Outer Banks, NC

Pros: A truly wonderful place to go.Great beaches.
Cons: Crowded during the season.

Jennifer and I have gone to the Outer Banks in North Carolina 8 times out of the seven years of our marriage. We spend our anniversary there every year.We went twice in 1999 once during the season (from May to Labor Day) and the second for our...

Pros: secluded beaches, plenty of water and outdoor activities, eclectic lighthouses
Cons: may be too secluded or too crowded (depending on the season), restaurants closed off-season

If you're interested in getting away from city life for a long weekend on a budget, the Outer Banks is an ideal destination. Traveling from the Jacksonville/Wilmington, NC area, we decided to drive to Nags Head and return south from our trip via ferry....

Pros: Affordable, ocean and sound access, fantastic local shops, not touristy, community feel, near activities.
Cons: Severe flooding during storms, insects from standing water after floods. Light construction.

Can't find it on the map? You're map might have been floating around for a year or so. As of May 1, 2002, The Town of Duck has been officially incorporated into Dare County, North Carolina's sixth municipality. It's not that the area just sprung out...

Pros: Family Oriented, History Filled
Cons: A week isn't long enough to see everything

Every year for the past 6 years I have been taking my vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Each year we spend about a week and every year I look forward to going back. The beaches of the Carolina’s are beautiful and wonderfully taken care of. ...

Pros: Quiet, unspoiled. Beautiful, pristine beaches. laid-back, unpretentious atmosphere. Inexpensive.
Cons: Be prepared for burrs and mosquitoes in August.

I have been visiting hyper-manicured Hilton Head Island, SC, since my childhood and have also spent time in Nags Head and Kittyhawk, NC, so I am utterly amazed that I had never heard of Ocracoke Island before August. It is an astoundingly unspoiled ...

Pros: clean vacationing area, becoming more popular each year
Cons: although popularity is a plus that also means crowds grow

My history with The Outer Banks

For the past 13 years I have taken refuge for one to two weeks in the Outer Banks. My family and I would rent out a different house each year on the beach. Each house that we rented was oceanfront, providing a...

Pros: The Ocean's right there.
Cons: Expensive, touristy, Expensive, not much to do there, Expensive,

Our family visited the Outer Banks of North Carolina, more specifically, Nag's Head, Kittyhawk, Duck and Kill Devil Hills in July 2003, for my brother-in-law's wedding. I had been looking very much forward to visiting North Carolina, and experiencing ...

Pros: Off season no crowds, no traffic, great deals, secluded beaches
Cons: Lots of stuff closed until a certain date - check before going

I've been going to Outer Banks for about 20 years. I always go in the off-season (that's pretty much any time except June-August). It's peaceful and practically deserted - miles and miles of empty beaches, no crowds, no lines, no noise. The optimum ...

Pros: Pristine beaches, immaculate golf, the perfect getaway.
Cons: One main road makes travel slow.

We went to the Outer Banks for the first time in June of 2002. This is the perfect place to get away from it all and get close to nature.

Our rental home was in Nag's Head. There are many, many rentals there and each seems to be of the highest...

Pros: clean beaches, relaxation, great fishing and crabbing, friendly people
Cons: bringing the bed linens

My sister for many years had been vacationing at the Outer Bank in North Carolina. Finally a few years ago my husband and I decided to take the family there for a vacation to see what was so liked about this place. We have gone 2 years in a row and this...

Pros: lots to do, beautiful surroundings, affordable rentals of ALL kinds, beautiful sunsets
Cons: a bit touristy at times, only one main rd to get in and out,

Normally my family vacationed on the far southern shores of North Carolina (Southport/Caswell Beach) and while the beach there is nice and the community is really close knit and cozy, I found myself sick of going to the same place year after year and ...

Pros: The ocean practically at my doorstep, great food, peaceful, restful, and relaxing.
Cons: Having to go home when my vacation ended

My husband and I vacationed in the Outer Banks in September 2004 and again in September 2005. Going in the off season was a bonus because we practically had the beach to ourselves for miles and miles - kind of like having our own private beach. Every ...

Pros: good history, nice lighthouses, good food, shops, and plenty of activities for everyone
Cons: Can be a long journey if you stay on the southern beaches (Waves - Ocracoke).

I don't even know where to start, but everything about the Outer Banks is incredible. Please note that this review mainly focuses on the OBX towns south of Waves/Rodanthe/Salvo (Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, and Ocracoke). I've been going ...

Pros: beautiful scenery, peaceful
Cons: nothing

The Outer Banks are a great place for a family vacation or a quiet romantic getaway. The sun is gre ...

Pros: Excellent Family Hot Spot
Cons: Not mush. Distance? Its about 9 hours from NYC.

North Carolina's Outerbanks is a terrific relatively untapped family location. When I say family I mean FAMILY. You see, various islands of the Outerbanks rent weekly super-homes -- 5-11 bedroom homes with amenities galore. Pools, hot tubs, pool...