We took Henry to the Outer Banks for baby’s first beach trip over the week of the 4th of July. Our extended family rented a large beach house in Buxton, Hatteras Island, NC for the week. The 12 of us had a blast and Henry absolutely loved the beach! At 10.5 months old, he loved the water, the waves, the sand, and all of his sand toys. He had just started taking steps before our trip and by the time we left, he could walk across any room by himself!
——> Check out What to Pack for Baby’s First Beach Trip <——
It took us 8.5 hours to drive to Avon, NC where we camped for the night. The drive went well and Henry was only frustrated for the last hour. We woke up after a hot restless night to find out Hatteras Island was out of power. While we were at Muffins and Scones for breakfast, the power returned and the whole store erupted in cheers.
We checked into our rental on Saturday morning. The house was 1 block from the beach and we had a pool and a hot tub in the yard. Buxton is so far down on Outer Banks that the beach was open and never crowded.
My sister, Hanna, got engaged while we were away! Her boyfriend, Matt, told me a couple of months ago that he planned to propose when he arrived on Sunday – the first time they’d be seeing each other since she’d been in Europe for 2 months. I was there to capture a few photos of the big moment and the little afterparty we had at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Visitor’s Center.
We rented bikes, boogie boards, and kayaks for the week from Island Cycles in Avon. We rode to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse multiple times throughout the week and I got to watch 3 sunsets from the kayaks out on the Pamlico Sound. I got a horsefly bite while on the water and it drove me crazy for the rest of the trip but otherwise, there were no mosquito issues.
Henry was living his best baby life hanging out in the pool, crawling/walking around on the beach, or hanging out with all the family members. Vacation life began to wear on him by halfway through the week because he was fussier and napping more frequently. He’s always been a happy baby so it was out of character for him to be so upset. On our last night there, Brady and I went kayaking for 90 minutes into the sunset on the Pamlico Sound with Hanna and Matt. Henry had a really rough time while we were gone and spent most of the time crying.
I only left Henry a few times to go on quick little outings but it was strange for me since I’d never really left him in his 10.5 months of life. Maybe for quick grocery runs but he was always with Brady if I was gone. Brady thought I was being funny — he didn’t have the same feelings since he has to leave him every day that he goes to work.
Our favorite local spot was Uncle Eddy’s Frozen Custard. I had a milkshake every day and I can confidently say I’ve never had a better milkshake. I loved the peach and mango, raspberry, and key lime pie flavors. Another local favorite was the Orange Blossom Cafe which is only open for a few hours but there will be lines out the door from the moment they open at 6 am because it’s extremely popular.
We celebrated the 4th of July while we were at the beach. We had a picnic-style lunch, did our daily Uncle Eddie’s run, and spent a couple of hours at the beach. That evening, I took engagement photos for Hanna and Matt, and then Matt took some family portraits for us. We watched the fireworks on TV and the nearby Avon fireworks from our top deck.
We left early Saturday morning before the Outer Banks bridge traffic got bad. Henry did well on the drive home but I did have to sit with him a bit more than the way down. It took Henry a couple of days to get back to routine after we got back home, but we would do it all over again. It was so much fun spending the week together, relaxing, and having fun. I can guarantee another Hatteras vacation is in our future.
Planning a beach trip with your baby or young toddler? Check out Baby’s First Beach Trip Packing List and find out what made our beach life with a baby easier!
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