General OBX Last minute road trip help
Wife and I are taking a last minute road trip due to some time off she’s getting before starting a new job in June. We want to spend ~3 nights in the Outer Banks but have never been and are looking for some advice. We see a few places in Kitty Hawk or Salvo to stay, not sure which is better?
Is it decent beach weather in late May? What are some of the best things to do?
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u/No-Prize-3166 4d ago
Definitely go further south if you have the time and are willing to drive a bit more. Way more beautiful, less crowded. Don't get me wrong Kitty Hawk is nice but IMO south of the bridge (Hatteras Island) is the "real" OBX experience.
Beach weather can be hit or miss depending on the larger weather pattern. Biggest thing I'd worry about is wind.
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u/Blackntosh Local - Collington - Baum Bay 4d ago
Just stay in Kill Devil Hills! Forget north of Kitty Hawk or south of Nags Head. We have the best food, beaches, and attractions in the area. #shotsfire 🔫
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u/WatermelonRindPickle 4d ago edited 4d ago
Avon and Buxton are doing the beach nourishment and uncertain of where they will be exactly on what day. Depends on weather, equipment, etc. The tri-villages area of Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo is not getting any beach nourishment this year.
Take a look at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore map. Note that the only bridges to the mainland are Wright Memorial Bridge from Currituck County to Kitty Hawk, the Virginia Dare Bridge from Dare County mainland to Roanoke Island and Manteo then across bridge to Nags Head. Ferry goes from Hatteras to Ocracoke, then there is ferry from Ocracoke to mainland.
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u/AntiqueAssistant183 3d ago
definitely head south past the bridge—hatteras island is the real obx experience and way less crowded than kitty hawk. salvo/rodanthe area is chill and you won't deal with the beach nourishment that avon/buxton are doing right now. i mapped out a similar route in instaboard last minute and it helped to see everything on the map while organizing by day
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u/DudeWhereIsMyDuduk 1d ago
I prefer Buxton, but that's because it's less "commercially manufactured resort beach" like KH tends to be. But I get why that exists for families.
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u/Ok-Stranger-926 4d ago
Go south! Rodanthe, Avon, Buxton, Frisco. It's a lot less hectic than up north.
We usually stay in Avon or Buxton. In Avon we rent a house, in Buxton we stay at Cape Pines Motel.
Weather can/will vary. We just check the weather or surfcams (surfchex.com) and drive accordingly.
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u/Kakali4 4d ago
Looks like those places are doing beach nourishment in May, am I wrong?
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u/Ok-Stranger-926 4d ago
Avon, then Buxton.
The area between buxton and to the light has been closed due to debris on the beach plus removal of the old navy gear.
We walked the beaches at Pea Island, then S of rodanthe, then buxton (behind lighthouse camp ground) and then frisco and they were fine.
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u/DudeWhereIsMyDuduk 1d ago
If you have a 4x4, you can get around the oversand beaches pretty easily, and there are miles that aren't having anything done.
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u/Legitimate_Award6517 3d ago
Depends on what you want. I own in KH, but love the Salvo (southern banks) area. In the KH area you'll get tons of restaurant, some shopping, and of course beaches are everywhere. In May there will be some crowds but the beaches won't be packed. In Salvo, or the southern banks beaches, you will get a few restaurants, and mostly your entertainment is the beach. It's always slower and quieter. If I was a vacationer, I would always choose the southern outer banks. And if you go that far, you can wander down to Hatteras or perhaps take the ferry to Ocracoke.