little "bed and breakfast" type places that are well worth the money.

As far as restaurants go, I don't recall any that were exceptionally memorable, but most had good food. As with other places, the little hole-in-the-wall Mom and Pop joints where the locals go are a good bet. A little out of season, but if you can find a place offering fried Spot and Croaker, you are in for a treat.

Have fun!

[Happy Bob]

I'll second grislyatoms's advice to get to Ocracoke if you can. The NC Ferry System has schedules on the 'Net, and I think that the boat trip from Hatteras to the northern tip of Ocracoke Island is still free of charge (half an hour). Boats from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter (which go to the other ferry landing, in the village, I think) cost some bucks, IIRC -- it's also a much longer ride.

If you like to camp, the National Park(ing) Service campground a couple of miles north of the village is decent. Make reservations a couple of weeks beforehand if you can. Sometimes they used to have vacancies if you just showed up, but don't count on it.

Take insect repellent if you'll be around the dunes or at the campground (anywhere along the Outer Banks, really). There are biting flies sometimes, but they're tolerable. Sand burrs, too, so have some sneakers along for your feet (you can probably guess  how I know this). Flip-flops or Teva-style sandals are good. {EDIT: flops and Tevas are good wherever sandburrs AREN'T, that is. Sneakers in the few places where they're heavy -- such as on the dunes}

Spend some time walking around in the village. Try to eat a lot. On the harbor and in town, and Hey Grisly! ...is it Howard's Pub that's just outside of the village, near the airport? A hundred kinds of beer and some burgers & seafood; that kind of place.

I regret not having taken a hang-gliding lesson in the Kill Devil Hills / Kitty Hawk area. You can also do some surfing along the coast; talk to the locals. At least take a shorty foam board if you don't want (or don't have time) to take a lesson on a real surfboard. Go swimming in the ocean; it's wonderful. Ask first about undertow and currents in the area, and swim near people who know the beach.

TAKE A KITE! Sam's Club had good ones, cheap, at least last summer. Triplanes and pirate ships as well as regular-shaped ones. These are the kites that need a lot of wind to work well, and the Outer Banks beaches are perfect for them.

Oh, yeah: windbreaker, a cotton sweater, T-shirts, shorts, some baggy Khakis to go over the shorts in the evening OR after the sunburn sets in, and a STRING to go under your chin from your cowboy hat / beach hat / floppy hat / Tilley Hat. I once did the 440 Hat Race along the (not steep, but definitely sloping) beach, in second place for most of it behind my straw cowboy hat. I put a string on it immediately afterward.

Take sunglasses to keep wind and sand out of your eyes.

Have fun!

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

You'll need to bring lots of mosquito repellent, sun block, and patience with the traffic.

[duck hunt]

I lived in Kill Devil Hills many years ago.  Not a beach person; stepped on the sand once that whole year.  But I am a food person.  All the locals eat breakfast at Sam and Omie's, and Penguin Isle has good, well, everything.  My folks like the food at Kelly's too.

Don't complain if these places are long gone -- I have NO IDEA how much things have changed.

[armedcitizen]

As of last year, Sam and Onie's was still there and still a local fav.  Stack 'em High is good for a pancake breakfast.

Some restaurants we've liked over the past dozen years of summer visits:

Keeper's Galley
Kelly's
Black Pelican
Mako Mike's
Chili Peppers
Etheridge
Weeping Radish
Windmill Point
Owens



You should definately see Jockey's Ridge and visit the Kitty Hawk Kites store across the street.  If you can get up on the northern beachs, the Currituck Lighthouse is a nice place to visit.  Lots of good shopping in and around Duck.  The Lost Colony is a great outdoor drama on Ocrakoke Island.

Tons of info here:  www.outerbanks.com

Have fun!

[duck hunt]

Oh, yeah, Windmill Point!  I like that place.  I also second Owens and Etheridge but I didn't care much for Black Pelican -- small expensive portions.

Weeping Radish brews their own beer.

There was one new place I really liked last time I was there and I can't think of the name, hold on.  It was....TORTUGA'S LIE.  Awesome.

http://www.tortugaslie.com/

[mtnbkr]

patience with the traffic

At it's worst, it's better than NoVa.

We go to OBX once a year.  Every time, we hit the aquarium on Roanoke Island, we go fishing at the Nags Head Pier (caught a mess of Mullet and Bluefish last year about this time), drive out onto the beach at Oregon Inlet for a bit of surfcasting, eat at the Weeping Radish restaurant, tour several of the lighthouse sites, and try to enjoy being on the beach as much as possible.  Ocracoke is worth the trip, heck, the ferry ride is worth the trip just by itself.  Set aside an entire day for the Ocracoke trip though, assuming you're starting further north than Nags Head.  You'll want to take your time and check out some of the beaches on Hatteras Island.  Frequently, you won't see another soul in either direction on those beaches.

If you drive out onto Oregon Inlet, please air down your tires and have a 4x4.  The sand is deep and soft there.  When you come back to the road, there's a marina on the other side where you can air back up.  Don't be a tool and try to drive your FWD minivan onto the beach (yes, I've seen this).  

This year, my wife's entire family is renting a huge beach house for a week.  There's room for 18 people (only 14 going!).  I'm actually looking forward to it.  Last year, my daughter was under 1yo and was a bit freaked out by the waves and noise of the beach.  This year, I'm hoping she'll enjoy it and even get in the water.  That and I can't wait to try out my new pierfishing rig.  I rebuilt my granddad's old Penn baitcaster reel, loaded it up with some 30lb braided line (same diameter as 12lb line, so it should cast well) and mounted it to a shiny new Berkley Cherrywood rod (not the best, but works well enough).  It should be just right for the pier and doable for surfcasting...

Chris

[Jamisjockey]

I grew up partly in Havelock.
Must sees:
Shackleford Banks.  Go for the wild horses
http://www.shacklefordhorses.org/
Which is part of the Cape Lookout national seashore
http://www.nps.gov/calo/
Ride the ferry to Ocracoke, which is a cool place
http://www.ocracoke-nc.com/
Of course, there's the famous Lighthouses.  Last time I was home we (Parents and I) took my wife across to Ocracoke, over to Hatteras, and then we stayed the night on Roanoke Island.
Bring bug juice.  The skeeters are big salt water swamp skeeters and bite pretty friggin hard.
If you like to fish, you can fish alot of places along the way, just from the bank on the sound side or some of the inlets with a medium spinning getup.  Surfcasting requires new equipment, unless the blues are running close, then you can hit them with a spinning rod and a big bass plug.  You can drive out on the beach in some places, especially on Hatteras.  4x4 strongly suggested.
Here are a couple more sites
http://www.outer-banks.com/
http://www.outerbanks.org/

I'd cut off a body part to move back to North Carolina.  I like Utah, but it doesn't feel like home.
Its been years since I've spent much time on the OBX.  Git out there and enjoy it!