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For years I heard how OBX was amazing and so much more incredible than the Jersey shore. Last year I finally saw what everyone was talking about. I was invited to go with my boyfriend's family, which included grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. It was seriously the best week of our lives. Not only did we get to catch up but we had so much fun down there. We went through Outer Beaches and we had no problems what so ever! We stayed in Frisco and every night at 9 a guy would play his bagpipe and we would listen to him while either relaxing in the hot tub or cooking marshmallows on the beach. During the day we would relax on the beach and fish, then cook the fish right there and make our own sushi. I am the worst eater and for 8 months all I heard was how I had to have an oyster at Pop's Bar and I think my video on YouTube says enough! Now the best part of our vacation happened on Thursday. We went out to eat and then went and took a family photo on the beach. Later that night my boyfriend, his uncle, and I went out on the beach. A few nights ago his uncle was taking silhouette pictures of everyone and my boyfriend said ours was messed up and we had to redo it. Right after we redid our picture he got down on one knee and proposed! It was so amazing and to do it right there on the beach under the stars was so beautiful and his uncle was right there to capture it all! It was the best moment of my life! Thank you Outer Beaches for a wonderful week and a lifetime of memories!

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I have dreamed of visiting the Outerbanks for years. I finally got that opportunity last week and it was definitely the trip of a lifetime. Myself and my two best friends spent the week in one of the rental houses in Rodanthe. It was the perfect location. We had the beach on one side of the house and out of the kitchen window, we had a view of the Sound. We had a very adventurous week from Corolla to Frisco. For our first adventure, we rented a jeep and followed a guide through the sand dunes at Corolla Beach in search of wild horses. Kim did an outstanding job driving through the dunes and we actually saw 17 wild horses on the ride. Our second adventure took us to Buxton where we took a 2 hour horseback ride through the Buxton Woods and on the beach. This was an amazing adventure that I would definitely recommend to anyone. Our guide was wonderful and kept us entertained for the entire ride! Our last adventure was our search for the house in the "Nights in Rodanthe" movie. We had no problem finding the house but did have an issue with finding somewhere to park! We actually ended up stuck in the sand when we tried to turn around to park near the house. We made friends quickly with the tow truck driver at the local gas station! Even with all of our adventures, we found time to relax and enjoy the beach. From our deck, we were able to see dolphins, surfers, wind surfers, birds, and just the beauty of the ocean. Overall we had an AWESOME trip and are planning on bringing the entire family back in June. Thank you Outer Beaches for helping to make this trip most memorable!

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Growing up near the Atlantic Ocean in South Florida, I was raised thinking that all beaches consisted of high rises and commercial, touristy businesses. Our first visit to the Outer Banks was about 10 years ago, not long after moving to North Carolina and I quickly learned how wrong I was. The Outer Banks are the antithesis of what I was used to. They are undeveloped wide beaches with houses dotting the landscape and glimpses of windsurfers taking advantage of the soft breezes. The unhurried, relaxed pace at which life goes on in the Outer Banks provides the perfect escape from the rate race that many of us face in our daily lives. The water is refreshingly cool and the warm breezes are relaxing as my family sunbathes and I either fish or read a book under some shade. Some of our best family memories as our children have grown revolve around bonfires on the beaches, surf fishing, feeding the seagulls on the ferry ride to Ocracoke, climbing the Hatteras lighthouse and our tradition of dinner at Howard's Pub. Since discovering the Outer Banks we have missed very few summers and I count the days until we return. I look forward each year to that first glimpse of the Bodie Island lighthouse as we turn off of US 64 and head south on NC 12 that tells me we are in the Outer Banks. By the same token, the saddest part of our trip is seeing that same lighthouse in the rearview mirror a week later as we head home. I cherish memories of watching my children grow as we vacationed on the North Carolina shores over the years and I look forward to seeing them start their own families as I recreate these activities with grandchildren.

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