My Outer Banks Girls’ Trip started a little differently than many of the trips I take with my favorite travel buddies. Harriet & I tagged along with Cassie who was babysitting her precious grandson in Norfolk, VA for the week. He was a doll and didn’t deter us one bit from having a blast and laughing until we peed our pants (one of the “perks” of middle age)!
The Outer Banks of North Carolina (or OBX as the locals call it) are only about a 1 ½ hour drive from Norfolk. An easy day trip for Harriet & I. Here are the 5 fun things we experienced in this beautiful part of the country.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Our first stop was at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, NC. The memorial that honors these two brothers who experimented with flight in the early 1900’s and eventually succeeded is a National Park. It costs $7 per person to get in and your admission ticket is good for 5 days.
Although the actual museum is under renovation until Fall 2018, there is plenty to see on the grounds:
- Reproductions of the Wright Brothers’ camp buildings
- Replicas of their 1902 Glider and 1903 Flyer
- The monument commemorating the Wright Brothers’ achievement at the top of Big Kill Devil Hill
History and aviation buffs will enjoy a trip to the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
Aqua Restaurant and Spa in Duck, NC
View of the Sound from Aqua
Down the road a bit is the charming little town of Duck, NC. Filled with restaurants and cute shops, this is the place we decided to stop for lunch. We enjoyed cocktails and fish tacos that were fresh and wonderful while overlooking the breathtaking views of the sound. I loved their Tito Fresco cocktail so much, I made my own version when we got home. Check it out!
The Outer Banks are known for their beautiful lighthouses. The one closest to Duck was the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. This gorgeous lighthouse made of red brick is 162 ft. tall and was first lit in 1875. Visitors can climb up the 214 winding steps to the top for panoramic views of Currituck Sound, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Currituck Outer Banks.
Have you seen the great pictures of wild horses running together along the ocean’s shoreline? Seeing wild horses in action is the idea behind Wild Horse Adventure Tours and it was one of the main reasons we ventured to the Outer Banks.
Wild Horse Adventure Tours offer a 2-hour long tour along the beach and through the dunes of the Outer Banks in open air Hummers, designed to give you the best views of the OBX Wild Corolla Spanish Mustangs.
An experienced guide will drive you along the beautifully untouched beaches and through the dunes, where you will see these wild horses in their natural habitat.
Although it is rare to actually see the horses running along the beaches, they are gorgeous and majestic, no matter what they are doing.
We booked the day ahead, which is a good idea. There are a number of wild horse tours in the area. We saw some of them in lots of different vehicles – including the back of a pickup! That looked uncomfortable! Take the Wild Horse Adventure Tour and ride in the Hummer. A 2-hour ride in the dunes in an uncomfortable vehicle would make for a long afternoon….
We ended the day with a huge seafood dinner at Dirty Dick’s Crab House. We had seen signs for Dirty Dick’s along the highway all day and just had to see it for ourselves. Since I have a juvenile sense of humor, I couldn’t wait to post the drink napkin they gave me that said “I got my crabs at Dirty Dick’s” on Facebook.
Anyway – I had a seafood platter of delicious, fresh seafood and the most wonderful AUTHENTIC Key Lime Pie I had ever tasted. Dirty Dick’s is also open for breakfast and brunch. It was packed on a weeknight – a sure sign of good food and a great reputation!
If your travel plans take you anywhere near OBX, be sure to take in a few of these sights! We’re so glad that we did!
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Sounds like a jam-packed day trip. I overnighted on the OBX in the spring but didn’t get a chance to do the wild horse tour. Next time.
Those horses are beautiful!
Wow, it’s been way too long since I’ve been on a girls’ trip! And sign me up for a Tito Fresco!
You would love it – both the girl’s trip and the Tito Fresco!
Girl’s trip with cocktails! Nothing better!
I’ve never been to the Outer Banks and have always wanted to go. Wondering now if I can convince my girlfriends to go!
Lovely place – I hope you get there some time!
Jessica – I hope they will. It is a beautiful place!
WOW! I’ve always want to go to the Outer Banks. You created a wonderful itinerary for me. Looks like so much fun!
Thanks for the tips about what to do on a girl’s trip to the Outer Banks. My two sisters and I go on a getaway every year and we are always looking for ideas about where to go. I live in Charlotte, so the Outer Banks are pretty close.
Yea! So glad you liked the post, Lisa! I had never even heard of OBX. It was such a nice surprise for us!
I am so ready! Your images take me there and I want to go!
We were at the OBX this summer for our family trip!
We saw lots of families. A great place for a family vacation!
As a Richmond, VA native, I’ve visited the Outer Banks numerous times throughout my life. I just love it. I live in GA, now, and I haven’t been to OBX in a few years. Your article inspires me to go back there soon. Thank you for linking up at The Blogger’s Pit Stop Link Party. I’m sharing your link on social media.
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi
We enjoyed our time there so much!
Looks like you ladies had a lot of fun. A beautiful place!
Great post. Look like you ladies had a fun time! Beautiful,scenery!
Amanda – it was such a great trip. I love traveling with my girlfriends.