The first stop of our trek across North Carolina was the Outer Banks, namely Nags Head, NC. The Outer Banks consists of roughly 200 miles of barrier islands and sand dunes that stretch from the Northern Beaches (at the North end, natch) down through to the Where we stayed in Nags Head NC: We spent four days and three nights at the Comfort Inn South Oceanfront. Located directly on the beach, the location is great and the rooms are decently sized. Our family of four was perfectly comfortable. I was pretty surprised at how clean and well-maintained the hotel is. A beach vacation of this nature can really take its toll on a property and the rooms. And we were often sandy and damp trekking back for hot showers and getting ready for dinner or bed. The public areas and rooms (well, our room anyway) are holding their own against the sand and seawater. The beds were very comfortable and we all slept well. We really enjoyed the spectacular ocean views and it is definitely worth the splurge for balcony-side rooms. I would love to keep the door open all night to enjoy the sounds of the ocean. However, I was too afraid of A) critters flying in the open door and B) possibly sleepwalking children. I was a little surprised the hotel didn’t have a stash of beach chairs and/or sand toys to borrow. But we brought our own beach towels and had no issue getting set up in the sand. The pool is one of the few in the area with a beach view from the pool deck. It’s a little small but the pool is clean and well maintained, and the kids really enjoyed it. The pool is accessible for those with disabilities, and the property has a few accessible rooms. The Comfort Inn South Oceanfront is also pet-friendly. The majority of visitors to Nags Head seem to rent vacation homes or condos. There is a small smattering of classic beach motels. It sticks out of the landscape a bit, but the Comfort Inn South Oceanfront offers great value for families. The location is so great. You can easily walk to a 7-11 and many wonderful little restaurants as well. A hot breakfast buffet is included in your stay at the Comfort Inn South Oceanfront. For for families an included breakfast is great value. I may or may not have eaten my weight in biscuits and gravy, lol. Every morning we were greeted with sausage links and scrambled eggs, yogurt, a variety of breads and muffins, make-your-own waffles, cereal, and a small selection of fresh fruit. It was more than enough for our family to start our day. Other than the hard-boiled eggs, they couldn’t confirm that any of the products were gluten-free. However my gluten-free husband was able to eat the scrambled eggs and sausage with no issues.Comfort Inn South Oceanfront
Comfort Inn South Oceanfront: Rooms
Where we ate in Nags Head NC:
Breakfast at the Comfort Inn South Oceanfront…
Sam & Omie’s Restaurant” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>Sam & Omie’s
was highly recommended. Now we know why!
I had probably the best crab cakes I’ve ever eaten. My daughter enjoyed her cheeseburger. Gluten-free husband went for the blackened tuna steak over caesar salad (no croutons). Bub went hardcore with his broiled shrimp and scallop platter. The food was absolutely delicious and dinner was very affordable. Pinot Grigio by the glass is only $5!
On weekends it’s busy, and it can be a bit of a wait for a table. We opted to sit at the bar for a great dinner with no wait.
Sam & Omie’s again, but we were sandy and a little damp and just a tad *hangry* so we checked out Dune Burger is very inexpensive, too. Dinner for all four of us was around $25. Such a great local treasure that’s been around for decades.Sam & Omie’s (again, we were tempted to go back!) is Dune Burger” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>Dune Burger. Food was a bit pricier here than at Fat Boyz” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>Fat Boyz apart from anything else nearby is their ice cream, and custom sundaes. I had the Peanut Butter Jammer (I think it was called that?). It had peanut butter cups, vanilla ice cream, and (I think) chocolate syrup. It actually got the better of me and my daughter had to finish it! So good though.
Try to get to What we did in Nags Head NC and the Outer Banks:Wright Brothers National Memorial” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow”>Wright Brothers National Memorial
. Mr. HBWT is an absolute aviation nut, so our first stop after a great first night’s sleep was the birthplace of flight at Kitty Hawk.
The museum itself is pretty low key, with a replica of the famous plane that first flew. I’ll be honest, the kids found it a little dull–especially since they just wanted to return to the beach. But the gift shop sold these inexpensive ($5) propeller-type things that you can launch in the wind, and then they were off launching their own fliers. The grounds are expansive. I felt ok letting them roam a little, but getting to the monument is a bit of a hike.
A few tips–though the breezes kept us comfortable, the sun was quite hot here. Be prepared with hats for the kids and extra sunscreen and water. And little planes 🙂
Those kites look amazing. I love how proud your kids look. This has been on my bucket list for years. Fingers crossed we get there soon!
The Outer Banks looks like a great destination for a family vacation! I have seen many photos of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse but I had no idea that it was open to the public and could be climbed. The Kitty Hawk hang gliding lessons look amazing – there’s no way that I could actually hang glide off a cliff but this I could do!!
Our family are big OBX fans. My hubby’s fam has been going since he was little and the whole clan grabs a big beach house every other year so all the cousins can play and we can enjoy the sand and surf together. Nothing better and Nags Head is much less crowded than Corolla and Duck.
What a THOROUGH round-up of places to go, things to do and where to eat in Nags Head. I’ve never made it to the Outer Banks with my family… but would love to someday!
I’ve never been to the Outer Banks. Need to hit the East Coast more often!
After college a group of us used to rent a house in the Outer Banks for a week and it was so fun. I always wanted to try hang gliding but never could afford it but now that those student loans are all paid off I need to go back with my family and finally give it a try.
I’ve heard so many great things about the Outer Banks, and would love to visit. Way to not give in to shark fears, though I admit that three recent attacks would have given me pause as well.
The hang-gliding lessons look so fun!
The Outer Banks have an excellent reputation and I can see why. It looks stunning, and it looks like there’s a lot of things to do out there. I’ll definitely have to consider it when I plan my next vacation. Thank you for sharing!