Outer Banks Lodging Options for Every Style and Budget
By Aaron Tuell on Nov. 07, 2019
OUTER BANKS, N.C.– Across the Outer Banks, each village offers its own reasons to linger, from the shops and dining found along the Northern Beaches to Roanoke Island’s historic sites and small-town character, and on to the quiet natural setting of Hatteras Island.
Travelers can choose from a broad mix of places to stay for nearly any trip style or budget, including beachside motels, varied vacation-home rentals, historic bed and breakfast inns, and scenic campgrounds. Whether visitors are planning a family vacation or reunion, a romantic escape, a fishing getaway with friends, or a history- and culture-focused journey through the area’s past, the Outer Banks offers accommodations to match those needs. Here is a sampling of lodging choices available throughout the destination.
Moderate Hotel Options
The Outer Banks includes more than 2,900 guest rooms across a wide selection of hotels and motels. For travelers looking for moderately priced lodging, Best Western Ocean Reef Suites in Kill Devil Hills on the Northern Beaches is one of the Outer Banks’ only all-suite, oceanfront hotels. Its location is convenient to shopping, a variety of historical and recreational sights, and some of the country’s best fishing.
On Hatteras Island, several well-liked moderately priced properties are available, including Comfort Inn, Buxton, which places guests near charter fishing, Hatteras Village shopping, Cape Hatteras lighthouse, Ocracoke Ferry, and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Visitors may also consider the Outer Banks’ two newest luxury hotels, Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk (252-261-1290) and Oasis Suites in Nags Head (252-441-5211).
Bed and Breakfast Stays
Travelers wanting a more personal stay can settle into one of the Outer Banks’ bed and breakfast retreats. Tranquil House Inn sits on the waterfront in downtown Manteo, encircled by boardwalks, sailboats, and Shallowbag Bay. The Inn features distinctive rooms with canopied, four-poster beds, along with suites that include welcoming sitting areas and separate bedrooms.
Another popular option is Roanoke Island Inn, located close to Roanoke Island Festival Park, Elizabethan Gardens, North Carolina Aquarium, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Waterside Theater, and the popular Christmas Shop.
In Nags Head, First Colony Inn offers guests distinctive rooms appointed with English antiques, along with breakfast buffets and afternoon tea. With the inn’s southern charm as the backdrop, visitors can spend time by the pool, read in the library, play croquet on the lawn, or unwind in a rocking chair on the verandah. Nearby, vacationers can picnic on Cape Hatteras National Seashore, dine at a fine restaurant, watch birds at Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, visit the North Carolina Aquarium, dive on a sunken ship, take an aero-tour, windsurf, or hang glide.
Cypress Moon Inn, set on Currituck Sound in Kitty Hawk and near the Town of Duck, gives guests easy access to nearby beaches, golf courses, restaurants, shops, and other attractions. The Inn offers waterfront guest rooms with private baths, private dining, and semi-private porches. Rooms include antiques, entertainment centers with satellite television, stereo music, and refrigerators.
Vacation Rental Homes
One increasingly popular alternative to hotels and inns is renting one of 14,000 rental homes. Choices for location, style, size, and budget are wide-ranging, from oceanfront mansions to inland bungalows. Visitors can review the area’s variety of rental homes through local agencies such as Village Realty, Sun Realty, Midgett Realty, and Hatteras Realty, among others.
Luxury Resort Stay
On the Northern Beaches in Duck, Sanderling Inn Resort & Spa offers a resort experience designed to make guests feel like celebrities. Vacationers can enjoy the resort’s decadent spa, on-site luxury dining, fitness center, tennis courts, and swimming pools. Nearby, they can play championship golf courses, go sport fishing, and take in wildlife and natural beauty at the 3,400-acre Audubon Sanctuary. More information about Sanderling amenities, rates, and availability is available at www.thesanderling.com.
Camping and Outdoor Stays
Cape Hatteras National Seashore operates four National Park Service (NPS) campgrounds along the Outer Banks. The campgrounds are located at Oregon Inlet, Cape Point in Buxton, Frisco, and Ocracoke, and they can accommodate tents, trailers, and motor homes.
The campgrounds are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with campsites assigned on a first-come, first-serve basis. Ocracoke is the exception and requires reservations. The only exception is Ocracoke, which requires reservations. To make a reservation, call (800) 365-CAMP (2267). Fees are $20 at each campground. Though considered primitive camping, the sites provide restrooms, potable water, unheated showers, grills, and picnic tables.
Seasonal Savings
Travelers can regularly visit www.outerbanks.org for seasonal-savings information and specials, and can also save through the Outer Banks Getaway Card. The card gives guests access to values and deals around the area at local accommodations, restaurants, and shops. For details or to receive a card for savings on a trip to the Outer Banks, call (877) 629-4386 or visit www.outerbanks.org.
Author
Aaron Tuell develops and contributes to award-winning projects in public relations, social media, and travel customer outreach. His background includes work with national media outlets, celebrity projects, social media strategy and oversight, commercial broadcast and web video production, marketing photography, publicity and promotion, and experience working with and as news media.
Manager of Public Relations
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
252-473-2138 office
877-629-4386 toll free
tuell@outerbanks.org