Three Full Days in Outer Banks, North Carolina

We just got back from our beach vacation for the summer. It was so nice to be back in Pine Knoll Shores visiting Drew’s aunt and uncle again. It truly is one of my favorite places and their view from their dock is breathtaking.

We have experimented with leaving at different times to tackle the 9 hour road trip, ultimately we decided that leaving first thing in the morning works best for our family. We hit the road right at 7am to miss Atlanta traffic and after making a few rest stops and giving the kids incentive bags; we arrived with smiles on our faces around 4 in the afternoon. That evening we spent time on the dock, enjoyed fresh caught fish and caught up with everyone. It was a wonderful evening and great way to start our trip.

Thursday morning, we woke up super early. The sun gets up around 6, which means our boys generally wake up right after the sun, which allows us to have a long and fun day. Thursday morning, Drew and I went on a 6 mile run (flat!) before heading on a boat ride to Morehead Island. It was a calm day on the water and a beautiful day to boat. We enjoyed the long boat ride before heading back and hitting the pool for an afternoon swim. Following our swim, we went to the fish market and grocery store to pick up supplies to make dinner–grilled shrimp kabobs with a mixed salad and tomato pie along with a strawberry pie for dessert (I will share these recipes in a future post!).

On Friday, we woke up and went on a family jog around Beacon’s Reach and visited the turtles in the pond and the boats in the marina. It was fun to run while Reid rode his bike and we pushed Walker in the stroller. Drew went for another loop around the block, while the boys and I got ready for our day and adventure to the beach. The beach was surprisingly calm and it was fun to gather seashells and build castles with the boys. Reid loved being in the water and had a blast until he got splashed in the face by a huge wave. Walker is still timid by the waves and likes to play in the sand rather than in the ocean. I’m sure in the next couple years, Walker and Reid will both be little fish swimming in the ocean. I savor our castle playing days while I can :).

Following the beach, we grabbed some lunch before going on an afternoon boat ride to look at a marina and large sportsman boats. Drew loves looking at the boats and the boys love saying which ones they are going to own some day. Following the boat ride, we had happy hour followed by a delicious pasta dinner and settled in for an early evening.

On our final full day in Pine Knoll Shores, we took the boys to the pirate show in Morehead City. The boys had a blast fighting the pirate and getting the treasure. They put on a fun show and it was very enjoyable for everyone. I recommend ages 6 and up for pirate boat ride, but even Walker, who is 4, had a great time shooting the pirate with the water cannon. Following the pirate boat ride, we went to an outside restaurant for a drink and stopped in at a little shop before heading back to the house. The skies had cleared in the afternoon which allowed us to enjoy time in the sound. We went paddle boarding and clammed in the water before Drew and I headed out to dinner for the night. It was a blast enjoying our little family with the beautiful sights and listening to music on the dock. These are the moments that I will remember for a lifetime!

Drew and I headed to Morehead Island for a quick drink at a waterfront restaurant before heading to dinner at a cute cafe. Dinner was absolutely delicious and the place was the perfect setting for a date night. Following dinner, we wandered along main street and looked at the boats in the marina. We stopped and sat at a park swing before heading back to the house for the evening. It was truly the perfect ending of our wonderful trip to the Outer Banks.

Sunday morning, we packed up and headed back to Atlanta. I will say it always takes a while to pack up, but with the early morning wake up times (6am) we were able to hit the road around 9:30 and get back around 6pm. It was a wonderful trip and we really made lasting memories. Moments with my little family truly are the most joyful times.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful vacation this summer and enjoys the time spent with their family. It is the small moments that bring the most joy 🙂