Things to Do – An Outer Banks Blog

Best Family Friendly Restaurants on the Outer Banks

Are you and your family coming to the Outer Banks for your next family vacation? If the answer is yes, then we have to tell you about the best family friendly restaurants on the Outer Banks. We at Outer Banks Rentals can tell you about some of the best restaurants that you will want to take your family to dine at. Let’s look below at where you and the family can enjoy some great food and fun while you vacation on the Outer Banks this year.

Spanky’s Grille

Does your family love hamburgers and hot dogs? If so, then we have the perfect restaurant located in Kitty Hawk at Mile Post 3.5, Spanky’s Grille. Spanky’s Grille was opened in 2004 and has been many families must eat at while on vacation to the Outer Banks. The original menu had hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken nuggets, French fries and more. But the menu has since expanded to include different menu items such as okra, shrimp burgers, catfish, reubens and more. During the winter months, they are closed on Saturday and Sunday’s so they can spend time with their family. Don’t miss this delicious restaurant with the family on your next vacation.

Miller’s Seafood & Steakhouse

Miller’s Seafood & Steakhouse is located in Kill Devil Hills and offers your family breakfast and dinner. This restaurant has been opened for over 40 years and is a family owned restaurant in which they wanted to continue to serve families while on vacation. They have some of the best breakfast on the Outer Banks where you can get some biscuits and gravy, a crabmeat omelette and even a grilled cheese sandwich for the kids. Their dinner menu has quite the feast such as Scallops-n-Bacon, Coastal Carolina Oysters, Crab Legs and a Ribeye. Be sure to check out this restaurant with your family on your next vacation to Kill Devil Hills.

High Cotton Barbeque

Have you and your family ever had Eastern NC BBQ before? If you haven’t, then you will have to go visit High Cotton Barbeque in Kitty Hawk. Opening in 2002, the owner is a native to North Carolina and wanted for others to enjoy the tasty food included the traditional sides and sweet tea. High Cotton Barbeque has family packages to serve the whole family and also plates and sides for you to enjoy. We promise you that you will want to give this restaurant a try on your next vacation!

There are many other family-friendly restaurants that are here on the Outer Banks but wanted to share these with you. If you haven’t booked your next vacation to stay in one of our Kitty Hawk vacation rentals, now is the time. We look forward to seeing you and your family on your next adventure to the Outer Banks!

4 Kid Approved Beach Activities for the Outer Banks

Summer vacations on the Outer Banks is just what every family love. Coming and not having to worry about life at home and just soak up the peaceful and relaxation of being on vacation. But finding kid approved beach activities that your kids will not want to leave the beach is just what we have in store for you. Staying in one of our Outer Banks vacation rentals will keep you and your family close to where the beach activities are at. Let’s look below at a 4 kid approved beach activities that you can do on the Outer Banks.

It’s Christmas in July

It’s Christmas in July here on the Outer Banks and why not do something that you may only find during the winter. Yes, the Outer Banks may be missing one key ingredient that you will find outside, snow. Have no fear because we have more than enough sand to help build your very own “snowman”. All that you will need is a bucket filled with a little ocean water, a shovel, driftwood and seashells. Oh, and we can’t miss the most important part of the day, sand! Have each of the kids build their very own snowman out of the sand and take pictures to help remember that fun activity you spent together!

Scavenger Hunt on the Beach

Gather up the kids and go on a scavenger hunt on the beach. Before hitting the beach to look for different items, make up a list of things that each child can look for. Not only can they learn about other things that may live at the beach, but they can have fun while doing it. Let them search for different kinds of seashells, crabs, driftwood and different things that you may find on the beach. After each child has completed their list, give them a little prize like maybe a popsicle or some ice cream together as a family. Have a good time searching for each item together!

It’s Tic-Tac-Toe Time

Everyone loves to play a good game of tic-tac-toe and why not play it while you are on vacation. This might be the most fun that you will ever have because you will be playing it on a giant, homemade tic-tac-toe board. Grab a stick or a shell and draw the squares to make up the board of 3 across & 3 down. You can then pick teams or play against each other and play this classic game as a family. Keep a tally for each player and just have fun no matter what.

Fly a Kite

A fun, family activity that you can do together is go fly a kite on the beach. It doesn’t matter what kind of kite you have or where you purchased it from, it will still fly. Flying them in the evening just before the sun sets is the best time to fly them. And be ready to run a bit with the kids to get the kite up in the sky. Once it’s in the air, help the kids out with keeping it in the air by tugging the line a little bit. Just enjoy the time spent with the kids and the kids will love to do this activity for years to come!

There are many more activities that are kid approved, but these are the few we thought you’d enjoy. If you haven’t made plans to visit the Outer Banks before school starts, now is the time. Make reservations to stay in one of our Outer Banks vacation rentals today. We hope that you and your family will have a wonderful vacation making new memories with the kids!

Free Things to Do on the Outer Banks

Are you and your family heading to the Outer Banks this spring and summer and are looking for a few free activities to do? We understand that going on vacation can get a little pricey but when you vacation on the Outer Banks there are many things you can do for free. Staying with us in one of our Outer Banks vacation rentals will help you save money as you can cook meals while you are on vacation just like at home. Let’s look at a few of the free activities that you can enjoy while on vacation to the Outer Banks below.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Are your kids into nature and wildlife at home? Then this is the perfect free activity that you can do as a family. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is great for those who love birds and going in the spring and fall are the best. The paths that you can walk on in the park is perfect for those who want to capture the moments of the birds in the background. You may be able to see a few turtles and pelicans while you are there exploring. During the spring and summer, we do however suggest that you wear plenty of sunscreen and bug spray as it can get a little buggy. This is the perfect day trip to explore the wildlife on the island all for free.

Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Another beautiful and interesting place you can visit for free would be the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. This is a fun place that you and the kids can head to for a day filled with loads of fun mixed in. This refuge is home to the largest population of black bears in Eastern North Carolina so if you happen to see one, just let it pass and don’t feed the bears! If you are into hiking, then this is the place for you. There are several trails that you can hike on and there is also a visitor’s center that has interactive exhibits for you to enjoy. Spend the day here and it’s something you will want to visit for years to come.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

If you have never been to the Outer Banks, then you are missing out on one of the best places to visit on the islands. Jockey’s Ridge State Park can provide hours of fun for the whole family such as running down the dunes or flying a kite there. This park is the tallest natural dune on the Eastern United States and once you climb to the top, the prize is very rewarding. Here you will be able to have the best view of the island and you will never want to leave this park ever. Plus, if you get here in the morning you may be able to catch a glimpse of a beautiful sunrise or a beautiful sunset in the evenings. Don’t miss this state park on your next trip to the Outer Banks as it’s a must for every vacation for many families!

Fort Raleigh

Located over on Roanoke Island is where you can find the historic Fort Raleigh which was the first English settlement in the New World. This is a free attraction that you and the family can visit while you are on vacation to the Outer Banks. Here you can see a lot of historical facts and artifacts on display and you can learn a little more about the famous story of the “lost colony”. What a wonderful way to get in a little education while on vacation and yet still do something fun and exciting in the area!

While there are other things that you can do on the Outer Banks that are free of charge, these are the few that we thought you’d like. If you still haven’t made your reservations for your next Outer Banks vacation rental, now is the time! Don’t miss what the spring has to offer you on the island and come relax with the family!

Visit the Outer Banks in the Winter

Coming to the Outer Banks during the off-season can be just as fun as coming during the warmer months and we encourage it. The past few years, the North Carolina Coast has seen a change when it comes to the “chillier” times of the year or off-season. Normally the summer season on the Outer Banks is where visitors can enjoy the warm sunny salt air and the sandy beaches. Now that winter has made its appearance, you can still enjoy the beaches but with cooler air. Staying in one of our beautiful Outer Banks vacation rentals will help keep you and your family close to where the wintertime fun happens to be on the North Carolina Coast.

Shipwrecks

Visit the Outer Banks in the Winter

The Outer Banks is known to be the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” because of all the shipwrecks found along its coast. The barrier islands have a wealth of history to them and getting to learn more about the 3000 shipwrecks can be pretty neat. Head over to the NC Maritime Museum that has plenty of exhibits dedicated to its grave namesake and learn why the North Carolina Coast have been known to be some of the most dangerous for seafaring. Plus, there are a few places on the shore where you can go see some of these shipwrecks.

Oh, My Shells

Coming to the Outer Banks during the winter can have its advantages. You and your family can look for shells which normally during the summer may be hard to find with it being so crowded. Before you head on vacation to the Outer Banks, be sure to pick up a mesh seashell bag for your day on the beach. This bag will allow you to collect the seashells without having to bring back with you all of the sand. Once you are back in your vacation rental, have a mason jar for each family member and add your collected shells into it. This way you can take home your shells but without the added mess that they may bring with the sand. This can be a fun and exciting souvenir you can take home after every trip!

Bird Watching

Visit the Outer Banks in the Winter

Coming to the beach isn’t the only thing that you can do on the Outer Banks. Head on over to Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge which is where you and your family can enjoy some wildlife. Open 7 days a week you can spend all day at the park if you’d like. They do offer 90-minute guided walk if you’d like to learn about the nearly 400 species of birds who call the Outer Banks their home. If you and your family would like to wander on your own, then take advantage of the 13-mile-long sanctuary. But keep an eye out for a few endangered species such as the Red World or the Loggerhead Sea Turtle.

See the Light

Visit the Outer Banks in the Winter

While on vacation, you have to visit one of the lighthouses on the Outer Banks. If you’d like to see all of the lighthouses in a day here’s how we suggest you do it. Begin your trip out, start by visiting the northern area of the Outer Banks by visiting the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. Next visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse in Nags Head followed by the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on Roanoke Island. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse would be next, and finally visit the Ocracoke Lighthouse. The ones you can climb are Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island Lighthouse. The others you can visit but climbing is not open at the time. Once you are diagnosed with any severe condition that affects the quality of your life, the only thing you need https://medimagery.com/online-pharmacy-canada-online/ to do is find the solution. What a great way to spend the day learning about these amazing lighthouses on the coast of North Carolina!

With so many fun things to do during the wintertime on the Outer Banks, these we thought you’d enjoy. And when staying in one of our Outer Banks vacation rentals, you will be near it all. We hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year!