A Generation X Guide to History, Food, and Adventure in the Outer Banks

Generation X Travel On the Outer Banks

By Gail Clifford on Jul. 14, 2022

Generation X (born 1966 to 1980) is today’s sandwich generation, often caring for parents while raising children. That makes the Outer Banks an especially appealing destination. Across these 130 miles of coastline are remarkable history, excellent local food and wine, welcoming towns, natural scenery, and awesome adventure. OBX offers activities for the whole family, whether you travel as an extended family, a couple, grandparents with grandkids, a girls’ day, a boys’ night, or any mix of these groups.

We stayed at Whalebone Cottages, a beachfront property in Nags Head with an ideal location and four-bedroom units. Adults can claim the first level while children settle upstairs, although the bunk beds will probably be the subject of debate. Each unit has a complete kitchen, making it easy to visit a local grocery store for breakfast supplies and snacks. Sam & Omie’s, a local favorite, is nearby.

After crossing the bridge, Trio Restaurant & Market makes a good stop for a satisfying meal and some early shopping. Continue to the Monument to a Century of Flight at the first Visitor’s Bureau, or visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The latter is a National Park with a Visitor’s Center, reconstructed 1903 camp buildings, the landing strip, a granite monument on Kill Devil Hill, and a statue park honoring the First in Flight trips.

History, gardens, and island discoveries

Those interested in history can explore The Lost Colony on Roanoke Island and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, home to a monument commemorating the Freedmen’s Colony, also called the “other Lost Colony.” Beside it, The Elizabethan Gardens feature an artist’s interpretation of what Virginia Dare, the first English-born child of the land, may have looked like as an adult.

Around mealtime, visit the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in the harbor. Avenue Grille serves a hummus board, or you can pack a picnic to enjoy while sailing around the Sound. Adults may want to sample Kill Devil Rum in gold, silver, or pecan-flavored varieties. At the island’s far end, the entire family can explore the North Carolina Aquarium and count the sea turtles currently living there.

Lighthouses and the Graveyard of the Atlantic

Any of the Outer Banks Lighthouses—Hatteras, Bodie, Roanoke Marshes, Currituck, or Ocracoke—can satisfy a desire to connect with the land and sea. Heading south, pause at the Chicamacomico Life Saving Station and Pea Island. The Weather Station Bureau is now also a Visitor Bureau, while the Graveyard of the Atlantic examines shipwrecks and the ways they continue to influence life in North Carolina.

Horses and wild-horse tours

Reserve a horseback-riding outing on Hatteras. Along the southern route, stop at the Orange Blossom Café for Apple Uglies, then return via the Diamond Shoals Restaurant for dinner. Afterward, several family members may be asleep during the hour-long drive back to the house.

For a worthwhile northern Outer Banks day trip, take a Corolla Wild Horse Tour. These 4WD excursions are available only by reservation and offer the opportunity to observe up to 100 horses.

Kayaking and water activities

For additional water sports, head north to Duck, where you can eat and explore the nearly mile-long boardwalk. The area offers kayaking, other water sports, and fishing. Alligator River, farther south, is another excellent kayaking destination.

Adventures above the water

When it is time for more aerial excitement, options include parasailing over the ocean, a Bi-Plane tour, or skydiving. The trip’s favorite adventure was closer to the ground: learning to hang glide above the same sand dunes associated with the Wright Brothers’ historic flight with Kitty Hawk Kites.

The must-see experience began with an hour of flight school, followed by a walk to the dunes. While other visitors flew kites or sand boarded down the slopes, we positioned ourselves on top of the dunes. With each glider tethered to an instructor at either end, a few steps sent us into the air. We practiced landing in a superman pose and descended as gracefully as Mary Poppins in the light wind.

A destination with something for everyone

The Outer Banks’ scenic setting creates a wondrous backdrop for hang gliding, sports fishing, dolphin watching, sailing, kayaking, horseback riding, hikes, and historic exploration. This North Carolina destination truly offers something for everyone.

About the author

Gail Clifford, MD, is a 30-year physician and international best-selling author who has visited five continents and all 50 United States. She values both solo and inter-generational travel for adventure and education, and was thrilled to discover both experiences in the Outer Banks. An award-winning photographer and travel writer, she divides her time between Ireland and the U.S.