I took my first every trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Friday. Had book signing in Duck. There's many quaint little shops that I want to see, plus the Wright Brothers Memorial. (I did catch a glimpse of it on the hill as I drove by.) Will return next spring when the crowds are not there - and the heat is missing, too!
One thing I noticed, and I had seen it on other NC beaches as well, you cannot see the beach from the road. Because of the small sand dunes they create as a barrier and the long line of condos and beach houses that occupy the entire length of the beaches, one cannot see the ocean. This is such an extreme contrast to the coastline of Oregon, where the road runs right along the beaches and cliffs, providing ample photo opportunities and views of the ocean.
There's also no place to access the beach! I counted ONE public access beach along almost 20 miles of road. ONE!!!!!! There's no parking around the condos, so that one beach is the only option for someone not renting a place for the summer. It's like they are penalizing you for not staying there. "You don't pay to stay, you don't get to see the beach!" Oregon had many places to park and walk down to the beach - state parks galore, public access beaches, restaurants on the waterfront, scenic view spots off the highway, etc. There are some beach houses, but they do not block the way or the view and do not occupy every spare inch of beach front!!!!!
I'll take a beautiful Oregon beach anytime!!!
3 comments:
It was nice of you to visit the Outer Banks. There is public access in Corolla and in Kitty Hawk. The roads that are close to the beach keep getting destroyed because of the nature of the barrier islands. Most of the beach area roads are not public. Each little housing development has to pay for its own roads and upkeep. This is very expensive and extra traffic causes problems. Off season is a great time to stay and prices are much lower. You can stay in a condo for a whole week for $600. Please consider returning to Duck.
I will return, because I would like a chance to see the beach! Summer is a busy time to hit NC beaches and it will be nice to return in March when there are less people. Will have to look hard for those public access spots, though, as they were a bit hidden.
Guess I got spoiled with Oregon beaches!
March is a great time in the Outer Banks. If you go in early March many restaurants and shops are still closed. It depends on what you want to do. It sure is peaceful but the lack of people comes with the price of not being able to visit some stores and restaurants. The visitors center at 158 and 12 is lovely and they should be able to help with public access areas. If you rent a place then you'll have beach access. The four wheel drive area is really great for beach walking, shelling, and solitude. Safe travels
Post a Comment