As a rule, people love the beach. Sun, water, and sand. It’s a type of paradise where laying out in the sun and catnapping is acceptable. Personally, I love staying active on the beach, whether playing in the waves, building sandcastles, or trying some new trick. But sometimes I need new ideas for my beach days or some different scenery other than water and sand.
- Bring your phone and take selfies with as many beautiful people as you can.
I’m a bit introverted so forcing myself to talk to strangers and ask for a picture with them was a bit out of my comfort zone; however, I’m pretty proud of the pictures and the different people that I got to chat with. Adrenalin rush achieved.
- Challenge another group of beach goers to a sand creation contest.
It might be hard to find a group willing to participate, but if you do manage to get a challenge going, you can ask people walking by to vote for their favorite by placing a seashell near their choice. Castles are a good start, but anything goes!
- Night walk the beach with a flash light in hand for watching the side-walking crabs.
Bring your group of friends down to the beach and try to catch your own crab pets. These night critters are fast so the more people you have with you, the better your chances to corner the creature. Buckets and nets will help in your night mission.
- Rent a flat board and try out the newest ocean fun.
These boards are longer than surfboards and come with a paddle by which you propel yourself across the water by standing. Quiet waves make flat boarding simpler, but you can mix and match with calm water flat boarding and surprise surfing the waves as you return to the beach.
- Reserve a spot to Dolphin Watch along the Sound.
You love dolphins and you aren’t seeing enough from the beach? You can get up close and see many different pods of dolphins by joining a dolphin watching tour along the Outer Banks’ sound. The guides will point out dolphins that they’ve seen in the area for years and you might even see them jump.
- Kayak along the sound.
Rent a one man kayak or a two man kayak to explore the sound with friends or solo. Enjoy the quiet of the water and seeing herons, ospreys, and other surprises. When my cousin and I did this together, we turned our water time into an impromptu musical.
- Explore the beginning of flight with the Wright Brothers.
These bicycle repairing brothers changed the face of travel for all humankind when they began to explore the option of flight. Delve into some history and learn about how they made their dream of flight into a reality by visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
- Climb the Dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park and find the buried castle.
The Outer Banks boasts its own sand dunes that covered a mini golf course that was themed with a castle. These days all you can see of the course is the very top of the castle peeking from the top of the dune. Find the castle and try to dig deeper to find more of it.
- Visit one of the many lighthouses in the area.
Take the stairs up through the building, forcing your mind to think about the people who cared for the lighthouse and warned ships of the coastline. You can choose to see the Currituck Beach Light, Bodie Island Light, Cape Hatteras Light, Ocracoke Light, or Cape Lookout Light.
What About You?
Have you ever visited the Outer Banks? What are your favorite activities to do at the beach?
I’ve never visited this area, but your blog makes me want to! One activity I used to do as a little kid and still enjoy doing with my grandchildren is searching for “treasure” on the beach and in the water (different colored rocks) and arranging them in “jeweled” gardens. Blessings on your blog, Barbara!
Rachael, that sounds like such a fun activity! I didn’t even think of adding that to the list, but it’s obviously missing because I do recall all the misshapen sea shells I always seemed to find and then wanted to keep forever! I love the “jeweled” garden idea. Sounds so lovely! And thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!