Trifter

My family just returned from spending Christmas week at North Carolina’s beautiful Outer Banks.  When most people think of a winter vacation on the beach, they typically think of places with warm water such as Puerto Rico, Cozumel, or Hawaii.  We were looking for something economical, interesting, beautiful, and fun.  We did some research and decided that the Outer Banks would be worth a try, and BINGO we got it right.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at the Outer Banks at sunrise.

First off, I should point out that it is too cold to swim unless you want to freeze your buns off; that being said, one can do just about anything else that is normally done at the beach … whether it’s surf fishing, playing football or frisbee, or just hanging out.  There are many places to sight-see in the winter, and it’s the best of both worlds because there’s so much to do but there are so few people around.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix on the Outer Banks.

First, let’s talk about finding a place to stay.  I googled and found a realtor (Surf or Sound), and we rented a house in Salvo, NC, just north of Cape Hatteras.  The price of the house was approximately one-sixth of what we would pay had we rented it in July instead.  The realtor was pleasant and very easy to work with, and we had no problems in our dealings with them.  This spacious house managed to hold all eleven of us, with room to spare.  In fact, it was easy to find a quiet corner for some alone time.  The house was within easy walking distance to the beach, and we saw beautiful sunrises, found pretty shells, and had convenient access for fishing.  This house had a hot tub that we enjoyed; it had a television and DVD player in every room (including a big screen in the living room and another big screen in the rec room); it had a pool table; it had an outdoor shower and footwash facility; it had two outdoor charcoal grills; and it had a basketball hoop.  The kitchen was equipped with all the appliances we needed.  The house even had an elevator to make it easy to haul groceries from the ground level up to the third floor.

My kids love playing a game called Sardines (sort of the opposite of hide-and-seek), and this was the perfect house for that.

We spent a lot of time on the beach; the air temperature was perfect for playing (50F to 60F most days) outside, and we had some great football games during the week.  We collected shells and other interesting treasures, and we had long walks or runs in the mornings and some evenings.

Things to do?  The Outer Banks area can fill up your calendar in a hurry.

The Wright Brothers Memorial / Museum in Kill Devil Hills is well worth the visit.  It’s chock full of history, and the park rangers there do outstanding jobs with their informative talks.  My kids and I have been there four or five times and we always enjoy visiting.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at the Wright Brothers Memorial.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at the Wright Brothers Memorial.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at sunrise.

Just south of the museum is a set of huge sand dunes called Jockey’s Ridge.  We always stop there anytime we’re on the Outer Banks because it’s a gigantic playground.  We played football for a couple hours and jumped numerous times down the dunes.

In nearby Manteo, we enjoyed the NC Aquarium and visiting the Lost Colony.  Both places are well worth a visit.  The Lost Colony has an interesting Visitor Center (including an informative film) and it’s free.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at Jockey’s Ridge.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at Jockey’s Ridge.

Picture taken by me with my Nikon Coolpix at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

We also drove down to Cape Hatteras and visited the lighthouse, which is the largest lighthouse in the United States.   The museum there is fascinating and they do a great job keeping it interesting for the little ones.

If you’re looking for an economical vacation in an uncrowded area, this is the place.

We’re already planning on visiting the Outer Banks next winter.  You should consider it too!