Driving to outer banks on a summer Saturday - strategies?

[Anonymous]

Just don't go. Seriously. You'll thank me later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We leave Fri night after kids are asleep. We move them to car while asleep. We arrive about 1 in the morning and check into cheap motel with pool. We sack out. Kids wake up and go to pool. Midday we leave to get keys etc from real estate

Groan! This is supposed to vacation.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to fly? It has never taken us less than 8 hours at any different time.

How does it take you 8+ hours? We go every summer and usually make it in 5 hours flat. The longest it has ever taken us is 6. We just leave early (5-6am).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a way to fly? It has never taken us less than 8 hours at any different time.

How does it take you 8+ hours? We go every summer and usually make it in 5 hours flat. The longest it has ever taken us is 6. We just leave early (5-6am).

I came down Thursday afternoon. Left Annapolis around 230 it was 4.5 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just don't go. Seriously. You'll thank me later.

+1

No kidding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

+1. Summer vacation is not a binary choice between Duck and Rehoboth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

+1. Summer vacation is not a binary choice between Duck and Rehoboth.

Don't live in a bubble at all. There are very few/if any beache towns on th east coast I haven't visited. I was responding to pp comments about it taking 7 hours to get to OBX and there kids getting bored. I ask this question whenever anyone says the outerbanks are boring and that there is nothing to do, what do other beaches offer that OBX doesn't have? and the common truthful comment I get is that they don't have a boardwalk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

+1. Summer vacation is not a binary choice between Duck and Rehoboth.

Don't live in a bubble at all. There are very few/if any beache towns on th east coast I haven't visited. I was responding to pp comments about it taking 7 hours to get to OBX and there kids getting bored. I ask this question whenever anyone says the outerbanks are boring and that there is nothing to do, what do other beaches offer that OBX doesn't have? and the common truthful comment I get is that they don't have a boardwalk.

Right. It is not one or the other. You don't get it. Most people I know would not bother with OBX or boardwalk type places, and there is a LOT in between.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

+1. Summer vacation is not a binary choice between Duck and Rehoboth.

+2

Can people be this stupid and thick, IRL? OMG.

[Anonymous]

Just get up and leave as early in the morning as you can, OP. If you don't think you can manage to get out the door before 6am, then consider going part way the night before.

If you enjoy being active and outdoors, and possibly right on (or very near) the beach, then you'll love it. There is lots to do -- ride bikes around, go kite surfing, regular surfing, bon fires on the beach, wide open beaches that aren't packed. There's enough room to play frisbee, football, set up horseshoes, etc. There is a small aquarium with some fun outdoor space and wooded paths, pirate ship rides and dolphin tours, if that's your thing, kayak tours.

While there isn't a boardwalk, there are a couple of mini golf places, go karts, a ropes course, movie theater, etc.

There is a ton to do at the OBX. Those who are bored aren't trying, or just don't enjoy the outdoors and being active (or maybe they do, and just don't want a particularly active/outdoorsy vacation, which is fine too).

If you prefer carnival

[Anonymous]

Is traffic going home on Saturday so crazy too, then? What time do people leave OBX?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This all sounds pretty miserable. Are the beaches really worth it?

No. There are tons of closer beaches, all up and down the east coast. Frankly, anywhere else. OBX beaches are okay, but you can get a lot better, much closer. The hype is getting found out, slowly - usually after people sit in their cars and see what it is like once they get there. Since you asked. It has never taken us less than seven hours, this is us leaving at dawn. No thank you. Not to mention, the kids are bored out of their minds at OBX.

We spend the last week of May to the last week in August in OBX and our DS isn't bored and neither are any of his friends that come to visit throughout the summer. What do other bleacher have that OBX doesn't ? A boardwalk with carnival rides? Other than that I can't really think of one think.

The beaches in OBX are better than most mid Atlantic beaches. A lot less crowded than DE and MD beaches.

I don't understand the 7 hour thing. You know when the busy times are don't go then. That would be like me saying it ales 5 hours to get to OC just because I left at 3 pm on Friday before Labor Day. When in really if I had left pretty much any other time it would only take about 3.

How cute! You think the options are "board walk beaches" or OBX. Ah, to live in your tiny bubble - no thanks!

+1. Summer vacation is not a binary choice between Duck and Rehoboth.

+2

Can people be this stupid and thick, IRL? OMG.

Are all of you high and mighty posters who are calling others stupid going to pony up your suggestions, or just sit back and call others names?

[Anonymous]

I have no idea why people go there. It's horribly congested and impossible to get around. Most houses are all beat up.