Outer Banks at the Outer Banks

We're at the North Carolina outer banks for a few days and brought my partner's Outer Banks down. Only fitting, right?

It was getting 32+ indicated MPG on the trip. Took it on the north OBX beach yesterday and that knocked it back to under 30, but still very impressed.

I'm quite experienced driving on these beaches. Aired the stock Michelins down to about 20 PSI, put her in sand mode and let her rip. The sand here is really variable. Some areas near the water are like pavement and there are places with deep, soft sand. She handled it all with no issues and never even tried to get stuck. We went through some windy deep sand trails at low speed with no problems at all.

Her previous vehicle was a Jeep Compass Trailhawk with OEM Falken Wildpeaks and the Bronco Sport was just as capable in the sand. Very fun!

We had a big family vacation down there back in the summer of 2021 and everybody loved it. I've been thinking about how our new Bronco Sport opens up the possibility of renting a house up on one of the 4x4 beaches. I'm guessing they're less crowded—that was my first time there, and being the 4th of July weekend in the middle of the pandemic, the place was absolutely jammed with people!

Nice! We also go to Corolla.

jason202 said:

—that was my first time there, and being the 4th of July weekend in the middle of the pandemic, the place was absolutely jammed with people!

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Holidays will be very crowded. Peak in season, too. Large increase in total visitors the past few years due to the pandemic and people wanting a nearby vacation destination. Not wanting to get on a plane or go on a cruise with COVID.

We come several times a year, but off season. April and October are great! It's not crowded and everything is open. Usually the weather is nice.

January is REALLY not crowded, although there are more people around on the weekend. We waited about 20 minutes for a table last night. There are many things closed, including some of our favorite restaurants. We got really lucky with the weather this time, it's been in the upper 60s every day.

After Labor Day to end of October is a great time on OBX. Columbus Day weekend gets crowded as it is typically homeowner association weekend.

The south Outer Banks beats the North any day. National Seashore pass allows driving at Oregon Inlet and south. All the way to Cape Hatteras lighthouse, Cape Point and Ocracoke Island. North beaches often impossible at high tide. Forest service campgrounds at Oregon Inlet, Cape Hatteras lighthouse (Buxton), Frisco and on Ocracoke. Charming hotels and much cheaper Airbnbs south as North is full of houses that cost 5 to 10k a week in season. The tidal pools are so nice on the south OBX and North has zero. I am pretty local and there most weekends in the summer in my Mitsubishi Delica 4x4 van.

Subjective. Thousands of homeowners would disagree.

We had the National Seashore pass a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Mainly got it to visit the shrimp boat wreck near Oregon Inlet, but drove a lot of the southern beaches. Much prefer to stay in Nags Head for more and better restaurants.

Eventually the Park Service removed the wreck, but by the time they did the sand had almost buried it.