America has discovered one of its best summer beaches is fast becoming the new hot destination for couples and families in the fall. The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a stunning landscape of dynamic sand bar islands located on the East Coast's midpoint. The islands are a geologic wonder that exists in a perpetual dance with the elements, to a tune that began for us when the first English settlers arrived in the vast and promising New World in 1587. See what makes fall the local islanders' favorite time of year. Mild weather, warm water temperatures and gentle breezes blowing off the Atlantic Ocean make a perfect recipe for recreation, indoors and out.
"You feel like you have the islands all to yourself," says Carolyn McCormick, managing director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. "You can be as solitary or social as you like, and one of the best parts is the value on accommodations. Off-season rates are 40 percent less than in peak season, and that means Hatteras and Roanoke Islands, and the northern beaches from Duck to Nags Head, are easily accessible to travelers of all means. And there are no long waits at our local restaurants.
Wild Hatteras
Revered for some of the largest tracts of undeveloped shoreline left in the country, and free and open access beaches that offer the best surf fishing on the Eastern Seaboard, Hatteras Island is the hallmark of Mother Nature's whimsical handiwork. A birdwatcher's paradise, nearly 400 species have been sighted within Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The shallow Pamlico Sound on Hatteras Island's western shore is a perfect place to bring kids and dogs on a leash. It's also the best place to learn and perfect your kiteboarding skills, America's fastest growing watersport.
A Family Field Trip
See where the necessity of invention has changed the course of history. Mankind first broke its tether to the earth when the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane in Kill Devil Hills on a blustery December day in 1903. Thousands of shipwrecks lie beneath the sea off the coast of Cape Hatteras, a testament to centuries of seafaring trade and navigation, and the importance of our lighthouses. Jockey's Ridge State Park is a time capsule of sand, a surviving example of the massive dune systems that once characterized the Outer Banks, and the largest of its kind on the East Coast.
Fresh North Carolina Seafood
A fall delicacy, salty oysters and fresh shellfish chilled on ice or steamed heaps of locally caught wild shrimp from North Carolina waters off the Outer Banks have no comparison. Fresh fish, served at local restaurants, was purchased in the morning at one of several fresh fish markets on Roanoke Island. If you like more terrestrial fare, then there are 160 restaurants in Dare County to choose from.
Go On a Shopping Spree
The discriminating shop-a-holic can hop from retailer to restaurant and back again armed with the 2008 Outer Banks Getaway Card, good for discounts of 20 percent and more at over 100 local retailers. Other businesses include adventure outfitters and dining establishments. The card is free with the 2008 Official Outer Banks Travel Guide that features all you need to plan your trip with phone numbers, descriptions and Web sites of local establishments and calendar of events.
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