Now that we’ve decided on an Outer Banks honeymoon, we’re looking at what to do while we are there. The Outer Banks have a lot of interesting things to explore besides the beach, and we want to make the most of our time there. Here’s what we considered when planning our Outer Banks honeymoon.
Where to stay
The Outer Banks are grouped into regions: the Northern Beaches, Roanoke Island, the Dare Mainland, and Hatteras Island. The well-known individual communities (Kitty Hawk, Manteo) are in these regions. NC 12, the main highway, runs north-south throughout the islands. We chose to stay in Kill Devil Hills because it looks to be right in the middle of everything. Since we haven’t been to the Outer Banks before, we want to see as much as possible.
Given that we planned our honeymoon about two months before the wedding, we were limited in where we could stay. We opted for a house rental because we could stay where we wanted at the best price, and we also picked our house because it’s a block off the beach.
What to do
We’re both get-up-and-go people when we go on vacation. As nice as laying on the beach for eight hours a day sounds, I know we are not going to do that. The Outer Banks are full of things to do, and we would like to maximize our time during the week we’re here. But I want to walk the line of not over-planning every single day. The Outer Banks guide has been so helpful. It has lots of recommendations of other places to visit. We’ll probably go mini-golfing, and I would like to check out some of the museums scattered along the Outer Banks (like the Wright Brothers National Monument).
I came across a Groupon deal for a buy-one-get-one-free deal to see “The Lost Colony” the week of our honeymoon. Sold. I even splurged and bought the backstage pass. One day will be built around seeing the show at 8 pm. The town of Manteo is on Roanoke Island, so we plan to explore the town, the historical interpretation and the national park of the lost Roanoke Colony, the Elizabethan Gardens, the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, and the North Carolina Aquarium.
I also want to explore the lighthouses. The black and white striped Cape Hatteras lighthouse is probably the most iconic of them all, but there are actually five lighthouses along the Outer Banks. My hope is to check out the different towns and communities where the various lighthouses are. We have another week before we leave, so I’ll probably find more things to do before then.
Any suggestions for what to do on an Outer Banks honeymoon?
Our Outer Banks honeymoon: Our Outer Banks house rental experience | Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills | Duck and Corolla | Hatteras | Roanoke Island | One more day in the Outer Banks | An Outer Banks sunrise | Restaurants to try in the Outer Banks
