OBX in June

[happybaby]

Coming from the north Pittsburgh area do you recommend coming thru Richmond down 95 to Criswell and across rt 64 towards Manteo to avoid the 158 bridge into the OBX

We may drive Friday to the Richmond New port new area and overnight
Leave early Saturday to get to the OBX early to beat the traffic

Concerned of shark attacks as there have been many the past 2 years

Looking for good local seafood restaurants and activies.....mini golf, kayaking, bike riding, ferry to Ocacroke And a head boat for fishing

I think plenty to do without worrying of the beach. It has grown somewhat since we have last been there.
thanks for any info

Also a good stopping point to spend the night I was thinking Richmond VA area or further so not a long drive Saturday morning

 

[tschwa2]

Last year in late June we arrived a little before 6pm on a Saturday and traffic wasn't bad at all. We talked to a multi-timer owner by the pool who was leaving the OBX on Friday night to avoid the traffic. He advised us to do the same or at least leave by 7am. He suggested that leaving 7am-12pm would be like sitting in a parking lot. We checked out a little before 8am and what should have taken 20-30 minutes took nearly 2 hours.

We have tried for the ferry to Ocacroke twice but given up both times after waiting an hour plus and the line hardly moving. If you want to go I suggest getting up early and driving straight to the ferry. Both times we stopped for lunch and arrived around 1pm and we would have been lucky to wait for less than 3-4 hours for the ferry.

The lifeguards are very vigilant for sharks and if they are even slightly suspicious they will pull everyone out of the water. We just made sure we were close to the guards.

 

[Big Matt]

At which resort are you staying? Depending on the answer will give me the information I need to help you. Also, what weekend in June. Huge difference if early versus late in June.

 

[happybaby]

we are going June 17 to the 24th in a condo thru VRBO near 2nd street I think in Kill Devil Hills I think that area is called Crystal Shores
We may even try to drive closer to the OBX on Friday night and get up and out by 7 to 8 am leaving maybe an hour drive

Hate to get up at 5am and have a 4 hour drive ahead of us
Maybe around Elizabeth city which is an hour to the OBX

 

[Jan M.]

When we lived in Butler, PA we used to leave for the OBX on Friday right after work and stay the night in somewhere in the area around Fredericksburg or a little south of it. Very light traffic on the Beltway around DC at the time of evening we were going through that area. That was the quickest way to get to the OBX and pretty painless too.

If you stay in the Fredericksburg area or are driving during the day make sure to stop at the Russell Stover outlet off exit 104 on I-95. It is about 26 miles south of Fredericksburg. They will have some really cheap deals on candy left from Valentines's Day and Easter. We would give the kids a couple of dollars each and let them have a blast picking out their goodies for the week. Make sure you have a cooler to keep the chocolate from melting in the hot car.

Russell Stover Candies Store 477
23361 Business Center Ct
Ruther Glen, VA 22546-3464
(804) 448-1169
Hours
Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter

In the morning after checking out and breakfast we would finish the drive stopping at our favorite fruit stand and Walmart after the bridge to the OBX to stock up for the week. I would always have everyone put their swimsuits on under the shorts and shirts when they got dressed in the morning and when we got there we would hit the beach until it was time to check in. When it was time to check in I would go do that then go back to the beach to get everyone to help unload the car. After that was done and a quick snack my husband would take everyone back to the beach to let me get everything put away in peace.

For about 10 years we went to the OBX in June with two other families. We would take the three kids from the other families that were our son's age with us. They entertained each other and loved our routine. It left the other couples to make the drive by themselves with no kids or just the older college age kids in the one family and they would leave on Saturday morning. It was a nice start to the vacation for everyone.

 

[happybaby]

What time of the year is this you are talking about? How much of a drive from Fredericksburg and at what time did you cross the bridge to the OBX and traffic?

I think we may go to Elizabeth City then see whats in Elizabeth city Saturday and cross the bridge later or cross early in the the morning and go to the pool at our VRBO condo
that will be about 9-1/2 hr drive without stops 3 driving Leave Friday about noon

76 to 70 to Hagerstown to 81 to 66 Front Royal to 17 Fredricksburg
or 81 to Middletown to 66 E to rt 17

I will avoid DC Friday since leaving at noon at then hit 5 oclock rush

When we lived in Butler, PA we used to leave for the OBX on Friday right after work and stay the night in somewhere in the area around Fredericksburg or a little south of it. Very light traffic on the Beltway around DC at the time of evening we were going through that area. That was the quickest way to get to the OBX and pretty painless too.

If you stay in the Fredericksburg area or are driving during the day make sure to stop at the Russell Stover outlet off exit 104 on I-95. It is about 26 miles south of Fredericksburg. They will have some really cheap deals on candy left from Valentines's Day and Easter. We would give the kids a couple of dollars each and let them have a blast picking out their goodies for the week. Make sure you have a cooler to keep the chocolate from melting in the hot car.

Russell Stover Candies Store 477
23361 Business Center Ct
Ruther Glen, VA 22546-3464
(804) 448-1169
Hours
Monday - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter

In the morning after checking out and breakfast we would finish the drive stopping at our favorite fruit stand and Walmart after the bridge to the OBX to stock up for the week. I would always have everyone put their swimsuits on under the shorts and shirts when they got dressed in the morning and when we got there we would hit the beach until it was time to check in. When it was time to check in I would go do that then go back to the beach to get everyone to help unload the car. After that was done and a quick snack my husband would take everyone back to the beach to let me get everything put away in peace.

For about 10 years we went to the OBX in June with two other families. We would take the three kids from the other families that were our son's age with us. They entertained each other and loved our routine. It left the other couples to make the drive by themselves with no kids or just the older college age kids in the one family and they would leave on Saturday morning. It was a nice start to the vacation for everyone.

 

[pedro47]

INFORMATION ONLY.. From JUNE to the first two weeks in SEPTEMBER, OBX adds on a monthly bases 500,000 tourist to the area.

 

[Jan M.]

What time of the year is this you are talking about? How much of a drive from Fredericksburg and at what time did you cross the bridge to the OBX and traffic?

I think we may go to Elizabeth City then see whats in Elizabeth city Saturday and cross the bridge later or cross early in the the morning and go to the pool at our VRBO condo
that will be about 9-1/2 hr drive without stops 3 driving Leave Friday about noon

76 to 70 to Hagerstown to 81 to 66 Front Royal to 17 Fredricksburg
or 81 to Middletown to 66 E to rt 17

I will avoid DC Friday since leaving at noon at then hit 5 oclock rush

We usually went to the OBX twice a year, in June, early to late June, and either the week between Christmas and New Years or the week of Easter/spring break for our school district. When we went in June, the higher traffic season, we were crossing the bridge by about noon or shortly thereafter.

I don't remember there being much of anything in Elizabeth City to warrant stopping there. If you are leaving at noon on Friday then I would plan on driving a little further and stopping in the Williamsburg or Newport News area for the night. You could probably even book that night at one of the Wyndham timeshares in the Williamsburg area.

After the first couple years going to OBX we started taking the beltway around DC rather than the route you mentioned because our son always got car sick and threw up going through those mountains.

 

[Jan M.]

To avoid the sharks stay out of the water anywhere near the piers. Also stay out of the water in the early evening, dusk. Educate yourself and everyone in your family or group about riptides and how to swim out of them! People drown due to riptides in the OBX pretty regularly and shark attacks are infrequent. The waves are pretty strong in the OBX and we insisted that everyone have a boogie board and use the velcro strap for the wrist or ankle while they were in the water.

Depending on how the Gulf Stream is running the water temps can be nice and warm to down right chilly. Shirts that you can wear in the water and beach hats are great when you spend a lot of time in the water. They will help protect you from a really bad sunburn and a bummer vacation.

Ocean Atlantic Rentals and Kitty Hawk Kites both rent beach equipment and the better quality boogie boards. We usually rented a beach cart to haul all our stuff to the beach and back and a kayak from Ocean Atlantic Rentals.

When we went in June/early July we usually stayed for three weeks and the kids spent hours every day in the water. The four kids from the three families are now 30-32 and have wonderful memories of their ten years of vacations in the OBX.

 

[happybaby]

I thinks we will just drive to Elizabeth City Friday night arriving by 8pm staying at the Best Western
Get up Saturday and drive across the bridge to Kill Devil
We may go across rt 64 by Manteo instead of 158

I'm not stopping in the Williamsburg area or anyplace That would defeat our purpose of getting to NC with a short distance to the OBX and beat the bridge traffic

We are well aware of riptides Have encountered them in Daytona , Ocean City, and Rehoboth
So much more to do then beach all day
I'm not one for on the beach all day
lounge around the pool also
sightsee

Hope to get up early for the ferry to Ocracoke

 

[tschwa2]

Let me know if you make it to Ocracoke and if you think it is worth it. We will be down in Late July this year and I think our strategy will be to let my boys sleep in and have an electronics day (16 and 11) and DH and I get up early and go without them.

 

[happybaby]

Let me know if you make it to Ocracoke and if you think it is worth it. We will be down in Late July this year and I think our strategy will be to let my boys sleep in and have an electronics day (16 and 11) and DH and I get up early and go without them.

We have gone to Ocracroke each time we have visited the outter banks Its a fun day!!
been to the obx only 4 times maybe
It has been a few years since we were there
Last trip, no mini golf, There is a lot more to do today there
Our last trip may have been 8 years ago??????

 

[Big Matt]

I would just leave early on Saturday and drive down all in one day. If you take the route to NC 64 you will miss the bridge traffic in both Norfolk and going across the bridge on route 158. You will come across on mile post 16 to 158 heading north and will get to your place 20 minutes later. Your biggest problem will be whether to take the trip all in one day or stop. I suggest looking at driving from where you live to somewhere around Leesburg, VA on Friday or maybe all the way to Fredericksburg. Take the route involving route 15 rather than route 70 to 270 to 495 to 95 unless you are coming quite late. Send me a message if you want more information. I do this trip from the DC suburbs every year and have if figured out.

 

[Jan M.]

It's been a few years but we used to eat at this restaurant and the food was excellent.

Black Pelican Oceanfront Dining

Milepost 4 on the Beach Road (Kitty Hawk)

Open 7 day a week from 11:30AM till 11:00PM

Phone 252-261-3171

 

[PamMo]

We were there last month and loved how quiet it was. I can't imagine it as you all describe the summer crowds - wow!

Mama Kwan's Tiki Bar & Grill was our favorite for really great fresh fish tacos! It was unusual for us to go 2X in one week. Both meals were delicious!

 

[tschwa2]

Even in July it doesn't feel particularly crowded with the exception of the going home traffic on Saturday and the drive down the highway through the different towns.

 

[antykay]

I have been driving down to the OBX for over 20 years, we have learned to make it a two day trip due to the bridge traffic. We come down I-64 and stop over around Williamsburg Area on Friday Evening - but need to get your reservations early as they fill up quite fast too. There are great shopping outlets in the area as well as tons of beautiful places to visit while in Williamsburg and be sure to try out Captain Georges - seafood buffet, one of our favs....Then we get up early the next morning and stop at one of the fruit stands (normally Gandee's) then on to Walmart after the bridge, but this time it is usually time to do our check in.

We have gone over to Orkracoke via ferry, it is surely a must for a firstimer, and our kids loved it. The shops are very quaint, but it is an all day event, just plan on it for that.

As for local restaurants, we just go to the grocery store near the Walmart and purchase our seafood and cook it ourselves. We have tried the Black Pellican, but I for one am not a fan even though they do get rave reviews. There are plenty of calabash places around that are good too - most of them are up near the turn off to Manteo. Also another place for the kids is the Aquarium, it is at Manteo, they also have a play there that we have yet to go to but I keep promising myself that this will be the year. And you can go to the sand dunes at Jockeys Ridge in the evening when it isn't quite as hot and see the sunset at evening, but be sure to bring some cardboard for the kids so they can slide down the dunes, they will have a blast.

 

[stugy]

...take NC 64 from Rocky Mount off of 95. You will avoid a lot of traffic and back-up and it will bring you right into Nags Head
Pat

 

[pedro47]

Information only OBX will have a water park amusement attraction in the near future that will be one of the largest in the United States. Construction have already started on this project. There was no completion date for the water park to open.

This was reported in the Virginian Pilot newspaper this morning.