While blessed with some of the country’s most beautiful beaches, a laid-back vibe, and a beautiful sense of isolation, a vacation on the Outer Banks can be slow to start because of traffic congestion. The very things that lead to that wonderful sense of isolation, the lack of access and the fact that these islands are a bit out of the way, can cause the traffic jams of nightmares.
But fear not, your relaxing Outer Banks vacation does not need to be defined by traffic! With a little forethought, you can beat the crowds, avoid the gridlock, and beeline it to your vacation rental with time for a beach barbecue. Here are a few tips to get your vacation started as soon as you get in the car.
Consider The Slower Season
Shoulder months offer great value to your, our guests. Often the weather is as good or better than the busy summer, there are no wait times at restaurants, and no crowds at the beach. Further, you may be able to save on your Outer Banks condo rental. September and October feature gorgeous weather, less traffic, and more of the laid-back island vibe you’ve come to enjoy.
Plan Your Week
Nearly everyone who plans an Outer Banks getaway starts their weekly rentals for Saturday to Saturday. This makes Saturdays the busiest days on the road, with everyone arriving and departing the islands. Sundays are getting busy too as more and more folks try to avoid Saturdays. If your schedule allows, try booking a Friday rental (or any other weekday) to beat the traffic.
Plan Your Route
The busiest route into the Outer Banks is the direct route south for Norfolk and Chesapeake via Route 168 and US Highway 158. While this is a direct line route from the cities of Richmond and the Hampton Roads area, it is also the most congested. The traffic usually gets backed up around the Wright Memorial Bridge and goes downhill from there!
An alternate, less traveled route takes you south from Virginia and eastbound on US 64 through the town of Manteo. This highway intersects Highway 12 south of Nags Head. You can get to US 64 from the north by either taking smaller county roads through Edenton, North Carolina or by coming in farther west from I-95. Manteo, located on Roanoke Island, is a charming town with a lot of history and some great restaurants. If you want to get off the road for a spell, you couldn’t ask for a better place to do it.
Is your family looking for an adventure? If you’ve got the time to spare (and you might just be spending it in traffic anyway) consider taking the ferry to Ocracoke, then driving north on Route 12 and taking the ferry to Hatteras. Sure, it’s the long way around, but it’s the scenic way!
Take it Slow and See the Sights
If you haven’t been able to rearrange your schedule and the traffic seems terrible no matter which route you take, consider just dialing it back a bit and seeing the sights along the way. An increasingly popular tactic is to drive the bulk of the trip the day before and plan to stay in a nearby town the night before. You can then enjoy the surrounding area on your way to or from the Outer Banks, and you can avoid the traffic jam doing it.
Don’t Arrive at the Rental Too Early or Stay Too Late
Some renters, trying to beat traffic, have arrived in the early morning for check-in. While this sounds fine in theory, this does not allow time for the rental company to turn over the property. The cleaners cannot do their jobs with the renters present and must clean many houses during busy turn-over days. To make sure your property is clean, the cleaning team makes sure that they can have plenty of time to go through each room thoroughly.
Getting to town early isn’t a bad plan, just don’t hang out at the condo rental. Plan to hit the beach for the day, have a barbecue, order a pizza, and hang out until the normal check-in times! This will make things smoother for you and allow for you to check-in to a very clean property.
There’s an App for That?
Of course, there is! From podcasts to music, our smartphones are integrated into every facet of our lives now. Check out Waze and Google Maps to plot the quickest route to your rental condo. They use real-time crowd-sourced data to warn you of traffic jams ahead of time and to suggest alternate routes. Gas Buddy helps you find the best deals on gas. Plus, consider looking for some apps that will keep the kids entertained on the long road ahead.
Roll With It!
You probably aren’t the only one reading these tips, and you certainly aren’t the only one trying to beat the traffic by “getting there early.” Sometimes we all wind up stuck in traffic. So be ready and plan for it! Remember snacks and drinks, and bring along a cooler for the car. If there are kids on board, remember some car games. I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with an engaging podcast. Podcasts are a great way to pass the time, with thousands of options about any topic you like. Audiobooks are another great way to pass the hours. Or roll down the windows, crank up the tunes, sing along loudly and off-key, and enjoy the ride.