#Gates50States

Vacationing to the Outer Banks had been part of my (Ryan’s) childhood. I remember through photographs my family’s first trip to Nags Head was around 1986, and then my dad’s side of the family all met up in ’89 on the OBX, and then we drove through Gettysburg, PA, on our way to North Carolina in ’92. In 2006 Jenn and I vacationed with Jenn’s family on the Corolla 4×4 beach, then we traveled with my family in 2009 and again in 2013. While Lincoln was with us in ’09, it wasn’t until ’12 that all three kids were

•  with us
• old enough to enjoy some of the things that North Carolina had to offer.

As such, North Carolina would be the first state in our quest for 50.

My folks covered the beach house and Jenn and I, along with my sister’s family covered the meals. After a good bit of research on Twiddy’s website (sure there are other rental options, but Twiddy is the bohemoth of the market space), we settled on a semi-ocean front beach house in Pine Island. The further north you stay, the newer the homes tend to be and the fewer people you need to deal with on the beach and at the grocery store. I’ve stayed in Duck, Corolla and on the 4x4s. The newer Harris Teeter in Corolla alleviated much of the grocery shopping strain on the old Food Lion (at the time) further south, so shopping isn’t nearly the nightmare it used to be. I always formulate a meal plan for the week ahead of time and have a shopping list ready to go. Here’s a list of dry goods we brought from home to avoid the higher cost of groceries and limit the amount of time spent at the store:

• Paper towels
• Garbage bags
• Foil
• Plastic wrap
• Plastic bags/food storage containers for leftovers
• Laundry detergent
• Dryer sheets
• Dish soap
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray (although I don’t really recall needing it)
• Travel First Aid Kit
• Cereal
• Spices
• Cooking spray
• Condiments -ketchup, mustard, mayo, BBQ
• Salad dressing
• Cookies and Rice Krispy Treats (prepackaged in sandwich baggies for the kids)
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly
• Olive Oil

I love to cook, which is why we are usually in charge of the meals when extended family travels with us. I find it very relaxing, but it’s still a lot of work. Scheduling a couple days of quick and easy grill meals with salad and fruit allow for those days when I’m just having too much fun outside to come in and prep a full meal. If you love to cook too, then make sure to bring any specialty pans, dishes, or tools you may need to make your life easier. Many of the nicer homes we’ve stayed in have had fully equipped kitchens, but you just never know.

Here’s a sample menu for a week of good eats with a side of beautiful scenery and a soothing soundtrack:

• BBQ Chicken Pizza with Pineapple
• Fish Fry with fresh caught fish and Homemade Hush Puppies
• Basil Grilled Pork Chops
• Grilled Peaches filled with Goat Cheese and Honey
• Peach Crisp made with Fresh Peaches from the local market
• Taco Night
  • Shrimp Tacos (fresh, local shrimp)
  • Chicken Tacos
  • Chocolate Ice-cream Tacos with Fresh Berries
    

    

    

    

If that menu doesn’t get you excited about cooking at home instead of dining out, then I just can’t help you. 🙂

The kids at the time were 5, 3 & 3, and honestly, the beach and the pool were the only forms of main entertainment they really needed. The only real decision was which to do first and which to do second as the day unfolded. We were big on still enforcing naps, and the kids really needed them. So we made a trip to one place in the morning, and the other place in the evening.

If your kids are older and up for a sandy hike, check out a day-trip to Jockey’s Ridge State Park, charter a deep sea fishing boat, or head to Kitty Hawk Kites and pick up kite for the beach.

Some of the side items that the kids really enjoyed were flying kites and beach-themed crafts facilitated by Grandma & Auntie. Lincoln made a trip up to the top of the Currituck Beach lighthouse, and the kids enjoyed the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, a small museum highlighting the history and wildlife of the area.

It’s hard to overemphasize how good of an age the preschool years are for the Outer Banks. You can go at your own pace, there are no crowds to negotiate during the week (though we certainly recommend getting to the bridge just past the crack of dawn on your last Saturday), and the discovery that can be pursued along the beach is just ripe for the minds of young kids.

Although we stayed on Pine Island in 2013, I (Jenn) would highly recommend giving consideration to the 4×4 beach homes. Swan and Seagull Beach are the most easily reachable. They aren’t for everyone -Ryan’s parents did not enjoy the longer commute to other activities, but the empty beaches and wild horses sleeping under the deck more than make up for it in my mind. In particular for when you have younger kids that only want to spend the day at the beach and the pool, it just makes sense to pay much less for a more secluded location. Potentially thousands of dollars in savings is so worth it in my book. As a side note however, when I say 4×4 beach, I really mean it. Every time we went, we saw day trippers trying to negotiate the beach without 4 wheel drive. I can’t say everyone ended up stuck, but we saw a good many needing towed out.