Your summer vacation is around the corner. You have already paid it off, but you’re worried about spending money while you’re there. Don’t worry! Beach Realty has you covered! Here are five tips to save you money on your Outer Banks vacation, including some exclusive guest discounts!
1. Outer Banks Attractions
No need to worry! The Outer Banks is full of free attractions to fill your time with!
Free Outer Banks Attractions
The Beach!
The first is obviously the beach (duh). Pack a cooler with food and drinks, and spend the whole day soaking up some sun! Check out our list of beach accesses below.
Complete list of Public Beach Accesses
Jockey’s Ridge
Jockey’s Ridge, the largest living sand dune on the East Coast, is a state park and a completely free activity. Bring a picnic, and enjoy it on the sound side beach there! For more activities, check out the links below.
More Jockey’s Ridge Activities
Inexpensive Outer Banks Attractions
Wright Brother’s Memorial
Children under 15 get in for free, and adults are $7.00 per. You can also get in for each day for 7 days after you purchase a pass so that you can go back multiple times!
Lighthouses
You have to pay to climb most of the lighthouses, but it is always fun to walk around them and look in the gift shop.
2. Cook at Home
While there are many great restaurants to choose from when you want to go out to grab a bite to eat. One of the many benefits of renting a home, versus staying in a hotel is the ability to save on the cost of going out to eat. Plus, for those that enjoy cooking, it's a win win! With more than one chef in the family, you can easily take turns cooking, and cleaning. Don’t make it a chore, get the whole family involved so you can make some memories! And not to worry, we have lots of grocery and convenience stores in each town in case you need to grab something for that special meal.
If you are traveling with a large group of multiple families, split up the meal responsibilities. Have one family be responsible for cooking breakfast on Tuesday, and you take care of lunch on Thursday. Don’t forget; if you have any leftover non-perishable foods at the end of your stay you can drop them off with your keys and we will donate it to the local food pantry.
For easy beach, recipes check out our Pinterest board
3. Map Out Your Week
Depending on where you are staying, you may want to venture off to other attractions in other towns or even take a day trip down. In the north popular attractions include visiting the Currituck Lighthouse, Whalehead club (especially at sunset), and of course, the wild horses in Carova! Down South, you can easily take a day trip to Hatteras or Ocracoke, or Manteo on Roanoke Island. Attractions on the way, such as Jockey's Ridge and Bodie Island Lighthouse, and the Wright Brother's Memorial, are quick stops so you can check off another incredible Outer Banks must-see attraction! Google Maps makes it easy to add stops and rearrange them, and then save them until you are ready to go! So pack up that cooler full of beverages and snacks, and hit the road!
4. Free Events & Happy Hours
With so many options to choose from, make sure you check out Facebook for restaurant pages where they will post happy hour specials, live music schedules, and more useful information you can use to save money on eating out with free entertainment! Follow pages including OBX Today and Outer Banks this Week for up-to-date information and our Events Page here!
5. Check out Beach Realty’s Exclusive Guest Discounts
Guests of Beach Realty receive exclusive discounts for renting beach equipment through Ocean Atlantic Rentals, for H2OBX tickets, and more. Make sure to look through the check-in packet we give you and download our mobile app! There are a ton of coupons hidden in there.