If you've gone to OBX

kmslwsmrs

do you drive all the way through or do you stop?  We're going this summer for a week and the thought of driving there and back and stopping makes me feel like we're wasting half of our trip.  I'd rather suck it up and drive all the way through (DH said it's 9 hours) then drive 6 hours, stop, and then do the other 3 the next day...just wondering what you've done, and if you've stopped, where you stopped that was fun Keep in mind I'll have a 2 year old, 6 year old, and 12 week old.....wowza.

Steph1976

We left at like 4am and drove straight there, with bathroom stops and such.  Josh was 2 when we went.  Last year (Josh was 3), we went to Topsail Island which is a few hours south of OBX and we left at 2am.

miss1180

my parents have a vacation house don there, so i've done the drive waay too many times :-)

  we always drive straight through. its really not a bad drive, honestly. what we do is get up almost in the middle of the night- like 3:30 or 4 AM, down some coffee and get on the road. we usually get down there by about 1 or 2PM... stopping just a couple times for lunch/ bathroom breaks.

  honestly... you want to get to the OBX area as early as possible. there is really only one main road down there- and with all of the rentals starting on saturday afternoons, traffics is REDICULUS on saturdays in the summer. you want to try to get there before 1 PM.

 And don't take 95...you want to take route 113 through delaware and maryland, and then over the Chesapeake bay bridge-tunnel... a lot less traffic that way, and not much difference time/miles wise...

Steph1976

What town are you staying in?  We stopped at this great place for lunch on our way...  The Outer Banks Brewing Station.  In the "backyard" of the restaurant is a fantastic playground area with a wooden pirate ship!  Josh LOVED it and it was a nice break in the early afternoon when we got there. 

http://obbrewing.com

penguingrrl

I would definitely drive straight through. We drive to Louisville, KY every year or two to visit GMIL (she's 99, so we try to get there frequently!) and we never stretch it over two days. The fastest FIL and MIL have done it (they've been doing the drive for 40 years now) was 12.5 hours. It usually takes us 15-16 with stops. I feel like adding an extra travel day just delays getting to the destination and means the kids have to deal with two days of driving and adjusting to sleeping in a new place two days in a row. My kids take 2-3 nights to settle in to a new sleeping place, so one night would really be a PITA for us.

AmyRob04

We've been four times. The first time, we left Fiday after work, drove to MD, stayed there overnight, then drove the rest of the way Sat morning. So not necessary.mif you drive the more inland route it's only about 9 he's from where we are. Every other year we've hit the road around 5and been down there by 2 or 3 (we only stop for gas - I pack food for the car).

joesbride07

i've been about 6 times and my family always drives down in one day, same as pp we would leave at 3am!

the last time i went i was 33 weeks pregnant so my dh and I did stop as suggested by my OB.  we stayed at the Hampton Inn in Exmore,VA. the hotel was built recently so it was very nice.  then we got up at 4am and drove the 2 1/2 hrs to obx, when we got there my mom was just making her coffee!! ( my family rents friday to friday so thats another tip to help with traffic!) 

mrs.jjinqueens

When D was 9 months old, we stopped - but we go for 2 weeks.  We decided that if we went for 1 week, we'd go straight through.

BeachBaby07

You dont need to stop at all. The only thing you might want to do is leave Friday and stop to avoid the insane traffic on Saturday. We did that last year but it didnt work so hot. Once we got there we had all day to kill and it was 100 + degrees. I am not sure how we are going to work it this year. But we need to have a discussion so you know what you are getting into too

 We started taking  Mia at 8 weeks, she was the easiest. We just had to stop to feed her. M better be the 2nd easiest and E might have the hardest time but DVD's make the time fly. There isnt anyplace fun to stop. Lots of corn and flea markets. My kids have done the trip 6 or 7 times and it seems like it will be long but it flies....well the ride home always sucks. 

I need to get the kids to school but I can give you the ins and outs of the OBX trip, since I have made the trip almost 35 times at this point. I will message you later.  

In all the people who seem to have no issues getting there early if its a rental house you cant get in until 4pm along with the other 1,000 people trying to get keys.  We have gotten there super early to avoid traffic but now we have kids who did the drive and now want to get out and play but its so hot and they arent amused. 

Mrs.JBW

Went to Hatteras, house was oceanside but near the ferry slips, every summer until I graduated from college.  We left at 1am and drove straight through, only stopping for a nice breakfast just before crossing the Bay Bridge-Tunnel.  There is only one way on and off the island, so the earlier you get there, the less traffic you will encounter.