Outer Banks

phenwayparrothead · Post by **phenwayparrothead** » January 4, 2005 4:38 am

Was thinking about planning asummer trip down to the outer banks in nc, or possibly virginia beach, could someone give me some info on the best places to stay with in a budget and any other info that you think might be important

doxadive · Post by **doxadive** » January 4, 2005 8:02 am

my favorite place and relatively inexpensive is the villas on the sound. full 2 or 3 bedroom townhouses right on the sound, hidden behind jockeys ridge with 2 pools, tennis courts, a dock and a small play ground. in the high summer season they rent for about 700 a week.

shakerofsalt · Post by **shakerofsalt** » January 4, 2005 12:43 pm

If you go farther south to Oak Island NC, it is not as expensive. It is a small laid back island where you walk off your deck right onto the beach. If you are looking for nightlife, this is not the place. There are fishing piers and an inter coastal waterway that you can go crabbing and shrimping (no need for a boat, you just stand on the dock). If you want more info, let me know.

photogal · Post by **photogal** » January 4, 2005 3:56 pm

I LOVE the outer banks!!! You have to go to Jockey Ridge state park, huge sand dune. We stayed right in the middle of all the hub-bub around Kill Devil Hills. Lots to do around there. The farther down south you go it gets more quiet and remote, very nice. We also stayed on Roanoke Island because they had a campground (it was not so great). They dont have too many campgrounds on the outer banks. Its also only about 1 1/2 hrs from Virginia Beach so doing both is fun.

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » January 4, 2005 8:33 pm

No matter what time of year, OBX vacations are among my favorite memories.
(I know a few reasonably reliable rental companies, if you are interested.)

As you head north (in the Outer Banks) my experience has been that the property rental grows more expensive. But there is a much greater difference between beachfront and soundside for example than between Corolla and Nags Head. This becomes more evident as you search for specific amenities, like private pool or hot tub.

phenwayparrothead · Post by **phenwayparrothead** » January 4, 2005 9:58 pm

As you head north (in the Outer Banks) my experience has been that the property rental grows more expensive. But there is a much greater difference between beachfront and soundside for example than between Corolla and Nags Head. This becomes more evident as you search for specific amenities, like private pool or hot tub.

Im not very familiar with thearea, outside of some light research, and i havent found a great website for it yet, so whats the diffference between corrolla and nags[/quote]

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » January 5, 2005 1:05 am

phenwayparrothead wrote:
whats the diffference between corrolla and nags

'bout thirty-five miles

Seriously, Nags Head is one of the oldest and most established (or "built-up") resort areas on the Outer Banks. It's where you'll find the greatest concentration of restaurants, shops, hotels, and other commercial development that cater to tourists. Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills are its immediate neighbors and share many of its characteristics.

To the south you'll find Avon, Rodanthe, Waves, Frisco, and (ultimately) Ocracoke Island. These locales are about as isolated and undeveloped as anyplace you'll find in the Outer Banks.

To the north lie Corolla, Duck and Southern Shores. While these communities show quite a bit more development in the past ten years or so, they retain a bit of elitism from their halcyon days when they were considered a bit more isolated and exclusive than Nags Head.

Granted, most of these differences are superficial, being observed more in terms of memories and heritage than reality. But I believe that the newer developments, consisting of larger houses with more amenities, can command more rental revenue than the older areas. And most of the newer developments lie north of Kill Devil Hills.

phenwayparrothead · Post by **phenwayparrothead** » January 5, 2005 3:00 am

thanks thats a huge help, greatly appreciated, are there any places you would suggest to stay, i was hoping to be somewhere on the beach

bravedave · Post by **bravedave** » January 5, 2005 8:58 am

Your question is going to end up being rather complicated, due to the large number of widely varying accommodations. Also, while beachfront homes are precious and desireable, there are other homes that offer good beach access or views without being called "beachfront"

I would think that this website, Outer Banks Beach Guide, might be of some help. but basically you just have to use the rental realty search functions and compare for yourself. Be sure to acquaint yourself with each company's definitions of "beachfront" etc.

Here are some rental realty companies
http://www.villagerealtyobx.com/?
http://www.sunrealtync.com/?
http://www.twiddy.com/?
http://www.vacationouterbanks.com/
http://www.resortrealty.com/

warning - I have not used these links for some time,
I hope they're all still good

phenwayparrothead · Post by **phenwayparrothead** » January 5, 2005 9:55 pm

Im think I am now looking more specific in Nags head, seems to be the most popular and has the most available, does oceanside mean your pretty much on the beach usually? I would hate to get stuck somewhere thatsnot in at least walking distance from the beach. I just dont want to come all the way down from Boston for no reason. Thanks for all the help once again.

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » January 6, 2005 11:30 am

We go every year and always stay in Frisco. So if you have any questions about the Frisco, Avon, Buxton, Hatteras, Ocracoke area ask away. It's fairly quiet down here. Some good restaurants. But you can have fires on the beach, drive suv's on some of them, the housing is pretty reasonable. It's really great if you had another family or two to split a place with because the really large beachfront properties are great for this and become a real deal. Picture a group of you sitting around a beach fire cooking some clams or hotdogs, drinking some beers, or in your hottub on the deck overlooking the ocean. I really love it down there. But if you're looking for party central it's not it. We use Midgettrealty.com They have been great.
Trip Around the Sun video reminds me alot of vacations in Hatteras.

doxadive · Post by **doxadive** » January 6, 2005 4:34 pm

if you want you can email me or IM me re: NAgs Head, my family has vacationed there for over 25 years and its gotten so bad some bartenders and servers remember us. i am more than glad to help.

landshark04 · Post by **landshark04** » January 8, 2005 12:53 am

phenwayparrothead wrote:Im think I am now looking more specific in Nags head, seems to be the most popular and has the most available, does oceanside mean your pretty much on the beach usually? I would hate to get stuck somewhere thatsnot in at least walking distance from the beach. I just dont want to come all the way down from Boston for no reason. Thanks for all the help once again.

nags head is really built up, which i really dont like but some people do.....my family goes to avon every year......please check this place out, u will not be dissapointed

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » January 8, 2005 5:34 pm

I second the Avon post. We stay in Frisco. Avon, Frisco, and Buxton all run together. We love it there. But be aware that if you don't like the beach, fishing, seafood restaurants, and just doing nothing you might be bored there. There is one miniature golf place and a go-cart place and that's about it. Avon has more then Frisco. They have some shops, etc.

phenwayparrothead · Post by **phenwayparrothead** » January 9, 2005 6:13 pm

I have started to direct some of my search the the avon frisco hatteras area, I gotta say I do love the prices, is the a diference in the beach quality? And what do you mean by less built up

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » January 9, 2005 6:33 pm

The beaches are very nice in the Avon/Frisco area. By less built up I mean it's pretty much geared to surfers and fishing. When I'm there i'm with a bunch of teens so I don't go looking for bars, but the bars that are there look very basic, old man bars. It might be a bit better out on Ocracoke. I also only go in the off season so I'm sure this makes a difference. There's not a bunch of touristy stuff like mini golf, pier rides, etc. It's just beaches, pretty wide open. But you can go to the liquor store, pick up your favorite beverage and enjoy it from your deck or sit by a fire on the beach. Very clean and quiet, at least in the off season when I go.

slo-pitch · Post by **slo-pitch** » January 12, 2005 8:17 am

If you are looking to do some offshore fishing when you go give this guy a call http://www.fishpiratescove.com/boat_detail.php?id=17 he leaves out of pirates cove and was the best fishing trip i have ever taken....we ususally stay in Old NagsHead, its about 6 or 7 miles south of kitty hawk and kill devil hills which are really built up. In old nags head (around mile post 22) you only have other cottages around you no buisnesses but you are also within 10 miles of the restaurants and nightlife.....

Enjoy, I go everyyear and will until I die or the ocean reclaims the OBX

OceanCityGirl · Post by **OceanCityGirl** » January 12, 2005 9:35 am

slo-pitch I'm looking for a gulf stream trip when I go this year. The guy posted doesn't have them listed on his site. Do you know if he does them?
I too go every year to Hatteras. I'm even beginning to price property.

slo-pitch · Post by **slo-pitch** » January 12, 2005 1:02 pm

ocg,

Yeah last year we left form PC and didnt start fishing till we were about 70 miles east of Virginia Beach so we could hit the GS. That was in late august so if you go earlier then you wont have to go so far.... We went after Marlin, We could have gone after tuna and dolphin and stayed further south....

The boat is called OuterLimits

Also another good one is the Pointrunner out of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Brand New boat ... and is actually a little cheaper then the charters out of Pirates Cove I think. That website is http://www.pointrunner.com

Tarheel Tail-Gator · Post by **Tarheel Tail-Gator** » January 23, 2005 10:46 pm

If you are going with family, I recommend the Avon area. You are 6-8 miles north of Buxton which has restaurants, a great seafood market, etc.

This will put you about 30-45 minutes south of Nags Head/Kitty Hawk, but to me that area is too commercialized and the hotels are nowhere as near or as nice as the homes of the Avon area

Plan a day trip to Ocracoke but be aware of the Ferry schedule and that it could be busy during the summer months.

Another great thing about Avon/Buxton is that if it is too windy or the ocean is too rough (respect the undertow of the Outer Banks) you can swim/enjoy the soundside area (something Hole), I'm drawing a blank, which is a lot calmer.

Expect a thin strip of land, lots of water and a great trip