Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation – Our Favorite Spots

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation – Our Favorite Spots

Happy Wednesday lovelies! Although I miss the smell of salty ocean water and the feel of sand beneath my toes, we had an absolutely wonderful time on our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation and I can’t complain in the least.

We typically go in the early fall when there are less crowds, but even right now which is one of their busier months, the crowds were still minimal (which was awesome!)

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

Our Favorite Spots to Visit on The Outer Banks

Hatteras Island, with Avon and Salvo are our personal favorite spots on the Outer Banks. These communities offer the perfect vacation getaway for couples and families who are looking for a great time at the beach. We also always try to work in a visit to Ocracoke Island, which is considered “The Treasure of the Outer Banks”. It’s an adorable, historical town that is only accessible by ferry, and it really is such a neat little town. A visit to the lighthouse and Howards Pub & Restaurant is a must, if you ever head that way!

During this trip I was able to spend so much quality time with both the kiddos, my husband, and all my husband’s side of the family, whom we don’t get to see very often. We all stayed in a beach house together, and it was really nice to catch up with everyone. One of the highlights of our trip was getting to meet our nephew for the first time, and it melted my heart that both our boys really grew attached to him over the week. Both my husband and I definitely enjoyed spoiling him!

The other highlight of my trip? Getting to eat yummy, freshly-caught fish tacos courtesy of my awesome Father-in-law! I mean, is there anything better? Sorry, no photos on this one, they got devoured too quick! 😉

Most of my time was spent out on the beach lounging under an umbrella, building sandcastles with the kiddos, playing in the water, and watching the men fish for fresh seafood!-ha

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

For the past year, my oldest son has begged his Papaw to help him catch a shark and ironically enough we ended up catching a total of 5 baby sharks. (No worries, we threw them all back in unharmed!) It was the coolest thing ever to see both our boys’ faces light up when they caught one. If I’m being honest, I think my husband was pretty psyched too! 🙂

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

We also ventured out for lunch one afternoon and visited a local restaurant favorite, The Mad Crabber. It was such a nice restaurant for both adults and families alike, and offered a delicious assortment of seafood items on the menu.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

The kiddos really enjoyed coloring on the table until our order arrived, and I think any parent can appreciate this!

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

I ordered the crab cake basket, and it was so yummy! I especially loved the homemade hush puppies! 🙂

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip and we definitely didn’t want to leave. On a happier note, my husband’s parents and aunt are the new owners of a Beach home in Salvo, so I foresee many family trips to the OBX over the next several years and I’m excited for all the memories that will be made there.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

My husband and I sat and watched this beautiful sunrise one morning, and it was so nice to just sit and take in all the beauty of the world around us. I hope each and every one of you have a wonderful, fun-filled Summer and are able to take some time off to relax with your loved ones. Spending time with those you love is what it’s all about.

Hope you enjoyed reading about our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’d love to know if you’ve ever visited in the comments below!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!- Cara

P.S. If you’re looking for more family-friendly areas to visit, check out my other travel posts over here!

Pin Me For Later

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

If you love beautiful, quiet beaches then you’ll love today’s post where I’m sharing our Outer Banks Family Beach Vacation. I’m also sharing a full guide on what to do at the Outer Banks including the best things to do with kids, restaurants to try, and must-see spots.

96 Comments

    1. We also love it there! Avon is our spot! We are going for 2 weeks this summer and it can’t get here fast enough!! We eat our crabs that we catch and fresh fish that my husband and son catch everyday! Best vacation ever!
      Renee

  1. This looks like the best kind of family vacation… it’s exactly what I feel like doing over the 4th of July… but somehow I think it would be less relaxing?? Regardless, it looks like you all had a great time!

  2. Visiting NC is on my bucket lists to do one of these days. It looks like y’all had an amazing time! I can’t wait to be on the beach soon. And catching those sharks! Brave!

  3. What a fun trip!! We’ve never been to the Outerbanks, but it looks like a gorgeous place to go! I can’t believe those shark pictures. My family would have loved that. Looks like your boys had a blast and now I’m craving crab cakes. Glad your trip was so filled with so much family fun 🙂

  4. I have never been to Outerbanks but it looks gorgeous! I have always read about the area in Nicholas Sparks books and I just know it would be for me. Looks like you guys had such a great time!

    1. Coincidentally I always think about that when I’m there. They have the wild ponies on the island which is really cool, but I’ve unfortunately never spotted them! We always have a blast though! 🙂

  5. Great photos! It sounds like a wonderful family trip. So awesome your family bought a house there!

    We might try to visit Ocracoke on the way to Emerald Isle next year!

  6. When we lived in DC our neighbors always vacationed at the Outer Banks in the summer. It was sooooo on our bucket list and then before you know it, we moved and are now on the west coast. Sad I never got to spend time there, especially after seeing your photos! I’m dying over that big fat smile your littlest has eating !!

  7. What a fabulous family time! We just came back from a beach holiday ourselves. Always so nice relaxing and catching up and doing great beach stuff with the kids. Looks like a great place to be!

    1. It was wonderful! The baby sharks were surprisingly cute!-haha I thought they’d be scary like the big ones, but they had little tiny nubs of teeth. That would be a great tradition, and we definitely love visiting each year! 🙂

  8. What a great place to vacation! Growing up that was one of my favorite places to go. It still holds a very special place in my heart!

  9. So, so beautiful! You have me over here dreaming of being at the beach right now. We are staying in Corolla in the fall with my brother and his kiddos so we are looking very forward to spending time with everyone and relaxing and all of the cousins get to play! I’m pretty sure I will be terrified if the boys are catching sharks. but they would think it was awesome..lol!

    1. Haha I was worried at first too, but they barely had any teeth in their mouth, and it was just little nubs so not too scary! 🙂 Hope you enjoy your fall vacation seeing all your family!

  10. Love the Pictures. Maybe we can go to the Beach with you sometime. This looks really nice.

  11. Sounds like you had an amazing time and this looks so lovely! I definintely need to put the Outerbanks on my travel wish list! Hope you are having a wonderful week! XO -Kim

  12. I live in NC so we head to the outerbanks often, we prefer in the fall so not so busy. I will have to try out the mad crabber next time we go! nom : )

  13. Beach vacations are the best!! Yay for relatives owning a beach home!!! Precious memories in these precious pictures!!

  14. It’s been a while since I’ve been to OBX but it was always beautiful when I went! Love that you guys had such a great vacation and beat a lot of the crowds 🙂

  15. Beach pictures are always so beautiful.
    …. so PLEASE tell me baby sharks were OK & put back in the water.
    & how does that work? If a baby shark is around, isn’t momma near? Or no? I do mountains – not beaches – so I dont know these things.

    1. Yes, of course- they were fine and we tossed them back immediately after taking a few pics! 🙂 It’s actually illegal to catch and keep sharks under a certain size due to the fishing regulations. (we wouldn’t have anyways, though haha) & usually the baby sharks venture out closer to the beach, where the larger sharks generally stay out in the deeper part.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *