OBX Vacation Suggestions

I had written a long response and computer ate it!

Williamsburg and Jamestown are great but the long trip to get there from the OBX, and the fact that each requires at the very least one full day to see and do things -- well, I would save them for another trip.

The older kids and adults may love the lighthouses. OBX has some of the world's tallest and most significant lights. Great for climbing and views, but not for little ones to climb (and the youngest could not be carried up--not allowed). But truly they are "musts" if you want the real OBX. You are staying closest to Currituck light, and Bodie Island light is not far south of you. The big daddy of all lighthouses, the Cape Hatteras light, is farther south but worth the trip if the older kids want to say they climbed the tallest brick lighthouse in the world!

Also go to Roanoke Island (very close, just over the causeway from the banks). Manteo is the main town. Go to Roanoke Island Festival Park for the lovely recreated ship based on the one that brought the first English settlers to the New World (yes! Before Jamestown and certainly way before Plymouth!). The settlers' mysterious disappearance is a huge part of OBX history and should interest any history-loving or mystery-loving teen or adult. Go to roanokeisland.com for more about what's on offer. And the town of Manteo has restaurants and boutiques as well.

Jockey's Ridge is the tallest sand dune on the East Coast and very dramatic to walk along or a great place to fly kites. Be sure to bring kites for the beaches!

There is a wonderful state park just south of Nags Head, on the ocean side, and roughly across from Bodie Island lighthouse. THis park has changing rooms, outdoor showers to get the sand off, etc. but you feel so isolated once you're on the beach. Nice change from the more crowded beaches north of it, and really very close.

Enjoy!

Visit Canadian Hole with the kids: http://www.hatteras-nc.com/CanadianHole/. It's shallow for quite a ways out.

I didn't take the kids with me, but my mom and I really enjoyed Kitty Hawk.

Depending on which way you are going, you can stop by Bush Gardens or the Virginia Zoo. I'm pretty sure that's the one we dropped in on: http://www.virginiazoo.org/

We've stayed in Southern Shores....YEARS ago. It was very laid back at the time--not much to do in that immediate area but Nag's Head is pretty close.
Jockey's Ridge dunes, kite flying on the dunes, bike rentals, water parks and the like are on every block!

Williamsburg is about 3 hours away from OBX. We do Williamsburg often (going for Memorial Day Weekend) and we are going to OBX for the first time starting on Mother's Day for a week.

When we go to OBX, I plan to take the kids to the Wright Brothers Musuem, they are big into history things! I also want to do the rent a jeep and do the sand dunes thing...if you look in my past questions I asked one about OBX and there are LOTS of great tips in there. I'm going to revisit that link in a week or so to start planning out our time...but I do plan to spend a lot of time at the beach and the house just relaxing.

I can't quite remember how far away you are from Va, but I lived in Va beach and will be going back to visit my inlaws mid summer. If you don't mind the drive, Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown are really cool places to visit. There is also Busch Gardens Theme PArk. Just a few ideas north of you. Have fun!!

Late in the day, say after 6 due to the heat, must walk the Kitty Hawk Jockey's Ridge dunes and Wright Brothers museum (this closes earlier, go there first). Put the little one in a carrier and recognize whomever is carrying them won't get as far, as it's a hike, but AWESOME. You'll likely see a few hang gliding off the dunes, which is something you may want the teens to do as they offer lessons.

On Corolla, sign up for the ATV tour (2 can ride on one). You'll need a sitter if you plan to go.

Get a UV50 sun tent for the little ones for the beach and UV50 swimsuits/hats so you can spend lots of time in the water. I'd avoid that 11-2 timeframe.

They have pretty inexpensive short canvas rafts for the ocean for the older ones at all the beach shops ie. WAVE.