Ocracoke Beach, North Carolina - Sunset

The beach culture in North Carolina’s Outer Banks reflects a strong family atmosphere. Big umbrellas and beach chairs are everywhere complete with coolers, stereos, sand castle molds and beach balls. The cool Atlantic is a fantastic reprieve after lying out in the sun and relaxing. I found that there was a general rotation of swimming, sun, umbrella, drinks and then more swimming.

For most East Coasters south of Maryland and north of Florida, no other chain of islands offers this much family beach fun. The entire chain of barrier islands caters to every family’s needs; a safe place for the kids, other families to meet and of course a ton of restaurants.

Most beach activities in the OBX revolve around surfing, kite surfing and boogie boarding. The waves here don’t get that big during the high season making these beaches ideal spots for beginners learning to ride their first wave. One thing to note though is that there can be significant rips so make sure to read the signs before letting the little ones in the water on their own.

Most of the beaches on northern part of the Outer Banks are very crowded during the summer months. This is primarily due to the fact that the northern part of the barrier islands (Nag’s Head and Kill Devil Hills area) is the main entry point from the major highways.

The Nags Head beaches are always packed in the summer time. If you are looking for a more secluded beach experience, head down towards Frisco or Ocracoke and see if you can find one of the campgrounds or national parks to hang out in for a day. The beaches along the campgrounds are generally the most secluded. Keep in mind that campers from all over the US find their way here in the summer time.

There are a lot of accommodations in the Outer Banks but remember that most of them are rentals and are booked very far in advance. As far as hotels and B&Bs, those go just as fast so keep that in mind and make sure to reserve or book ahead of time.

By Sebastien Tobler Of CollidingContinents.com