When are you going to be there? It's the perfect place for boys. The surf is rough and you HAVE to get them to read and understand what to do if they get caught in a riptide. There are no lifeguards on the beach. It's really important to keep watch and be up on riptide procedures.
We've stayed oceanfront in Rodanthe several times. It's wonderful!! I get up for sunrise and sit on the deck in my robe and sometimes a blanket with a pot of tea, watching for dolphins and some mornings I take pics of dawn. We usually rent surfboards because DS has taken lessons-that's how we got to know the only dentist on the island very well-so loves to surf. Our favorite surf shop on the island is in Buxton and called Natural Art Surf Shop. There are several young surfers who work there and they share info with DS about where to surf. We also buy some clothes there every year. There is a nice little surf shop in Rodanthe too. The Hot Tuna is a good, cheap restaurant that turns into a bar later with Karaoke twice a week. Lisa's pizza is good, not cheap. Atlantic Coast Cafe has great carry out and very casual eat in. St. Waves Seafood and Produce in the same shopping center as the post office in Waves has really good spiced shrimp, crab cakes and their keylime pie is good too! Right beside the big kite store(might be Kitty Hawk Kites) and upstairs is a restaurant called Good Winds. Pretty good food, good views at sunset. The other good sunset spot on the sound is a little gazebo behind Sunset Resort which is on the sound across from Pamlico Station shopping center. We stay in those condos sometimes. The gazebo has steps into the sound. We kayak from there. Stop at Chicamacomico Life Saving Station with your kids. Once a week-maybe Thursday, they have a reenactment of an old fashioned drill. It's cool. Ocean Atlantic Rentals can deliver almost anything you want to your rental the day you arrive. Bikes, grills, chairs, umbrellas with stands and sand anchors-the beach is VERY windy! The National Park Service in Buxton, Bodie Island and Ocracoke run family type activities every day. One of our favorites has been the seigning on the sound program. You wade into the sound with water shoes and nets, bringing up cool stuff and the ranger or guide has a talk with you about it. Take loads of cold water/drinks, hats and sunblock whenever you leave your house because you never know when you'll find an opportunity. Take your beach towels and wear your suits. There is a theatre in Avon for a rainy day but I recommend you take a board game, a deck of cards and a few DVDs with you. We're pretty crazy and we take a game platform to hook up in one of the bedrooms. I know-bad, lol! I don't just turn them lose on it but if they're sunburned or sick or it's rained for two days straight-it comes in handy. We always ferry to Ocracoke at least once. We love renting a golf cart and touring the island, eat and drink at the Jolly roger on Silver Lake right in town and spend several hours on the beach there. It's one of the most beautiful and deserted beaches I have ever seen. When you're doing Ocracoke, you HAVE to get to the ferry early, before 9am. It takes 40 minutes once you are loaded. The ride is fun! The shops on Ocracoke are neat, little boutiques. My husband always buys a shirt at the hemp shop across from the bookstore-don't know the correct names of these shops.
Shelling is best on Ocracoke but you can find some cool shells on hatteras too. My favorite little restaurant for families is very casual and at the entrance to the beach road back to the Hatteras Lighthouse. It's called Angelos. There is a big game arcade in the back so take some fives and ones to cash in for tokens. My husband and I always get cheese calzones there. They are huge!!! pm me with whatever questions you might have. Oh, there's a sports bar called Finnegans in Buxton too. Last-The Orange Blossom Bakery in Buxton(I know it's far from Rodanthe but it's worth the drive) has these amazing apple fritters called Apple Uglies. People drive down from Kitty Hawk to get them and if you want them warm, you have to get there by 7:3oam, maybe earlier. If you're not there that early, they may be sold out. We always prepay the day before and they hold them for us. Not many people realize that can be done. Once every vacation, we rent a 4WD vehicle and drive on the beach. There are only a few places that can be done and early in the summer those are very limited due to nesting of some birds that the Audobon and the NPS have declared endangered. The locals are at war with the NPS over this so you'll see signs about it. I like to drive on in the evening after people start going home. the drive on spots are again south of Avon and mostly Buxton to Hatteras. Ask at a tackle shop about what's open for driving on but do not do it unless you have 4WD-seriously, the sand is deep and it costs a fortune to be towed off the beach. Grocery is in Avon-Food Lion. Best to shop very early Sunday or Monday morning. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are so crowded you think you're in line for Rolling Stones tickets and it's the last concert they'll every do. If you can bring some things with you and pickup a few things like milk and eggs for the first two days, you'll like Food Lion much better. I'm going to sleep now. Like I said, pm me. This is the longest post I've ever done. I should turn it in for a grade.
