How crowded are Outer Banks beaches?
Are Outer Banks beaches crowded? The beaches are not as crowded as nearby beaches in Ocean City, MD, and Virginia Beach. During the summer months, Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Nags Head will be busy however it's still a nice place to relax with the family.
Granted, among the beaches on the East Coast, the Outer Banks has the reputation of being a family-friendly vacation destination, and not necessarily a party-town, but stay awake after hours and you're sure to find plenty to do both on and off the beach.
The least crowded beach in North Carolina is either Ocracoke or Frisco Beach. These two beaches are typically uncrowded year round, so travelers can enjoy a quite, peaceful day at the beach without sacrificing quality or getting too far away from amenities.
In Nags Head, the beach is quite clean and beautiful year round. Although summer brings considerable crowds, there are many little beach accesses to be found lining NC Highway 12— simply called "The Beach Road" by locals. One of the best places to park your car and hit the beach is Nags Head Pier.
- Leave Early. The thick of Outer Banks traffic happens roughly between 11 AM and 3 PM due to everyone coming in. ...
- Find An Alternate Route. image via Pinterest. ...
- Keep Calm + Plan Ahead. ...
- Use Travel Apps.
Kitty Hawk is the least populated of the three central OBX beach towns, and features relatively skinny shorelines as well as oceanfront homes that are just steps away from the sand.
Manteo. Located on Roanoke Island in Dare County, Manteo is home to some of the most exciting attractions in the Outer Banks.
- Art's Place // Kitty Hawk.
- Sam + Omie's // Nags Head.
- Fish Heads // South Nags Head.
- John's Drive-In // Kitty Hawk.
- Corolla Beer Garden // Corolla.
- Outer Banks Brewing Station // Kill Devil Hills.
- Watermen's Bar + Grill // Waves.
- Tap Shack // Duck.
- Emerald Isle.
- Bald Head Island.
- Cape Hatteras.
- Corolla/Currituck Beach.
- Ocracoke Island.
- Topsail Island.
- Oak Island.
- Wrightsville Beach.
Wilmington, Carolina Beach named among safest towns in North Carolina.
What is the most affordable beach town in North Carolina?
We are talking about Morehead City, which just ranked among the most affordable beach towns in the country to buy a vacation home, according to a survey by Realtor.com.
The absolute best way to avoid potential traffic is to arrive early. In general, we recommend crossing the Wright Memorial Bridge before 10:00 AM – the earlier the better, especially in June, July or August on Saturdays.
The best time to visit the Outer Banks is between March and May or September and November, when lodging rates drop and crowds dissipate. Most mainland North Carolina residents and out-of-towners arrive during the summer months, when humidity is high and average temperatures consistently hit the upper 80s.
Shackleford Banks is home to turquoise water that rivals the Caribbean.
Corolla is very crowded! Lots of traffic and packed beaches... - Review of Corolla, NC - Tripadvisor.
Depending on the time of year, beaches in the Nags Head area can be reasonably crowded, but generally, they are less crowded than other beaches in the area. South Nags Head beaches tend to be more isolated than the northern Nags head beaches.
Since it became a park in 1974, Jockey's Ridge has flattened, shrinking by a third. Over the last 50 years, the single dune has morphed into three distinct and smaller hills.