Outer Banks

Just south of Waves, Salvo is no slouch when it comes to beaches. The town has a bit of a split personality when it comes to enjoying the sun, sand, and surf. Salvo is one of the few areas along the Outer Banks that has decent beaches on both the Atlantic and Pamlico Sound.

If Ocracoke Island sounds even too busy for you, the beaches of Portsmouth Island might work out just fine. Stretching for 22 miles, this barrier island is rarely more than one mile across and completely uninhabited.

Most people think that the Outer Banks are entirely in North Carolina; however, Virginia does have a portion in the extreme northern end. Sandbridge Beach is significantly closer to Virginia Beach, only a 40-minute drive, making it a popular weekend destination.

For a bit of history mixed in with your beach-going experience, head down to Cape Point Beach in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This roughly triangular point of beach extends southwards, which allows for waves on one side and calm waters on the other. Depending on the winds, tides, and recent storms, occasionally a sand spit forms offshore, and the lagoon in between features shallow, warm, calm waters ideal for wading.

Located at the northern end of the Outer Banks, Carova Beach is similar in nature to many of the other beaches, with soft sand, beautiful views, and great swimming. Where it diverges from the more popular beaches relates to its year-round permanent inhabitants: Corolla wild horses.

Waves has a bit of a split personality. On the Atlantic side, it's your traditional beach destination, but on the Pamlico Sound side, it's one of the top places in the Outer Banks to go kiteboarding. If it's windy, stroll over to Real Watersports. Grab a spot on the upstairs patio, and check out the kiteboarders racing across the water of Pamlico Sound.

The city of Rodanthe burst into the media spotlight in 2008, when the movie starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, Nights in Rodanthe, was released. Since then, the house where the movie was filmed was almost lost to storm damage but has been relocated farther inland and now operates as a vacation rental. Today the town has moved on from the spotlight and operates as a bustling summer town serving the needs of summer visitors.

One of the more unique places to hit the beach is Ocracoke Island. It takes a bit of work to get here. Two routes are available: a long drive down the entire Outer Banks then a ferry ride from Hatteras in the north, or a twisty route from Moorehead City to Cedar Island in the south.

The beach at Avon is a low-key affair and flies below most people's radar. Wide, long, and uncrowded, this beach is primarily the domain of families renting one of the numerous beach houses. Set up close to the water or back farther to the dunes if the wind is blowing. At night, come back down to the beach and collect driftwood for a cheery beach fire under the stars.

If you are coming to the Outer Banks from the north, the beach at Kitty Hawk will be the first one you come to after you cross Currituck Sound. If you just want to get into the water and lay out your gear on the sound, stop here and go no farther.

Assuming all the beaches are the same would be a terrible mistake. Each beach has its own look, feel, and vibe. Some beaches are packed with summer merrymakers playing in the water, others have impressive shore breaks ideal for surfing, some have piers and aquariums, and some of the more remote ones have wild horses roaming about.