How to Spend Five Days on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

If I died today, I'd be happy as a clam. "Logan, that's ridiculous!" Guys, the Outer Banks will change your life. If I died today, I wouldn't mind, because I just got to spend a week in one of the dreamiest parts of the United States. I want you guys to experience the bliss like I did, so here's How to Spend Five Days on the Outer Banks of North Carolina...

*Note: This was my fourth trip to the Outer Banks, so I have a good idea about what's worth it and what isn't. 

Getting there

Normally, we fly out of Omaha, NE to Norfolk, VA. 

However, it was much cheaper to fly out of Des Moines, IA this time around. We flew with Delta.
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From Norfolk, the Outer Banks is about an 1 hour and 30-45 minute drive. People also refer to the banks as OBX.
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We usually rent a car at the airport using Enterprise.
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Where to stay

I am a big fan of the Sea Ranch Resort in Kill Devil Hills. I've stayed at this resort three times and have yet to be disappointed. The location is near plenty of restaurants, attractions, and grocery stores. PLUS, hella close to the water (like my goodness kinda close) I wrote up a full post here about the Sea Ranch if you want to know more.

On our most recent trip, we decided to try a rental property in Nags Head. It has been a straight up BLAST. We rented it through Stan White Realty. I plan on writing a post soon about what it's like compared to a resort. We have honestly loved it though. It definitely helps to have a full kitchen and space to breathe. (Especially when you are traveling with your fammm am I right??)
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Day 1: Prep for the week + beach

• Grocery shop at Food Lion to avoid overspending at restaurants (items for a beach lunch + quick breakfast)
• Buying alcohol: Beer and wine can be found at any Food Lion. However, the only place you can buy liquor on the banks is at an ABC store. (Alcoholic Beverage Control) Also, these state-regulated stores are closed on Sundays, so keep that in mind! 
• Quick stop at Wings or Sunsations for anything you forgot or didn't wanna pack in your luggage. We often buy a few cheap beach towels! These stores are PERFECT too for souvenirs. They are HUGE and have a bomb selection of t-shirts, swimsuits, mugs, and anything else beach related. Plus, it is CHEAP guys. 
• Rent beach chairs, an umbrella, and cooler from Ocean Atlantic Rentals. They have an umbrella service as well, that includes free delivery + setup if you wanna to go that route! :)

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• It's your first day! Drink a margarita and beach it. The beach behind our rental was pretty quiet compared to the one behind the Sea Ranch. Both were never crazy busy because we choose to visit before the summer season starts (mid May) or at the tail end of it (early October). 
• Walk down the beach to Fish Heads Bar and Grill in Nags Head. (eight minute walk from our rental & a 15-20 minute drive from the Sea Ranch during off season) I think my boyfriend and I honestly ate here every night of the trip except once. They have a killer happy hour! 15 cent shrimp from 4 p.m. to 6 daily and let me tell ya, those babies are fiiire. This bar sits on a fishing pier and is the best way to have a true OBX (Outer Banks) dining experience. 

*Note: Order their margarita made with rice wine, they are my absolute FAV. Click here to view their live music schedule!

Day 2: Head north to Corolla

• Drive to the Currituck  Beach Lighthouse. (50 min. drive from Nags Head) This is my favorite lighthouse in North Carolina. They chose to keep the brick exposed in order to differentiate from the other lighthouses. I love that decision because it feels much more historic than others! It's $10 to climb, but man it is worth it. Look at this view. 

​*Tip: If you're looking to visit in the winter, December 1st is its 143rd birthday and you can climb for FREE from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. :)

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• ​Walk the grounds along the Currituck Sound. The Lighthouse Keepers' House is one of my favorite buildings here. For a while, this home had sat rotted and vandalized. Then in 1980, a local non-profit took action for it to be restored. 

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• Stop in Corolla's shopping outlet, TimBuck II, for a quick snack, lunch, or souvenir! Order the bomb mac n cheese bites at Bubbies or sit down for some killer burgers at First Light. I had the BBQ chicken sandwhich and my dad ordered the sliders, which were DOPE. They play some vibey acoustic remixes in here too, which just made the place 10x cooler. 

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• Another option for lunch, would be stopping in Duck on the way home. Coastal Cravings is the perfect spot to grab a flight of beer and gourmet sandwich. Their hushpuppies are super good too. 
• After Cravings, park your car near Duck's famous boardwalk. Here you can find some of my favorite clothing shops and ice cream! This boardwalk is also a dope spot to watch the sunset over the Currituck Sound.

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Day 3: Kick back after a day of driving

• Start the morning off slow with beach time, breakfast, and mimosas.

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• Make your way to Nags Head Woods if you like swamps, snakes, and wooded trails. If you aren't a big snake fan, head straight to Jockey's Ridge to explore the sand dunes.

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• If you're hungry, head to the east edge of the park, cross the street, and two blocks to the right, you'll find Mulligans. My gosh their wings are freakin fire. I had the hot kind or buffalo, whatever. I wish I could eat those right now, wow. Sent straight from God lemme tell ya. The coconut shrimp were pretty damn good too. 

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• Head back for a nap and recharge. Then, hit Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf for an evening hangout. Putt putt courses on the bank are OUTRAGEOUS. You can't, "find these in Nebraska" folks.  

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• Feed your sweet tooth after with Fat Boyz ice cream. Their cones are reasonably priced, but I opted for the $6 Butterfinger Delight. Sometimes you're just craving LIKE MORE ya know? Plus uh hello, look at their exterior. 

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• Make a quick dinner at home and drive to the Sugar Creek Seafood restaurant for sunset. (We ate here, but it wasn't anything special guys. Save yo money.) However, the dock behind the restaurant is a phenomenal spot to watch the sunset and snap photos. 

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Day 4: Go south into a Nicholas Sparks book

• Start route to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. (Which is on the cover of his book True Believer!!!) 2/3 of the way to the lighthouse, you'll find yourself in Rodanthe. (If you a Sparks lovvva you should already know) 
• Take a quick pitstop at the house featured on the movie Nights in Rodanthe. 63 heart eyes guysss. Please dudes comment below if you've read every book and are impatiently waiting for Every Breath to come out???

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• Drive 35 more minutes and you'll find the lighthouse. Tickets to climb are $8 and climbing sessions run every ten minutes. THERE ARE MORE STAIRS HERE THAN CURRITUCK, be prepared homies. They also do full moon tours at this lighthouse. 

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• For lunch, we usually stop in Avon. (10 minute drive from Hatteras) Oceana's is a cool place to grab a drink and a yummy flatbread. I ordered a fresh Minto mojito and it was crazy refreshing. Their grilled chicken flatbread was great and the open face quesadillas were like different, but in the bessst way. 

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Day 5: Sailing in Manteo

• ALRIGHT GUYS, it's your last day and I have saved the most charming little town for your enjoyment! It's called Manteo.  
• So we mainly planned our tiny stop here around our sunset sailing trip. If you're interested in sailing, and it's off season, I would call to reserve a spot the day before! If it's in season, I would definitely try to book a trip upon arrival in the banks or even before you fly out! We sailed with Downeast Rover and our cruise was about two hours long. (You can bring along your own drinks too! Something we forgot to do lol.) 

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• Before sailing, walk around the harbor and visit the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. The original lighthouse was lost in the Sound, when they had tried to move it onto private property. However, they built one in close resemblance and it's one of the quaintest lighthouses I've seen. EEEEP I wish I took a Polaroid photo of this cutie.

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• Ready to eat? I totally know you are. Alright, let's take a step back in time and head into Lost Colony Brewery. I had the cheeseburger with Swiss and I was dead on the ground because it was sooo good. Finish your plate kids. It's good for ya. My sis had the steak quesadilla and it was off the chain too. She also mentioned, "The portion sizes were perfect, I didn't feel like I ate too much after I finished my plate." SOOO ...DOPE PLACE YA GOTTA TRY.

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• If you don't want to sail, there are maaany cute shops in this tiny town to step into. You could also hang at the Lost Colony for awhile and order a flight of beer! 

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Extras: A few other favorites-

• Coffee fix: Duck's Cottage Coffee (they also sell books with tiny handwritten reviews next to them. precious.)

• For the history buff: Wright Brothers National Memorial (I visited once and didn't have a desire to see it twice! HOWEVER, everyone is different. If you love history, this might be YOUR place.)

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• For the pier obsessed: Jennette's Pier (Pay a few bucks to walk on, browse in the gift store, or set up camp in the sand)

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OKAY GUYS, THAT'S IT! I'm not sure I've ever written a post this long, but I know this guide will help you create a killer vacation. If you want to know more about North Carolina...

• Five Good Eats on the Outer Banks of North Carolina
• Ten Reasons Why I Adore OBX, North Carolina
• My Favorite North Carolina Paradise: The Sea Ranch Resort

Still have questions? Email me at hello@blissjunkie.org :)

*What is your favorite state and why?

*Have you been to North Carolina? If so, what is the coolest thing you've done there?
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