Weekend Getaway - The Outer Banks
“The Outer Banks, paradise on earth. It’s the sort of place where you have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island.”
If you’re like me and you’ve watched Outer Banks on Netflix 6 times (okay, maybe no one is like me), you’ve wanted to visit the infamous area on the eastern coast of the United States to see what it’s like and maybe find some gold. Newsflash - the show is actually filmed in Charleston, South Carolina, but the Outer Banks of North Carolina is 100% worth the trip. My best blogger friend Nicole asked if I wanted to spend her birthday in the OBX so we drove the 12 1/2 hours from Indianapolis to Kitty Hawk and stayed at a beautifully beachy Airbnb on the water and it was the best way to celebrate. I’ve compiled this post of all the things you need to do, eat, drink, and experience on a trip to the Outer Banks, including some of the things we didn’t get to but are worth checking out. I got a lot of info from blogger Alicia Tenise’s post on her trip to the OBX!
THINGS TO KNOW
We all know we need to do our part to be cautious and wear a mask to keep us and those around us safe when traveling. The most important part of planning a trip right now is doing your research! I can’t stress this enough, some local businesses have different hours or may only be doing carry out and no dine in so you need to be prepared. Also, being flexible and learning to go with the flow will make for a more effortless trip. You can check out the COVID19 guidelines and regulations for the Outer Banks here.
One of the biggest blessings on our trip was actually that we had a car to use. While the drive was lengthy, seeing the fall foliage in the mountains through West Virginia and Virginia were worth it, and the things we wanted to do in the OBX were sometimes spread out so it was great to have reliable transportation. There is an airport nearby but you’d save a lot more money just driving! I was fortunate to have a Jeep but didn’t do enough research about driving on the beaches but it would’ve been fun to try! Most things on the OBX are along the main highway that runs north to south, and on our first day it was really rainy so it was great to just go for a drive to see what was around us.
Lastly, the great part about visiting areas like this is all the amenities you would need aren’t far. We were able to grab Nicole a little birthday cake at a Walmart near our Airbnb, grab gas whenever we needed it, and Starbucks because it’s a necessity. I always worry on trips I’ll forget absolutely everything and then remember where I’m going will have the places I need if I happen to forget something.
EAT
There are tons of local options throughout the OBX to choose from for every meal! You all know I’m a big proponent of supporting small local businesses, especially with the pandemic, so I was excited to try and support some new to me places on this trip. Of course when we got there, we immediately knew we needed to find food since we’d been in the car so long. We found Rundown Cafe and I had some amazing tuna bites with honey jerk dipping sauce. I suggest coming here for lunch as well, they have a large patio on the second level! For breakfast the next day, we hit up the Outer Bean Cafe which was carry out and curbside only. Nicole had some IG worthy avocado toast and I had focaccia bacon and egg sandwich with a gingerbread latte.
Of course, no birthday trip is complete without mimosas and a charcuterie board so we went to TRiO to celebrate! The boards were large with lots of info on the meats and cheeses, and I also had some amazing oyster mushroom toast. I was on a mission to have as much seafood as possible on this trip since I knew it was fresh and local! TRiO also has a large selection of wine and other goods to purchase. We also spent a great birthday dinner watching the sunset on the water at Sugar Creek Seafood Restaurant where I indulged in some buffalo oysters and a cocktail with local rum.
For our beach day, we went to The Spot, which was right down the street from a ton of public beach access areas. Nicole loves acai bowls and The Spot didn’t disappoint! The bowls were beautiful and perfect for a beachy but healthy treat. We also had dinner at Sunset Grille to watch another beautiful sunset, and even though it was a little chilly near the water, it was worth it to spend our last night on an OBX pier patio. I loved how many cocktails this place provided and Duck was a super cute town!
DRINK
I am always on the hunt for local brews, especially when I’m traveling. I was so happy to find out that there were quite a few local breweries on the Outer Banks and brought some home as souvenirs! On the first rainy day, we stumbled upon an outlet mall and the Outer Banks Olive Oil Co which had tons of different olive oils to choose from as well as local beer and wine. I chose a pale ale from Outer Banks Brewing Station and another from Ghost Harbor Brewing.
Many of the local restaurants we went to served Kill Devil Rum, a locally distilled spirit from Outer Banks Distilling. I just purchased a bottle at a liquor store but you can also buy them on site at the distillery. If alcohol isn’t your thing, I also found Hay Point Kombucha at The Spot and it was so great to try some locally made kombucha!
DO
The Outer Banks is obviously great for foodies, but it’s also an amazing place if you’re looking for adventure and outdoor activities. Our Airbnb provided kayaks on site, but Kitty Hawk Kites has many locations throughout the OBX and has kayaks, parasails, horse tours, and more! You can also rent Jeeps in the OBX and drive them on the beach with the proper precautions and permit. We loved driving down the scenic byway that leads to Bodie Island Lighthouse and seeing the large dunes and miles long bridges in the Jeep. The lighthouse was so beautiful, and while you can’t climb it, you can take lots of pictures by it and relax on the nearby boardwalk. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse also was in a beautiful location!
There are also tons of beach access points along the coast that are open to the public, just keep social distancing in mind and mask up if you are walking past groups of people. We saw people fishing in the ocean as well as surfing and it was a great way to spend an afternoon with some snacks and drinks for Nicole’s birthday. There are also quite a few piers that stretch out into the ocean you can walk along and see the water. Nag’s Head Pier is one of the longest in the area and is a great place to watch the sun set.
THINGS TO DO NEXT TIME
Travel is so fun but you can only pack so much into one day. I’m actually excited we didn’t get to absolutely everything on our list because it gives us a great excuse to go back someday. As for food, Waverider’s Coffee & Deli would be a great place for a quick brunch and coffee before heading to the beach, they have pickup options and outside dining. Colington Cafe would also make for a nice romantic dinner and they actually have a lot of gluten-free options on their menu! If you’re looking for classic Southern Cajun cooking, the Outer Banks Boil Company is a great place to curb that craving! They do classic boils and use fresh and local ingredients, offering to go pots you can take to the beach. Duck Donuts is also a must in this area, it has a lot of chains along the OBX and is known for great flavors! Like I said before, it was great to have so much fresh seafood whereas that’s harder to find in Indy so trying Sanya Sushi Bar is definitely on my list for next time. Lastly, it was so cool to be surrounded by tons of history on the trip; I haven’t spent much time on the East Coast and being near Roanoke was incredible, I remember reading about the lost colony so next time I go to the OBX I’ll be visiting Lost Colony Brewery and Cafe in downtown Manteo near the birthplace of the first colonist, Virginia Dare.
For outdoor adventures, a trip to Jockey’s Ridge State Park would be amazing! These are the largest dunes on the coast and are there for you to climb and explore, and have gorgeous views of the sound on one side and the Atlantic ocean on the other. It was also really exciting to think about that we were on the beaches that the Wright Brothers first used to take flight in 1903! There is a national memorial in Kitty Hawk to appreciate the area being first in flight.
Overall, we had an amazing trip to the Outer Banks and left with so many memories (and very full bellies). Traveling during COVID19 can be very overwhelming, but with proper research and planning and precautions, you can have a safe and fun trip.
