I just arrived home from a wonderful vacation in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Kristin and I treated ourselves to an oceanfront room right at the entryway to the outer banks. We did what we intended - explored the local places to eat and hung out on the beach. Nothing more, nothing less! The weather cooperated for the most part, and I was able to try about five different coffee places.
It was certainly fantastic to wake up to this view every morning:
Morning view from the top floor of the Hilton
The sun rises over Kitty Hawk, NC
Here are the dining highlights:
- Duck Donuts - The best donuts ever. Made to order and piping hot. I recommend the maple. The coffee wasn’t anything to call home about, though.
- Waveriders Coffee - Now this is a place to call home about. The coffee here was the best I’ve had in a long time. By the smell of the place, they roast it there. This is opposed to a bunch of other places that buy beans from Kill Devil Coffee. They make a pretty mean egg bagel sandwich as well. Best of all, they have comfy couches upon which to rest your sandy butt after an early morning photography session!
- The Black Pelican - Hands down my favorite seafood restaurant in the area. It’s always hopping, even at 6PM. It is worth the wait.
- Outer Banks Brewing Station - Beer aficionados look no further. This is a micro-brewery featuring some award winning (read: tasty) beers. As a bonus the entire place runs off of wind turbine located in the back of the premises. I had the “Nitwit” witbier and enjoyed every drop. This place fills up quickly, but fortunately the bar is full service and has a quick turnover rate.
- Outer Banks Taco Bar - Unassuming and small, this place still packs a punch if you’re into Mexican food. The fish tacos were amazing, and the queso had some kick!
There are a couple of things I will do differently next time. For one, I will make sure to bring my quality pair of sunglasses. Mere minutes from the house I noted that I had left my glasses behind, yet I did not turn around - mistaaaaaake! The cheap sunglasses I bought at the surf shop hurt my head and didn’t cut the sun out very well. They at least allowed me to drive.
Another mistake would be bringing spray-based sunblock. The spray stuff from Wegmans stung our eyes and did not fend off the sun as well as a cream. In other words, the convenience of the spray was entirely nullified by its lack of effectiveness. Cream costs less, lasts longer, and does what it is supposed to do (you know, block the sun).
Lastly, I should really consider bringing special shoes to run on the beach. I ran on the beach twice during the trip and I had pain on both occasions. Some sand booties would help there.
Overall I am very impressed with the selection of stuff to do there. Although I have visited the place frequently since I was young, OBX continues to surprise me with its variety of shops and sights. I will have to set aside a bit more time in the future for more exploration of the southern end. This trip I was entirely focused on relaxation, so I am okay with leaving more than a few things undone. See you next year, OBX!