Many months ago, my mother wanted to plan a beach vacation on the Outer Banks, NC with my brother and me and our kids for this summer. We went back and forth on dates and houses and then (finally!) the house was secured back in January … WAY before Covid hit. Leading up to the trip in July, we were debating going or canceling .. how to make it work while keeping everyone safe and healthy. Would stores be safe? Would restaurants be open? What activities could we do? What would happen if someone got sick? We went on the trip and had a GREAT time. We DID get evacuated one day early because Hurricane Isaias was coming … but that’s ok, we had a great time nonetheless and in fact have already started talking about securing a house for next summer!

It was refreshing to be able to leave the sterile safety of our own homes and be confident we can create some cousin-bonding moments and memories they will remember.

Beach Days - GO TO THE BEACH. This is why you’re in the OBX, right? Many of the beaches are so wide, and nowhere near crowded, making it so easy to socially-distance. My kids and niece/nephews spent endless hours playing in the sand, running from the waves, looking for sand fiddlers and collecting seashells. It will never get old.

Pool Days - Luckily our rental house had a private pool. Many of them do, and some houses may have neighborhood pools. Pools again provide endless fun for kids. Each beach day ended with a dip in the pool.

Hatteras Island Horseback Riding - I was hoping for a different yet ‘safe’ outing and found it with Hatteras Island Horseback Riding. For a very reasonable price, you meet Jeff and team at the beach with their two horses for an hour of walking in the surf early in the morning. The horses were very friendly (and so were the ‘handlers’!) and accustomed to the routine, seeming eager to walk with use down the beach … one even started going before we were completely ready (LOL!). The kids loved it and we would highly recommend this to anyone looking for something different and fun to do.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse - I have visited Hatteras Light so many times before. And for me, it continues to be a ‘must-do’ if you’re the area. The lighthouse itself is closed for the self-guided tour to the top (a mere 257 spiral steps up) for the rest of this season, but it does still provide a great photo opp for the fam. And there are various placards around where you can walk the trails and learn more. I can remember visiting Hatteras as a child and loving to be on the beach with the lighthouse peacefully overlooking the water. Did you the know Cape Hatteras Light was moved 2900feet back in 1999? When it was originally built in the 1850s, it was constructed 1500 feet from the shore. Over the decades that distance lessened thanks to the many storms and beach erosion. To keep the lighthouse safe, over the course of several years, they devised a plan to move the lighthouse more inland using a track and pulley system. You can learn more here.

Day-Use Area - sometimes the ocean can be a bit rough for smaller kids so fortunately we found out about the many day-use areas on the soundside, offering sandy beaches, calm and shallow sound waters, and convenient parking and restrooms. On two different days, we went the Haulover Day Use area because it offered a larger beach area than some. Being near shallows, can give parents a bit of time to relax without having to watch the kids like a hawk.

Ocracoke Island Day Trip & Ferry - Full disclosure … we did not get to visit Ocracoke. It IS an island and only accessible by ferry. The day we planned to go, they enacted an evacuation plan and were limiting visitors to the island. Ferry was one-way only (off the island). However, normally, there is a car ferry option for $15 making it easy to social-distance. Taking your own car allows you to drive around, see the different areas and keep to yourself as needed. It has been many, many years since I’ve been to Ocracoke and I was hoping to go. Oh well, there’s always next year.

Hatteras Sol Waterside Grill - For me, eating out on vacation can be a highlight .. but in today’s world, it’s obviously difficult. Many restaurants have found a way to provide service while following CDC guidelines. Some do takeout, some set-up outdoor seating, some limit indoor service to half-capacity. For our family, we were most comfortable sitting outside. Hatteras Sol offered a takeout ‘serve yourself’ and eat outside option. This is what we chose to do although there was a wait to be served inside. The food was great (get the daily special!), customer service (that we experienced) was friendly. They had live music on the outdoor deck and there was a nice breeze by the dock.

Take in a Sunset - If you’re on the Outer Banks then you have access to both sunrise/east (ocean) and sunset/west (soundside) views. Take them in! We caught a couple of sunsets and watched the sun kiss the edge of the sound as it said goodnight. Lighting is awesome and makes for some great photos!

Whatever you’re family is planning for vacation this year, I hope it is as fun and relaxing as ours was. Get out there and enjoy the time we have together!