Favorite Hatteras Island Experiences
Please share with us your favorite experience from your Hatteras Island vacation. Was there a restaurant that you particularly enjoyed? Maybe your kids discovered a new way to build a sandcastle. Did you find a shop that carried the most amazing sea glass jewelry? Were the fish biting at your favorite spot on the beach? Or perhaps you just want to share a funny story that you heard from your sister while sitting in the hot tub.
We’ll post your favorite experiences here on this page for all to read and enjoy.
Thank you, and we’ll see you at the beach!
42 comments
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We loved the beach - It was nice, uncrowded & relaxing. We enjoyed our beach cottage - It was cozy & spacious.
Sitting out on the deck at night & visiting the islands during the day was fun. The food was delicious.
We will definitely be B-A-C-K!
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I have been a travel agent for many years and so many of my clients have told me about the outer banks, but it wasn;t until I experienced it for myself could I have ever imagined the beauty and peace it has to offer. We have dreamed of a family vacation at the beach for years. But, little did it know this would turn out to be one of our best vacations ever. Our accomodations, were more than we could have expected. Every morning we would meet on the deck for coffee, and at sunset we would enjoy the view from the ships watch over the sound. The grandchildren loved the pool and hunting ghost crabs at the seashore. Whether relaxing at the house or sightseeing the outer banks it seemed we were never at a loss for things to do. Though, our week is over, this is one vacation we will be talking about for years to come.
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We just returned from our week in paradise! A great time for all 18 of us! Every year our group grows and every.year we go a little farther south. This year we stayed in Salvo! Our house was ideal. The 2nd house we rented was with another agent and it was average. Great sun rises,nice pool, excellent fishing. The folks at the Fishin’ Hole were more than helpful! A great time had by all! We read so much about Top Dog Cafe and we were disappointed. It was pretty much just an so-so burger joint. We did find a better place,,think it is called Burger Burger.(Buxton, I think) We also loved the food and the beer at the Outer Banks Brewing Station. Already looking forward to next year and hope we will book with Surf or Sound again!
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We have been coming to the Outer Banks for about 10 years now and this year was indeed the best year ever. We stayed in Rodanthe and the weather was beautiful every day. We did alot of surf fishing and relaxing on the beach. Two separate days some of the family went on a fishing charter out of Oregon Inlet. They didn’t catch much fish but they loved it. Top Dog Cafe continues to be our favorite local restaurant. We celebrated two birthdays at Dirty Dicks Crab House. The most memorable time for us this trip was when we went on one of the Wild Horse tours down in Corolla. It was so much fun driving jeeps on the beach and seeing the beautiful horses! We plan to retire in 5 years and move to Hatteras Island. We can’t wait!!!
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OBX: There’s still enough summer for an eight hour drive toward childhood
Whether it’s Disney World, a back yard inflatable pool or a car trip across country, what we parents all hope our summer plans deliver is a deeper connection with our children. We want to share what it was like for us to be a child.
For me, the place where I can feel most child-like is an eight-hour or so drive from the West Chester area: the beach villages of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo in North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
To keep reading, follow….http://www.examiner.com/x-22075-West-Chester-Parenting-Examiner~y2010m7d13-OBX-An-8-hour-drive-to-a-family-connection
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We just returned from 2 wonderful weeks at Oceans 31 in Avon. We have been coming to the OBX since 2002, but this was our first time on Hatteras Island. We loved the whole area with the wonderful food and warm locals. The weather was perfect although it did rain 3 times, it was kind enough to do it at night. We found so many excellent restaurants and so few crowds. I was there with 8 females and a female dog and I survived becaused everyone was having such an enjoyable time. We will return and have already put the deposit on the sme house for next year. Thank you Surf or Sound. J. T. Phelps
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I have been lucky enough to have visited OBX for many years since childhood. This year was the most special…. I was married on the beach in Rodanthe. It was a perfect week full of sun, fun and good times. My wedding was June 10, 2010 and everything went off without a hitch. From the food to the minister and weather, everything was perfect. We will definately be back in the future. Thank you Surf or Sound Reality!
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We had a great time in Avon at Noah’s Rest. It was our first time in OBX and we plan to go back ASAP!! We really enjoyed clamming in the sound, fishing on the beach and waverunning at Hatteras Watersports in Salvo. Hatteras Watersports is located on a beautiful property with lots of grassy, open area for kids to play, picnic tables and umbrellas, chairs, and GREAT WAVERUNNERS. They are new and very fast. The family that lives at and runs the place is very friendly. It is very clean and fairly priced. A great place to go if you have infants or younger kids who can’t ride the waverunners - you will have a comfortable place to watch the rest of the family ride and the little ones have plenty of room to play on nice green grass. They also have kayaks and sailboats (hobie cats) for rent. A great find!!! We also enjoyed eating at MacDaddy’s and Avon Cafe (not cheap, but fairly priced and excellent food) Frank and Fran’s was very helpful for fishing stuff. If you have little children and you go on the ferry to Ocracoke, bring a loaf of bread to feed the gulls. Also, have ice cream or slushies at the Slushy Stand - great prices and yummy ice cream. I could go on and on, but go and find out for yourself. OBX is a great place to vacation.
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I would say my favorite experience was eating at the Top Dog Cafe. There are a few good places to eat in Salvo/Waves/Rodanthe (Atlantic Coast and Lisa’s Pizzeria were too other favorites), but the laid back atmosphere and excellent food at the Top Dog made it a repeat stop during our week.
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We came to OBX for a week-long get-a-away and as a means to have one last family vacation before our oldest heads off to college. The weather was not cooperating but we made the best of it taking in a trip to Ocracoke to do a bit of shopping and long walks on the beach despite the rain. Then we had THE very best day of the vacation joining Sundown Charters out of Hatteras for an all-day deep sea fishing trip. First Mate Greg and Captain Terry did everything possible to make sure we had a great day fishing in the Gulf Stream. We not only had a wonderful time but we have tons of memories from this day and it really made our vacation very special. We also caught 440 pounds of tuna and dolphin! We’ve already promised ourselves that on our next trip to OBX we will go deep-sea fishing with Capt Terry and 1st Mate Greg again.
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Wonderful time. Entire family including 4 children, 1 daughter-in-law and 9 grandchildren in a house where there was so much room the house still seemed empty at times. Great week. Super kitchen and outside grills for cooking for a crowd. Beautiful beach and views of ocean from upper decks. Any minor problems reported to Realtor handled in a most timely fashion. Saving and hope to come back next year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PS - After one day all grandchildren were referring to this house as “home”!
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I came down for a mini getaway and haven’t been down here in a few years now……. It just gives u a sense of peace when u arrive on the islands….. this was the first time i stayed in rodanthe… I thought i knew a little about the island, but learned more and made it more special to me……. we had 85 degree weather and my dog was in heaven…… i brought my boyfriend down for the first time after raving about the island for the last couple of years- he was curious to know what was so special! i tried to cram everything i knew to show him which was impossible in a few days time…. we found some bones in the sound which i still don’t know what they came from…… and we watched the kite surfers! we weren’t too lucky with fishing! neither were alot of people we talked to that week…. so we didn’t feel so bad. I would love one day to retire and stay here and live the island life! Can’t wait to return- don’t know if i can wait 1 year to do it though!!!!!!!!!!
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one morning while walking on the beach we found a sand dollar and a starfish… the dolphins were also very active…. very awesome vacation! OBX is our very favorite vacation spot.
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Do not miss the Frisco Jubilee when visiting Hatteras Island during the Summer and Fall. A great show of local talent featuring Blue Grass and folk music, even a jazz piece! Well worth the $10 admission, this will be a part of your vacation you will long remember. I’m surprised that this show isn’t sold out every week. It is held in the lovely Methodist Church in Frisco.
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In early September, Three of the guests at Vacation Meditation traveled down Water Association Rd to the lesser explored side of Hatteras Island. We took a hike in the maritime forrest on a well marked trail, encountering a few birds, beautiful butterflies, some giant spiders, and lovely vistas. We didn’t see one other person, and enjoyed the solitude of nature away from the beaches and towns. The mosquitoes were not present the day we hiked. Bug repellent wasn’t needed! Give this a try sometime, when you think you have seen it all on the Island.
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we are from montréal québec ,it was our first time on the outer banx and we loved every moment of our stay. the people are so nice and the beaches are fabulous.we just love going to acrocoke beach by ferry,we had our little dog maggie with us,she was welcome every where and treated like a star! we are going again next year just can’t wait! thanks to surf or sound for great service.you will get more visitors from our country,or should we keep it a secret?
merci for the great memories.
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We had a great time. There was 18 adults and 3 children. We decided to divide the gang into two teams (randomly). We played our version of survivor. The first game was hula hoop. The blue team won thanks to our 12 year old nephew. Most of us could keep the hoop around our waste for one time. The next game was to fill the pot up with a cup of water. we made two lines and you had to pass the cup down the line dump it in and then that person had to run bck and get more. The green team won. THe next game was the umbrella toss. Three tries to get the umbrella in the circle. Green team wins again, The blue team was very disappointed. THento our dismay Hurricaine Bill was headed our way and a flood watch was being issued so some of our gang left early. So with a few players we played redneck golf and the blue team won! So in the end we tied. Thanks for the great memories.
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With our son’s family in Texas and our daughter’s family in NC, and us in PA, for the last 3 years we’ve rented a place for a week in the summer to have all of us together and so the cousins can play (4, 2, and 19 months now). This was our first foray to the beach. It’s been about 40 years since we visited Oregon Inlet. The peace of Salvo was quite nice. Our son-in-law loved surf fishing and the little girls built many sandpiles and dug many moats. We did discover that the littlest is very allergic to mosquitoes and we are grateful to the folks at Nags Head Medical for all their help. Finding dog-friendly places is a necessity for our son’s lovely Sheba Inu mix and the beach at Salvo in the early morning was perfect for their runs. Watching the nightly thunderstorms play over the ocean was beautiful and I love the sunrises over the water.
It was a delightful week to be together, with no schedules, and just be.
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One night, I strolled with friends down to the sound near our house in Salvo. It was drizzling, but still we wanted to just sit by the sound and enjoy it. While we were walking down the pier, we noticed that the sound looked like it was glittering. As we approached, we realized that the glitter-like look came from the bioluminescence in the water. It was amazing! Every rain drop triggered a glow from the sound water. And then we saw jumping fish glowing! Then we got in the sound and every move we made left a glowing stream! It was an amazing and spectacular sight. Every night after that, we went went to the sound and continued to be in awe! I miss you Salvo!
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I hadn’t been back to the outer banks in about 7 years when I was still single. This time I went with my wife and infant son. It is still as beautiful and peaceful as I remembered. Just enough things to do to keep you occupied and entertained without the bustle and problems you find at a busy beach resort town like Ocean City, MD (which is nice in its own way). The winds are pleasant, the sunsets beautiful and the people nice. We loved having dinner at Lisa’s Pizza in Rodanthe, shopping and walking our son in Ocracoke and the serenity and actual space at the beaches. The best kept secret for shopping was Pea Island Art Gallery on the south end of Rodanthe. We found so much beautiful artwork at reasonable prices. And the photos you can take on your own are too numerous to understand until you’re there. Just keep your camera with you at all times.
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We all have come to the outer banks for the past five years. Every year gets better. This year the weather was great, the surf was great, and all the facilities at the house were great. Each family (5) my wife and I and our four children and their family each take a night to cook an occasion meal for the rest. Then we have restaurant night and a leftover night. The house we stayed in this year was top shelf and we all loved it All of us do our thing during the day (mostly the beach,pool, and fishing). then spent the late afternoon and evening with each other. It is a perfect family reunion that is celebrated every year. Forgot to mention our beach fire one night that everybody enjoyed.
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My husband and I just returned from our 3rd OBX vacation with our family, and could not have been more relaxed or happy! We had come in the summer of ‘05 for a family reunion/wedding, and returned in ‘06 because we had fallen in love with Hatteras Island. We had not been able to return for 2 summers, and our 3 kids could not wait to return. We stayed again in Rodanthe, and just love the stretch of beach between Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo. Surf and Sound Realty is just awesome to work with and work hard to provide a wonderful family vacation! Our favorite dinner destination has become the Dolphin Den in Avon, for She-Crab soup! Each time we come, we attempt to visit a different lighthouse and try a new activity. This year, we rode the ferry to Ocracoke Island and visited Teach’s Hole (a HUGE hit with my 7 year old son)! We eat fresh seafood right out of the ocean about every night, and spend HOURS on the beaches riding boogie boards, skim boarding, shell hunting, Ghost crab hunting, and just spending NON-scheduled time with our three kids relaxing. My husband and I are seriously considering retiring here in 10 years or so! The locals are so very polite and helpful with any question you have regarding the island. I could go on for hours! The weather this year in July was a bit cooler, but no one minded one bit! We cannot wait to return to Hatteras Island another year….
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surfing with my teenaged boys at s-turns was priceless. the entire chill atmosphere of Hatteras Island gave life to our family. learning to surf at world-renowned locations was exciting.
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We came back on July 12th after spending two weeks in OBX and had one of our best times ever. We’ve been coming down for about 15 years now. The weather was great, watching the fireworks on the beach as they launched them off Avon Pier was incredible. The only negative thing was the nasty mesquitoes! I have never seen them that bad before but fortunately the wind changed and by the end of our trip they were gone except for under the house. We brough family with us who had never been there and they and their kids fell in love with it just as we had many years ago. Blue claws were awesome at the mad crabber and the slubs were good (as usual) at Bubbas - love that spicey shrimp too (Froggy Dog’s take out had awesome spicy shrimp). We hated to leave! Thanks Surf or Sound for providing us with a beautiful house and stress free vacation!!
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Saturday, July 11 will mark the beginning of our family’s second visit to the Outer Banks. My kids are spilling over with excitment. They loved our visit last year despite the stormy weather and limited beach time. We are heading to the OBX this year with my parents, sisters and their families. It’s will be an awesome trip filled with countless memories. If you’re looking for a place to decompress and relax, the Outer Banks is the place for you. We’re anxiously awaiting our departure at 6 a.m. sharp Saturday morning.
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Our 8th time as a family in the outerbanks. Started with just my myself, my husband and our three boys. Now we have the five of us, three daughter-inl-laws and 5 grandchildren and the vacation gets better every year. Tried Duck, Nags head and Rodanthe. Keep going back to Rodanthe, renting a h ome ocean front. Very peacful, less crowded, lower dunes and more room on the beach. Spent the week of June 20, 2009. Just got back and miss the stressful life of Rodanthe.
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This is my second comment here and not sure if you will post it but I just can’t say enough about how wonderful our time on the Outer banks was. We just finished our second trip and it was just as magnificent, if not more so, than the first trip. The whole atmosphere of the area is so amazing. The people are friendly. The restaurants and food are delicious. The homes are beautiful. And the beaches. There just aren’t appropriate words to describe the beaches. We took a day trip to Ocracoke Island and just pulled over on the side of the road and walked over the dunes to the beach and it was the most beautiful sight in the world. Miles and miles of ocean, sand, and solitude. We walked and picked up shells for over an hour and never saw one other person in that time. Amazing. It was like having our own private beach. Standing there on the beach, looking out at the sea and watching and listening to the waves crash, is a feeling that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. It will seem like an eternity until we return but I am looking forward to it with much anticipation and excitement. And many, many thanks to the locals for their hospitality and to the homeowners for renting their homes to strangers and most of all, to the people at Surf or Sound for always making our vacation one to remember. The Outer Banks will forever be in our hearts and minds.
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Just a note to say we’re on our way and can’t wait. We’ve been coming to the Outer Banks now since 1971 with family and or friends. Have stayed in several different rentals and have loved everyone.The get away is always a perfect vacation rain or shine. Looking forward toward another this year….:)
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This was our first time, but not our last! We stayed at Pain Relief and was it ever! We had a perfect location, close to the beach, close to the sound, close to the realty office. Everything was so easy and relaxing, we really loved the Ice Cream truck that drove around. We took a Jeep tour with Corolla Adventures and that was awesome, the weather was a little stormy but we still had a great time and the guide, Jeff, was so knowledgeable and friendly. The restaurants are all so good and we really enjoyed driving to see what else was down the road. The pier in Avon was a very educational trip too a young man was fishing and had caught a shark, what a treat for all of us. This vacation is really meant for young and old. We will be back and we’ll stay at the very same house and can’t wait for that day to come! Thanks so much to the Potter’s, the owners of the home, very welcoming!
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This was the 3rd time and the best time…….everytime has been great but this year was amazing….we couldn’t have asked for better weather……
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My family travels to Hatteras Island every year for our family vacation. We feel in love with the island during our first visit, and we decided it would be an appropriate acknowledgement to have our wedding there to accent our seventh visit! I couldn’t have painted a better picture for the soundside ceremony; a beautiful sunset, a hundred friends and family, and dozens of friendly (vacation) neighbors taking in our moment with us. The staff at Surf or Sound deserve more credit than I can express through a blog. Without their tireless effort to accomodate such a large group, we could not have realized our dreams of being married in such a perfect place. We were always greeted with a smile, and kind words. The staff even stood gaurd over our wedding cake until our 9 rentals were ready!
See you again for our first anniversary! Thanks for everything.
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My first time on the Outer Banks but it will not be my last if I have anything to say about it. Walking on miles and miles of primitive beaches was something I thought I could only do in my dreams ! The best part for my was going to Hatteras Lighthouse at night star gazing in between the steady light beams coming out of the lighthouse. Counting down to next years vacation.
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I have to say that I love the Outer Banks!! My husband and our family will be returning again in 10 days (YEAH!) and it is our 5th year. We enjoy the amazing sunsets, the beautiful beaches, and the friendly people. When I leave there my heart remains only to return again. We look forward to this time every year and our kids begin counting down the days every new year. Surf or Sound has been wonderful to work with! THANK YOU!
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We had our wedding in Hatteras Village on May 3, 2009. It was beautiful, the wind blowing and the waves behind us! We had a great reception poolside at Splash Landing which I would highly recommend for any event. Great space and great owner! The week was beautiful and we got to spend it with our family down the street at Pondview and a few friends who were able to stay with us. It was an experience we will never forget! Caught lots of fish and had lots of fun!
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Last year was our first family vacation ever. When the kids were young we were to busy. But now with the children and grandchildren we have learned to relax a little.
Along with the Aunt and Uncle this is our 2nd and many more to come vacations in Hatteras. When you cross the Bridge to the Southern Shores Time stops and your transported to a simpler time.Beautiful sunrises and sunset. tranquil walks on the beach talking to the wonderful store keepers, and just zoning out. I think we will keep returning year after year. thank you Hatteras
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Just got back from Hatteras Island where I escorted a group of German travel professionals for a tour of the Outer Banks. We were fortunate enough to stay at Carolina Dreamin. A beautifully appointed house in Avon. It had everything we could have wanted - and plenty we wish we had more time to enjoy. Staying at such a wonderful and well located destination made the trip and memories over the top!
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Our first visit to Rodanthe was 2 years ago. We wanted to do something really special for our son and his friends who were graduating high school. Well we could not have ask for a more perfect graduation present. We loved the house with the pool steps from the beach. But the time we spent together can never be replaced. These kids have grown up in my house and to have an uninterupted week of fun with them ..heaven. I am blessed to have two great kids of my own and then all their friends my husband and I could not have been happier. We come from Massachusetts where you could argue we have the most beautiful beaches( Maine coast, Cape Cod, North shore, Cape Ann) But the beaches of the outer banks where the water is well above the 65 degrees the maine beaches are at in the summer and they just go on forever I think ties our beauty in the northeast. The slow stressfree way of the outerbanks surpasses the high stress on the go of the northeast by a longshot. We will be returning to Rodanthe in June ‘09 this time with my two sisters, their families,and my mom. I can’t wait for them to experience what I have been talking about for two years.
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My family and I just left a great week at Kick N Back. This house was gorgeous and the views were incredible. We had many evenings of great sunsets. The house beat our expectations and could not have asked for a more beautiful place to stay. The theatre room was definately a plus and the kitchen had everything we needed. I have already booked another stay for thanksgiving week with Surf or Sound who were very accommodating. It was hard to leave this beautiful home and island behind, but I am looking forward to my next stay with Surf or Sound.
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We keep coming back, year after year. The most stressful thing we do is food shopping. The most effort we exert when cooking a meal is getting the grill fired up. When we leave, we start planning our return. When we make our reservation for the following year, we start dreaming and de-stressing. We love hanging out on the deck, whether it’s in the morning with coffee, in the evening with cocktails, or at night looking for shooting stars while admiring the moon. We enjoy the beautiful uncrowded beaches for sunning, swimming, reading, shell collecting, and morning runs along the water. Most of all, we enjoy the calm feeling we all get as soon as we arrive!
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Nothing gets rid of the stresses of everyday life faster than sitting on your deck with a cup of coffee in the morning, listening to the ocean and watching the sun come up.
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Last year, 2008, was the very first time for my husband, Rick, and I to visit the east coast. We were virgin islanders. When making our reservation for last April, the person I spoke with at Surf or Sound told me that I would love it there and would be pleasantly surprised. She was both right and wrong. I did love it there but I was not just pleasantly surprised. I was overjoyed. It was everything I had dreamed it would be. I had been telling my husband for years that I wanted to take a vacation there. It got to the point that I mentioned it at every turn. He would just smile and shake his head. Who is shaking their head now? Not him. He, too, fell in love with it and we are returning this May for another week of perfection. The beach time was the best of all. Walking barefoot in the sand, listening to the relaxing sound of the waves crashing, and the cry of the gulls as they swoop down to search for goodies, and feeling the breeze blowing through our hair and massaging our skin brought us memories that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. We walked and collected shells every day for hours and hours. It was as if time stood still and we had left our worries and stress far behind in the cornfields of Nebraska. May is approaching at a very slow pace this year as we anxiously await our return trip to the Hatteras Islands. And we will be returning every year from now on, if not more often.
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three inches of snow,28 degrees , and all i can think of is sitting on the beach a quarter mile south of frisco pier in september 85 degrees nobody within a 150 yards.the wife trying to cast a 2 ounce hopkins lure far enough out to hit me with it , because their are 4 foot perfect barrels and i spent absolutely no time in the empty beach chair next to her sometimes a man has to spend some quality time with himself ,even if it is inside an empty 80 degree wave . guess i’ll have to stop at buxton seafood and cook her dinner again,can’t wait!
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