Driving to outer banks on a summer Saturday - strategies?

[Anonymous]

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

Getting out has never been as big a problem. But you still have to deal with 95N on a weekend day which is pretty much awful no matter what. Even with traffic on 95N, it's always better than the hellish wait to get over the bridge at noon on a Saturday.

I'd plan to stop on the way home in Fredericksburg. Get something to eat, use the bathroom, stretch. And then get ready to sit in traffic...

[Anonymous]

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

I've been there a lot because DH's family has a house there, and I've never had a problem getting around. Aside from the drive to or from the beach (when there is congestion if you don't time it right), where is the congestion that you speak of? We sometimes rent our own house, and have stayed in really nice ones. I think some of the beachfront ones (like my in laws own) can be beat up easily on the outside because... well... they are right on the beach. That's going to happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Getting out has never been as big a problem. But you still have to deal with 95N on a weekend day which is pretty much awful no matter what. Even with traffic on 95N, it's always better than the hellish wait to get over the bridge at noon on a Saturday.

I'd plan to stop on the way home in Fredericksburg. Get something to eat, use the bathroom, stretch. And then get ready to sit in traffic...

I agree that the second half of the drive HOME is the worst of the round trip. To get there, we always leave at 5 or 6 am and rarely sit in traffic. We get to the beach by lunch time, have some lunch, hit the beach, or get into the house if it's available.

95 North always sucks.

[Anonymous]

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

Besides for the initial drive in, I don't find the area horribly congested. And I've gone in/around the peak season. Maybe you've stayed in Duck?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

I've been there a lot because DH's family has a house there, and I've never had a problem getting around. Aside from the drive to or from the beach (when there is congestion if you don't time it right), where is the congestion that you speak of? We sometimes rent our own house, and have stayed in really nice ones. I think some of the beachfront ones (like my in laws own) can be beat up easily on the outside because... well... they are right on the beach. That's going to happen.

Huh? No, those big houses cram tons of people in - the houses aren't even that old - and they are beat to sh*t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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

This is how it is at any beach - most beaches don't have a boardwalk (most people who grew up near the beach know that).

[Anonymous]

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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?

I think people don't feel the need to educate the ignorant, if all they know is OBX.

[Anonymous]

After dealing with traffic down and back, and then some rainy days with restless kids, my family has decided it's easier to just fly to a different East Coast beach. We have some favorites on the west coast of Florida. It's usually cheap and easy to fly into Tampa, and rentals are not nearly as expensive as the OBX. And there are nearby things to do if it rains - science center, aquarium, ball game (Rays play in a dome).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After dealing with traffic down and back, and then some rainy days with restless kids, my family has decided it's easier to just fly to a different East Coast beach. We have some favorites on the west coast of Florida. It's usually cheap and easy to fly into Tampa, and rentals are not nearly as expensive as the OBX. And there are nearby things to do if it rains - science center, aquarium, ball game (Rays play in a dome).

+1

The OBX rentals are outrageous - and who in their right mind wants to pile that many people into one house? Holy crap.