During the ten plus years I lived on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, I visited every single beach the area had to offer. From the four-wheel drive tracked sands at Cape Hatteras National Seashore to remote northern beaches that sprout minefields of dead tree trunks, each has its own unique character. Yet all these beaches share one common trait: their location on the Atlantic side of the barrier islands can make them unsuitable for swimming when the waters are rough or sunning when winds whip up the sands.

Soundside Beach on Roanoke Sound features shallow, calm water perfectly suited for families with young children

However, there is an alternative, a secret beach on the Outer Banks that is almost always perfect for families with young children: Soundside Beach at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Because so few people know about this beach it is rarely crowded. The park centers around high sand dunes (80-100 feet tall), said to be the tallest on the Eastern seaboard, and backs up to the Roanoke Sound, an enormous inland body of water that separates the barrier islands from the mainland. At the foot of the dunes sits a wide beach, perfect for spreading out with umbrella, chairs, and a picnic lunch. The water here is calm and shallow. Walk out for 200 yards and it will still only be up to your knees; keep going for more than a mile, up and over the occasional submerged sand bar, to reach waist-high water.

Hang gliding off the dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park

In addition to swimming and sunning at Soundside Beach, Jockey’s Ridge State Park also offers self-guided nature trails, kite flying, hang gliding off the dunes, sand boarding, kayaking, and windsurfing. At the end of the day, stow up the beach toys and trek to the top of the highest dune for Sunset On The Ridge, where locals and visitors gather every summer evening to witness the Outer Banks’ stunning sunsets.

From US 158 (Croatan Highway, or simply “the By-Pass” to locals) turn west on Soundside Road. Where the road curves to the left, turn right into the blacktop parking lot and take the boardwalk over the dune. Jockey’s Ridge Park closes at sunset each day and no admission is required, but bring everything you need because there are no facilities at this tiny beach.

Photo Credits: beach; hang gliding
Article by Barbara Weibel at Hole In The Donut Travels