A Long Weekend in the Outer Banks
We needed a quick escape and the Outer Banks delivered exactly what we were craving: enough beach time to leave sun-kissed and relaxed. If you’re familiar with Lily Travel, you already know I like a good beach trip, and since NC isn’t far from where I live, it’s an easy long weekend getaway. Between a rainy first day full of museums and tiki bars and a glorious day of sun, sand, and dolphins, this trip had a little bit of everything.
Where to Stay in the Outer Banks
We based ourselves in a super cute Kill Devil Hills Airbnb that was walking distance to public beach access, which made the whole weekend feel effortless. While there are some hotels in the Outer Banks to choose from, I personally found the Airbnb options to be better. I knew we would be checking in late on a Thursday night because we were driving down to NC after a full day of work, and the Airbnb host was very accommodating.
Our Kill Devil Hills Airbnb was pretty new – it was on the lower level of someone’s home and they had two units, each with their own separate entrance. It was quiet and private, plus we had parking. The interior was well designed, with comfy, high-quality furniture and a big bed – it was very Pottery Barn-esque.
The Airbnb was walking distance to public beach access, which meant no fussing with parking passes or driving around looking for a spot on our sunny beach days. We could just grab our towels and go. There were beach chairs and other beach accessories available for our use.
Pro Tip: Booking an Airbnb within walking distance of the beach in Kill Devil Hills is worth every penny. It saves you from hunting for beach parking during peak summer hours and makes spontaneous sunset walks so much easier.
Our Daily Itinerary in the Outer Banks, NC
Day One: What to Do on a Rainy Day in the Outer Banks
We arrived late on a Thursday night and immediately went to bed. In the morning, our first full day in the Outer Banks, it was raining – I mean torrential downpour. We decided to take the morning slow and see if the rain let up. We found a good breakfast spot and took our time.
We kicked things off with a casual breakfast at Waveriders Coffee, Deli & Market, which is a laid-back spot with both indoor and outdoor seating (the outdoor area is pet-friendly, so keep that in mind if you’re traveling with a dog). Beyond coffee and breakfast sandwiches, they’ve got a solid rotating draft beer list and a little wine and beer market.
The space is large, so it was easy to find seating. It’s very popular and there was a line, but it moved quickly. This is not a sit-down place, at least for breakfast, so you order your meal and pick it up at the counter and sit wherever you’d like.
With rain still coming down, we headed to the The Wright Brothers National Memorial, which is the site where Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first successful airplane flights back in December 1903. It’s a beautifully done memorial with a museum that walks you through the brothers’ story.
When we first got there, it wasn’t raining, so we decided to try and squeeze in the outdoor area before the rain came. About halfway to the monument, it started absolutely pouring and we ended up taking shelter with a few other visitors in the monument’s indoor space. While we wound up getting completely drenched, this ended up being a really memorable part of the trip and pretty funny to look back at.
We gave up waiting for the rain to let up and ran to the indoor museum from the monument. The museum was really well done in my opinion, with model planes and more. It got pretty busy toward the end of our time there – I think a lot of other people had the same idea about the museum being a good rainy day activity.
After working up an appetite, we headed to Mama Kwan’s Tiki Bar and Grill for lunch. Fair warning: the line was long, and it took us over an hour to get a table. It’s definitely among the more popular spots in the the area and since it was raining, they only had indoor seating open.
Mama Kwan’s has a fun, island-inspired menu and a lively tiki bar atmosphere, and once we finally sat down, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and cocktails. The portions are large, so come hungry!
With soccer season in full swing, we ducked into Two Roads Tavern for their FIFA watch party. If I recall, the game was the U.S. vs. Australia (I think), and it was so much fun to watch there. The place was really lively and got packed with soccer fans chanting and cheering on the teams. This coastal family grill and sports bar has 20 or so TVs scattered throughout, making it an easy spot to catch a game with a cocktail or craft beer in hand.
After the game we worked up quite the appetite and were ready to find a dinner spot. We ended up at TRiO Restaurant & Market, which turned out to be our favorite restaurant of the entire trip. TRiO has a cosmopolitan, gathering-spot kind of vibe, with a wine bar and tap house alongside a full restaurant menu of casually inventive food, cheese, and charcuterie.
If you love wine, beer, or cheese even a little bit, this place is a must. It also has a market with some high-quality pastas, sauces, cheeses and charcuterie items, so if you’re staying in a rental house or Airbnb and need some snacks, this is a good spot to come.
By the end of the day the rain stopped and the sun came out a little bit, so we decided to play a round at Lost Treasure Golf, which has two 18-hole mini golf courses themed around a fictional 1920s treasure expedition, complete with a mining train ride to the top of the course. It’s silly, fun, and a great way to spend an hour or two. I am terrible at mini golf but had a blast.
Day Two: Sunshine & Dolphins
The weather flipped completely for the rest of our trip, giving us a full day of sunshine that we spent almost entirely at the public beach that was walking distance from our Airbnb. On our first beach day, we saw a pod of dolphins swimming and playing right in front of us in the water. They were there for quite a while, so I think there were some fish they were feeding on, which meant we got to watch them for at least 30 minutes.
The beach itself was wide, sandy, and comfortably warm, and even though we visited in June, it didn’t feel crowded since we were just ahead of peak season. The water was cold enough to cool you down on a hot summer day, but not nearly as cold as I’m used to from MA beaches.
For a midday break from the sand, we headed to Goombays Bar & Grille for lunch and tropical cocktails.
This Kill Devil Hills favorite has been around since 1992 and leans into its island-style theme with an easy-to-spot chartreuse and aqua building right across from the ocean. The menu covers just about everything, seafood especially, and their steam and raw bar is a great way to sample fresh local catches.
Goombays is walking distance from the beach, which was so convenient, especially since we planned to return to the beach after lunch. If you’re looking for a nice lunch and cocktails and don’t want to have to go far, this is a good spot.
After a full day at the beach, we returned to the Airbnb to shower, change and regroup. We chose to have dinner at Art’s Place because I wanted an ocean view and the rooftop bar here delivered. It’s a popular local neighborhood hangout in Kitty Hawk known for its hamburgers and hand-cut fries. We ordered smash burgers and cocktails while we watched highlights of previous soccer games and the coastline in the distance. This would also be an easy restaurant to visit for lunch on a beach day, since a long stretch of beach is right there across the street,
No beach trip is complete without ice cream, so after dinner and cocktails we made our way to Winks. It’s directly next door to Art’s Place, so also walking distance to the beach.
Day Three: Return Trip
We started two of our mornings, including the day we headed home, at Ashley’s Espresso Parlour. This cozy coffee shop roasts its own beans in-house and has a lively, community feel with local artwork on the walls. The pastries and coffee were both excellent, and it became our go-to spot for fueling up before a beach day.
Pro Tip: There was a long line both times we visited this spot, as it’s clearly among the most popular in the area. Be prepared to wait a bit for your coffee.
After grabbing breakfast, we headed out to make our return journey home. Traffic was lighter than it had been the day before, but we did leave on the early side. Keep in mind that there is primarily only one main road in and out of the Outer Banks, and it does get backed up. I recommend staying in an area where you can walk as much as possible, and plan to arrive and depart the Outer Banks either very early or very late to avoid traffic during the busy months.
Final Thoughts on Our Outer Banks Weekend
Even with one rainy day thrown into the mix, this Outer Banks long weekend was great, and we’ve discussed returning in the winter for an Outer Banks birding trip. While many things will be closed in the off-season, we’ve had friends and family go to watch birds that migrate through the area in winter. So, visit the Outer Banks in summer for beach time, or winter for birding time – it’s a versatile area!
Another note about the Outer Banks – if you go to the Corolla Beach area, there are herds of wild horses. This is an area I plan to visit next time since I’d really like to see these wild horses. There are some places in Corolla that require 4×4, whereas we didn’t need that in Kitty Hawk or Kill Devil Hills, so something to consider when planning your trip!
