ENJOYING THE OUTER BANKS OF NORTH CAROLINA DURING THE OFF SEASON

My love of the Outer Banks runs pretty deep. As I cross the bridge from the mainland over to Hatteras it’s like a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders and all my worries slip away. I think it’s a combination of the fresh salt air, the ocean waves crashing on the shore, and the quietness that is Hatteras Island on the off season. We aren’t able to visit as much as we’d like to, but Alan and I took a quick trip to the island in March and the timing couldn’t have been better. Of course, whenever we visit we stay with Outer Beaches Realty.

In the past we’ve taken the kids, parents, and aunts/sisters on our visit to the shore so we’ve always rented a large house within easy walking distance to the beach. This time, however, it was just Alan and I and there wasn’t a need for a family sized home. We decided that a condo would be the perfect fit for us. Browsing the Outer Beaches site we landed on the perfect place, Durant Station Condos in Hatteras.

The 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo on the 3rd floor was everything I could have hoped for and more. The condo was roomy for the 2 of us, the kitchen was completely stocked with anything and everything you could need. Seriously, an electric wine bottle opener, blender, chef knives, serving bowls, and so much more. It made my inner-chef very happy to be in such a well stocked kitchen.

The condo is sans dining room, but offers 5 bar stools around the kitchen counter for meals. The living room offers a wicker couch for relaxing and watching TV, complete with cable and more channels then we could watch in a week. There is a lovely balcony off the living room and master bedroom that has uninterrupted views of the Atlantic Ocean. During the week we watched many, many dolphins swim by. Some people were fortunate enough to see a whale, but we weren’t so lucky. However, dolphin watching did make up for it.

Our bedroom for the week (let’s admit, a good night’s sleep is high on the list of importance) was very roomy with a king size bed, master bathroom, tv and patio door to the balcony. I LOVE hearing the ocean at night as I drifted off to sleep. The bed was very comfy and I stayed happily tucked in until the sunrise pulled me out from under the covers to watch the colors burst across the horizon.

The condos have direct access to the beach across a short boardwalk. We were feeling the sand between our toes in under 5 minutes from the time we left the condo until we stepped on the sand. Walking the beach was our favorite activity. It was March so the winds off the ocean were cold, but we just bundled up and enjoyed having the beach all to ourselves.

Even though most of the island is shut down during March we found a few open restaurants and the Food Lion grocery store in Avon was open as well. Our plan for the week was to do absolutely nothing and enjoy the rugged beauty of Hatteras Island. I don’t think we could have asked for a better week or a better condo. If I had the means I would have purchased one on the spot to return to again and again.

disclaimer: Outer Beaches Realty hosted my for a week. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Photos provided by Outer Beaches Realty.