Rodanthe
The Outer Banks is mostly a beach destination, so we wouldn’t really recommend visiting in the winter months. Although the RV park had cheaper rates, we experienced several things that were “closed for the season.” We still made the best of it with lots of outdoor activities and winter beach days, but several of the shops and restaurants we wanted to check out were closed, so we will definitely come back in summertime!
4 of the Best Activities We Did with Kids in Outer Banks, North Carolina:
Cape Hatteras National Seashore & Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. This lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States and has been guarding the Atlantic since 1870! The lighthouse is currently undergoing renovations until 2026, so we couldn’t go inside, but it's still an impressive structure to visit. The Museum of the Sea is just adjacent to the lighthouse and exhibits a lot of cool history of the lighthouse and the Outer Banks. You can also earn a Junior Ranger badge here, so don’t forget to ask for a book from the park rangers! *stroller friendly
Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. If you have an airplane lover, this is a must-do! High winds, sand and open fields caused the Wright Brothers to choose this location for their experiments for the first flight - and in 1903, they were successful! This national memorial is a tribute to their successes with a replica of their plane and the barn they lived in while on site, an outline of their family history, and outside, a trail with markers of how far each of their flight attempts landed. Oh yea, and you can also get a Junior Ranger badge here! So, of course, we used this as another homeschool history day! It was a fascinating visit, especially for any flight enthusiasts! *stroller friendly
Jockey Ridge State Park - this is a super unique state park that is home to the tallest living sand dunes on the Atlantic coast! You can also learn how to hang glide at this state park for an extra fee through separate vendors. There are hiking trails through the habitats of the park and, of course, you can go sandboarding down the dunes! This was a really fun and cheap activity for a few hours and the kids loved it! Oh, and you can also earn a Junior Ranger patch here!
Watch the amazing sunsets. Outer Banks was home to some incredible sunsets - don’t forget to sit and enjoy a few while you are there.
Where we stayed: Cape Hatteras/Outer Banks KOA - KOAs are notoriously perfect for families and this one was no exception. We were here during the winter months, so some of their offerings that make this park really great weren’t open, so we plan to make a trip back in the summertime! This RV park is just steps away from the beach, with an easily accessible boardwalk. With a pirate ship playground, jumping pad, huge pool, sand volleyball court, arcade and KOA scheduled activities, our kiddos loved it here.
Brewery Spotlight: As always, we are on a quest to bring you recommendations for great local craft beer and/or food in cities all across America that also have a kid-friendly spaces. Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills - this is a cool nautical themed brewery and restaurant with good food and good beer. Not our favorite of either, but definitely a worthy lunch spot. It was too chilly to sit outside the day we were there, but they have a nice outdoor area and even have a pirate ship playground for the kids!