Questions about the Outer Banks

Seeing Red Again

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2005
Location
Holly Ridge
Anybody know if you can still drive on the beach out there?
Its been about 10 years since my last trip to the outer banks and I'm in the process of planning a family trip for late August. I'm thinking of taking the typical tour visiting Jockeys Ridge, Wright Brothers Memorial, then dropping down to see Cape Hatteras and taking the ferry back to Swan Quarter.
Have any suggestions of what else I could do to entertain 8 and 3 year old boys? I've heard about wild horses up near Corolla, but is that something that is accessable via 4wheel drive or is it on a secluded island?
Open to all kinds of advice including where to stay, eat, etc. Thanks in advance for your help! :driver:
 
Seeing Red Again said:
Anybody know if you can still drive on the beach out there?
Its been about 10 years since my last trip to the outer banks and I'm in the process of planning a family trip for late August. I'm thinking of taking the typical tour visiting Jockeys Ridge, Wright Brothers Memorial, then dropping down to see Cape Hatteras and taking the ferry back to Swan Quarter.
Have any suggestions of what else I could do to entertain 8 and 3 year old boys? I've heard about wild horses up near Corolla, but is that something that is accessable via 4wheel drive or is it on a secluded island?
Open to all kinds of advice including where to stay, eat, etc. Thanks in advance for your help! :driver:
Click to expand...

As far as I know, there are still plenty of places where you can take 4wd vehicles on the beach in the outer banks. Most of my experience is from the Kill Devil Hills/Kitty Hawk area south.

Heading south from Kitty Hawk, I think the Pea Island area is your first access point. Then there are a few more as you get down closer to Hatteras. If you've got the time, take the free ferry from Hatteras over to Ocracoke. You can drive on the beach there, too. If you get down there between 3pm and 5pm, hit the Pelican for the 15 cent shrimp and a good beer selection. :D
We usually camp at the Beachcomber campground in the town of Ocracoke. It's reasonable and you don't have to fight the skeeters. We've also stayed at the Anchorage Inn there, because they're about the only motel that's dog friendly on the Island. They are pretty pricey this time of year, so we've only stayed there on our fall trips.

As far as stuff for the kids go, there's the stuff you listed in the Kill Devil Hills area. Bodie light house has a small visitor's center, but I don't think you can go up in it. You can go up in the Hatteras light, at least the last time I was there. Get your kids kites, if you're going to hang out at the beach much. There's almost always enough breeze to fly a kite and that's one of the things I always did as a kid there.

Feel free to drop by my site for some other odd ball info. I have a general write up on the Carolina Coast here. We've also got some pictures of our various trips on our Pictures page.

We're headed out to Ocracoke and will be there about a month before you (end of July). Feel free to ping me direct as your trip gets closer, I should be able to give you the latest info after our trip.

Jeff
 
Thats just the kind of info I was looking for. I didn't think about kites either but they would love that. Thanks!

Anybody familiar with the northern end towards Corolla?
 
Been up towards Corolla several times.....you can access the beach right where the road literally dumps out onto it. A regular sized 4wd will have little to no trouble w/ a sensible right foot. The horses are pretty cool, running wild & what not (actually pretty laid back when I've seen them).

Cordova is up the beach & pretty neat to see as it is only accessible by the beach.

VA is about 20 miles up & has a fence across to the ocean.

Have fun!

Doc
 
We just got back from Buxton a few weeks ago. You can still go up in the lighthouse (I think it was like $7 for an adult) and drive on the beach, but a lot of it is closed due to (insert profanity here) "piping plover nesting areas."

In Buxton, really the only accessible area is from about a 1/4 mile south of the lighthouse to about a 1/4 mile west of the point. We used to drive to Frisco on the beach, but not anymore. When I was up in Avon and Rodanthe over spring break, we drove on the beach pretty much all the time, but I don't know if they've got it closed off for the summer season. The park service website might have some info on closures.

It's been a long time since I was up north, but I remember it being a lot of fun as a kid.

And definately take the ferry on the way back, it gives Hatteras Island a whole different flavor because it makes it seem that much more remote.
 
About 10 miles south of Nags Head you will come to the Oregon Inlet bridge. Hang a left before you go over the bridge to drive on the beach. I believe it is the 1st place you will come to going south that you can access the beach from Nags Head. The fishing center across the road has high powered air to fill you back up quick and for free. Also the park service patrols the beach with radar and they don't play. Air down and have at it! Take some surf rods, the kids can play, wife can lay out and nobody will mess you. It's pretty laid back.... oh yeah, check your high tide chart cause you can get stuck on the point if the tide comes in on you. It cuts off the exit on the beach. I just got back from there a few weeks ago so let me know if I can help.
 
Seeing Red Again said:
Thats just the kind of info I was looking for. I didn't think about kites either but they would love that. Thanks!
Anybody familiar with the northern end towards Corolla?
Click to expand...

One more tip on the kites. Something my Dad used to do for me... If you've got some old fishing rods with relatively strong line, you can use those for the kids to fly the kites. An old level wound spool will let out easy, then crank back in easy when they're done. In the meantime, it's like playing fishing with a "fish" in the sky.
 
In killdevil hills area you should definitely stop by the Grave Digger Dungeon man. I've never heard of a any kids who don't like monster trucks.
 
As khokhonutt said, Ocracoke is a helluva place to go. As close to paradise in NC in my opinion. I'll be out there in a couple of weeks for the 10th summer in a row. If you have a group of people, renting a house is the way to go. We've got 8 people splitting $1200 for a week at a kickass, dog friendly house that's right by the lighthouse. I live off of Corona Lights, steamed clams and butter for a week.
 
I'll be in Ocracoke for the 14th - 16th of July cruising on the beach if anyone else wants to come out.
 
buttface20x6 said:
In killdevil hills area you should definitely stop by the Grave Digger Dungeon man. I've never heard of a any kids who don't like monster trucks.
Click to expand...

Great idea! They will love that!

Thanks for all the help guys. This trip looks like it will be pretty fun.

:huggy:
 
Deuce 40s said:
I'll be in Ocracoke for the 14th - 16th of July cruising on the beach if anyone else wants to come out.
Click to expand...
I'll be out there from the 15-22. If you pass by on the beach, stop and say hello. There'll be a green canopy next to this...
awww.supermotors.net_getfile_322402_fullsize_DSCN1286.JPG
 
I just got back from spending 5 days at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore park just outside of Ocracoke.

We didn't go out on the beach this year because my brother sold his 4x4 Ford truck and I gave my K-5 Blazer to my son (who didn't go).

You can camp for $20/ night at the National Park campground. The spaces are large with plenty of room for the kids to play. The beaches are excellent. If the winds are calm (which they weren't), there are mosquitoes and noseeums.

I have a 4x4 Suburban 3/4 ton 454, but I was worried it would be too heavy to go out on the sand. I'm going to be in the market for a Jeep or another Blazer soon.

Mike
 
poncho-mike said:
I have a 4x4 Suburban 3/4 ton 454, but I was worried it would be too heavy to go out on the sand. I'm going to be in the market for a Jeep or another Blazer soon.
Click to expand...

Your Burb should be fine. If you have stock size tires on it, air down to 15 psi or even 10 psi. I air down regardless, but definitely do it with the small tires. As long as you stay in the path where other people have driven, it will be fine. The folks up in Corolla who run the wild horse tours had a 2500 Burb with aired-down stock tires on it, last time I was there. We had 7 people in that Burb and it went along fine.

I have a 90 Burb with 6.2L diesel that weighs 6000 before I pack all my gear in it. I have 33x12.50s on it, I air down to 15 psi, and it has no problem at all, even in the really soft sand where no one has driven. The bigger tires really make a difference, but you see plenty of folks with stock size tires out there. I've even seen some 2WDs, but I'm not that brave. :)
 
I have been to the beach many times, mainly Fort Fisher, and Carolina beaches. The best tire I have found for the sand is a wide and slick as possible, with lower PSI. I used to have a set of 33 12.50's that did awesome. but, were borderline legal tread depth.
 
I ran my '99 F-150 2wd about 8 miles up....did great until the lead Suburban went down & crossed up a small sand berm to park. I sank like a rock.

My '00 F-150 4WD (bought the next week)....did great all the way up to the VA line on 33" Goodyear AS/T's.

It's a blast out there.

On the way out from Cordova, I watched a full size station wagon (!) just be-boppin' along the beach toward me......I figured he lived there & knew what he was doing - haulin' ass!!

D.
 
Just got back. Give the kids a raw chicken leg and 10 ft of string and you can keep them busy for days catching crabs.

I stay in Frisco and gig the inlet, surf fish the point. Access was much better this year. Support OBPA, NCBBA and Cahpe Hatteras Anglers Club as they are the only ones who are fighting for our access to the beach.
 
Speaking of heavy stock vehicles, we'll be decked out in our 100% stock Z-71 Avalanche. Believe it or not we've wheeled that thing in Colorado and Moab so a little beach sand should be cake........

Ok, so Gemini Bridges and Shafer Trail isn't exactly hardcore but what do you expect from a land yacht?
;)

Thanks for all the info guys. I can't wait to get the truck pointed east for a change.
:driver:
 
Back
Top