In 2017 we planned a September getaway to visit my son in Durham and thought a beach visit to the Outer Banks with both of our boys would be fun since we were so close to the Atlantic. The Outer Banks is a 200 mile run of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, and a popular family vacation destination with plentiful beaches, state parks and shipwreck diving sites. Sun, sand and seafood. We’re in!
We drove Chicago to Durham as we had a few places to check out along the way, and we have a pretty comfy fun car, so not a problem. Kitty Hawk is almost an additional 4 hours drive from Durham, stopping of course for lunchtime sustenance which makes everyone happier.
Three of my favorite boys
The drive to the Outer Banks was interesting as we drove through the towns on US64E, over the Alligator River and the Croatan Sound. The dashboard display indicated we were under sea level so I expected a wave to overtake us any minute.
Our first stop on the Outer Banks was the Wright Brothers National Memorial US National Park at Kill Devil Hills. It is the location of the Wright Brothers’ aviation experiments from 1900 to 1903. Wilbur and Orville Wright came here from Dayton, Ohio based on information from the U.S. Weather Bureau about the area’s steady winds, which we can attest to.
Memorial Tower on Kill Devil Hill
Walking paths lead up to the Memorial Tower.
The clouds were amazingly fluffy and beautiful on the day we visited and it was welcome to walk around the park after our driving adventure. It was windy and totally flat, and felt like we were walking on an airport lawn, which I guess we were. 
The visitors center is under renovation 2016 to Fall 2018 to incorporate interactive exhibits, but there is much to enjoy outdoors exploring the grounds and reproductions of the brothers’ 1903 camp buildings. You can stand at the place where Wilbur and Orville Wright first took to the air in their 1903 flyer and landed, and climb Big Kill Devil Hill to see the nation’s monument commemorating the brothers’ historic achievement. You can also take in an interpretive program on the brothers, examine replicas of the 1902 glider and the 1903 flyer, and see portraits of other famous aviators.
Rail from original flight experiments
We had hotel reservations to overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn Kitty Hawk right on the water and across the street from Duck Donuts.
In the evening, we walked along the soft sand beach…poking in the sand and shells, and cavorting in the waves.
Coffee in hand, early the next morning we watched the sunrise.
After much coffee and a bite of healthy breakfast at the hotel, we 
wandered across the street to Duck Donuts to see what all the hype was about.
We had purposely saved a little room for a doughy treat. Ordinarily I do not go out of my way for a donut, but I read about Duck Donuts’ maple bacon donuts with real bacon. They make each donut to order right there so they are warm and wonderful and put whatever topping you desire on top. We bought a box of 6 for 4 people and shared. The maple bacon are a must and the chocolate flip flops were a hit too. They are actually light so you could eat a couple…
Our two sons are 30ish and we wanted to plan a unique activity they might enjoy, so we booked a two hour Hummer dunes tour with Wild Horse Adventure Tours. They are located just about a half hour north of Kitty Hawk in Corolla.
Our visit was in September so it was windy and chilly, but Wild Horse provided Native American blankets to keep us warm when the adrenaline wasn’t pumping. The tour guide whirled us onto pristine beaches that are accessible only with a 4×4 off-road vehicle. Our guide was quick witted, funny, and interesting, providing a constant stream of commentary about history and ecology. It was quite an exhilarating adventure with ocean breezes, salty air, up and down beaches, dunes and forest trails.
We all enjoyed the exciting excursion searching for the wild horses and spotted quite a few horses, a coyote, other wildlife, and of course a few humans driving non-4×4 vehicles, stuck in the sand. Just a fun morning.
Since were were at the shore, we did want to enjoy as much seafood as possible, so we stopped for lunch at I Got Your Crabs Shelfish Market and Oyster Bar in Kitty Hawk.
I got your Crabs was #1 on TripAdvisor for seafood, and I always check TripAdvisor for the best recommendations. We were not disappointed. The servers were attentive, friendly and helpful. My son and I both ordered the soft shell crab plate with hush puppies, hubs had the crab cake sandwich with waffle fries, and other son had the chicken sandwich. Everyone was very happy with their food. Pretty large portions, and all fresh. We were checking out the live crabs and the chef took one out to show us and tell us about them. Interesting and delicious.
After this brief seashore interlude, it was time to head back to Durham for more exploration of Bull City….C’est tout!