Our family's journey to the Outer Banks began with an early morning hustle to the airport, waking the girls at the crack of dawn to ensure we made our flight. We've come to rely on The Parking Spot for long-term parking, appreciating the convenience of being shuttled right from our car to the airport entrance. Despite our planning, a few hiccups at the check-in and a slower-than-expected security line due to Erik's missing TSA PreCheck on his boarding pass meant we were cutting it close to boarding time.
The tension peaked when I had to take Madi and Jules through the TSA PreCheck line alone while Erik dealt with a longer security check. Thankfully, we made it through, and I juggled the kids and our carry-ons to the gate, boarding the plane amid sympathetic glances and offers of help from fellow passengers. The relief was palpable when Erik finally sprinted onto the plane, just in time, after security had scrutinized everything in his bag, including our trusty tube of butt paste.
Our flight to Detroit was surprisingly smooth. Madi and Jules were angels, entertaining themselves or napping, which made the journey easier. During our layover, we grabbed a bite at Chili's, where Jules took the opportunity to catch a quick nap in the wagon, and Madi expended some energy at a small play area, perfect timing before boarding our next flight to Norfolk.
Arriving in Norfolk, the adventure continued with a slight snag with our Turo car rental. The lack of clear communication about the car's location in the vast sea of parking garages led to a frustrating delay. Eventually, after much back and forth, we located our rental and were on our way to Virginia Beach to visit an old friend.
Reuniting with my friend, whom I hadn't seen since our wedding, and meeting her children for the first time was a highlight. They welcomed us warmly, opting for a cozy homemade pizza dinner on their back deck rather than dining out. Post-dinner, an adventurous ride on their golf cart to the local elementary school allowed the kids to play and explore, with Jules fearlessly attempting to conquer the giant slide. This warm welcome set the tone for what promised to be a relaxing and exciting visit to the Outer Banks, filled with the comfort of old friendships and the thrill of new experiences.
The following morning, my friend and I hit One Life for a workout session that truly tested our limits with box jump burpees, med ball sit-ups, TRX, dumbbell exercises, and a unique move called face palm that intensely worked my back muscles. Energized but exhausted, we attempted a visit to Grommet Island Park, only to find it too cold and wet for a pleasant outing. Additionally, the roar of monster trucks on the boardwalk startled Jules to such an extent that she clung to Erik or me like a baby monkey. Opting for a more serene environment, we switched to our plan B and headed to the Virginia Aquarium. The visit was a hit; we explored half of the aquarium to ensure we had enough time to continue our journey to the Outer Banks. The girls were particularly fascinated by the large shark tank.
Lunch at Chick’s Oyster Bar, where my friend's husband works, was delightful. The girls savored crab dip and popcorn shrimp, while I indulged in a burrito bowl topped with exquisitely tasty tuna. Erik enjoyed southern fried jumbo shrimp with fries. I also treated myself to an Orange Crush, a refreshing specialty Virginia Beach is known for, and even took a Colada Crush for the road, though the original was definitely my favorite.
Upon arriving at the Outer Banks, we settled in with a simple order of pizza, and the girls were thrilled to reunite with their friends. It was a heartwarming evening as we caught up and enjoyed each other's company.
Rain greeted us the next day, altering our plans to more indoor-oriented activities. We took a trip to the grocery store to stock up for the week and squeezed in a visit to Meekins Fields Park between showers. The playground was slick with rain, but we were prepared with towels. Madi's bravery shone as she scaled the big rock wall and tackled every climbable feature, although a slip on the spider net led to tears. I reassured her that mistakes are part of learning, hoping to ease her distress.
Our attempt to relax at the Outer Banks Brewing Station was cut short by a lack of indoor seating and the chilly air, compounded by a small accident Madi had, which left her feeling like she had spoiled the outing for everyone. Distraught, she cried all the way home. Back at the house, we grilled burgers and brats and reassured Madi that her accident hadn't ruined the day—we were all ready to head back in from the cold anyway. The reassurance seemed to help, and we ended the day on a positive note, enjoying a cozy, comforting meal together.
On Sunday, we ventured out to Kitty Hawk Kites, a local favorite for anyone looking to try their hand at kite flying. Madi chose a Little Mermaid kite, while Jules opted for a Dalmatian-themed one. The other kids in our group selected a dog kite and an Elsa kite from "Frozen." Our destination was Jockey’s Ridge State Park, known for its expansive sand dunes, which seemed like the perfect backdrop for our kite-flying adventure. Unfortunately, the wind proved too strong for the little ones, and their initial excitement quickly turned into discomfort.
We managed to get Madi's kite up after trekking about half a mile into the dunes, but we didn't even unpack Jules's kite as the children’s cries and screams made it clear they were overwhelmed. We promptly decided to retreat and headed for lunch at Noosa Beach Grille, hoping to turn the day around with some good food. Madi continued her newfound love for popcorn shrimp, Erik enjoyed fish and chips, and I savored the shrimp and grits—a dish that pleasantly surprised me with its delightful mix of shrimp, sausage, and pork, so much so that I almost didn’t share!
Post-lunch, we had planned to treat the girls to ice cream next door, but found it closed. After a quick stop at Target for Madi’s birthday gifts and some essentials, we continued our quest for ice cream and stumbled upon The Spot. The girls picked strawberry and birthday cake flavors, Erik chose chocolate chip cookie dough, and I went for brownie batter. Everyone enjoyed their choice, though our appetites were still full from lunch.
Hoping to take advantage of what looked like clearing skies, we decided to take a walk to the beach. However, the wind picked up again, chilling the air and causing the older girls to complain of the cold. Despite being wrapped in towels, the discomfort was too much, and our beach visit lasted only about ten minutes.
Returning to the warmth and comfort of our house, we enjoyed a delicious dinner of shrimp pasta and salad. Madi preferred the noodles while Jules picked at the peas and some noodles, showing a typical toddler’s partiality for fried foods over new dishes.
As the day wound down, we let the girls play until bedtime, reflecting on the day’s ups and downs. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, the spirit of adventure kept us hopeful for the sunny days forecasted later in the week.
Monday was Madi’s 4th birthday, and we wanted to make it special despite the rainy weather. We headed to the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. Thanks to our Hogle Zoo season passes from Utah, we received half off admission, which was a nice perk. The aquarium, though smaller, featured a captivating jellyfish exhibit and a turtle recovery area where we learned about the turtles they were rehabilitating. The outdoor area was lovely, but the wind proved too much for the kids, so we quickly moved back inside.
To extend the birthday adventure, we visited the Elizabethan Gardens before lunch. Despite the weather, we managed to explore the entire garden. While it wasn't the peak season for flowers, the gardens were still beautiful and offered a refreshing outdoor experience. After our garden visit, we stopped at Darrell’s Restaurant for lunch. We started with hushpuppies, which were a hit. We ordered Madi’s quesadilla special early so the girls could start eating right away. Erik opted for the hickory-smoked BBQ with green beans and mashed potatoes, while I chose the seafood basket, which included popcorn shrimp, clam strips, and flounder with fries and slaw. The girls especially enjoyed the popcorn shrimp and fries.
On our drive back, Jules fell asleep, so we took advantage of the quiet time to stop at Surfin’ Spoon for dessert, a spot recommended to us the day before. Madi picked her own toppings for a frozen yogurt, while Erik and I indulged in the old school and lemon lavberry ice cream sandwiches. The ice cream sandwiches were incredible, with the perfect blend of cookie and ice cream flavors.
After arriving back at the house, we hoped for some relaxation and real naps. For dinner, we made spaghetti and celebrated with Madi’s chosen birthday cake. She didn't seem to enjoy the cake, which puzzled us until we realized she was starting to feel unwell. She went to bed early without a fuss but woke up an hour later after throwing up in bed, necessitating a late-night bath. To prevent Jules from getting sick, we moved Madi into our bed and Erik slept on the air mattress in the room Jules was in.
Tuesday started with uncertainty due to the rough night before, but after giving Madi some medication, she was ready to explore. We headed to Sandy Run Park, which featured a fantastic boardwalk perfect for spotting turtles. The girls loved watching the turtles swim around, and it was a peaceful way to start the day.
Next, we visited Dowdy Park. Jules, ever the fearless one, headed straight for the big kid slide. She was having a great time until she missed a step and fell flat on her face, resulting in a swollen lip. Despite the initial tears, she quickly bounced back and wanted to keep playing. Realizing it was close to lunchtime, we decided to leave, much to Jules’ dismay.
For lunch, we went to Kill Devil Grill. I opted for the grilled tuna special and the Kill Devil rum runner drink. Madi chose a hot dog kids meal with fries, and Erik went for the big kahuna burger paired with a Fullsteam Humidity IPA. Jules surprised us by eating most of my grilled tuna, while Erik thoroughly enjoyed his burger and beer combo. My fruity cocktail was the perfect beach drink, and despite Madi not finishing her meal, she seemed content.
After lunch, we couldn’t resist stopping by Surfin’ Spoon again for those delicious ice cream sandwiches. They were just as good as we remembered. The weather hadn’t been ideal for beach outings, but it warmed up in the afternoon. Once Madi’s friend got home from school, we decided to give the beach a try.
We packed the girls into the wagon and took the 10-15 minute walk to the beach. However, the wind was too much for the girls. The older girls were crying, Madi’s friend’s younger sister was enjoying the sand but was dressed in long sleeves and pants, and Jules clung to me, wanting to be held under the towel. Erik dipped his feet in the water briefly, but we quickly decided to head back due to the cold wind.
Back at the house, we had a delicious shrimp pasta for dinner, followed by leftover birthday cake for dessert. We watched some of the hockey playoff games before calling it a night, grateful for the day’s adventures despite the challenges.
Finally, we got some good weather on Wednesday! We wanted to do something that could get some energy out, so we went to David Paul Pruitt Park, which was pretty close to the house. There was dew all over, so it didn’t seem very fun for the girls. The park was much older and had woodchips everywhere, which Jules had a harder time navigating. We decided to try another park about 10 minutes away called Sound Park. The pictures looked nice, and it seemed like they had a small boardwalk. The park was much better with a rubber floor. The girls were able to run around and enjoy the playground. No one else was there. Of course, Jules tried to go to the highest slide and got frustrated with us when we went up there to move her to a smaller slide. After about an hour of playing, we decided to check out the boardwalk, which was not that big and was mainly a boat launch. It was nice to sit by it for a few minutes before the girls decided they wanted to run around there, and we had to leave before one of them fell into the water.
We went back to the house for lunch and naps. After the girls woke up, we went to the beach. It was such a nice and sunny time to go. We brought the wagon and a large blanket. Jules started playing with the shovels and dug in the sand. Madi took a little bit to warm up to the beach, and soon enough, she and Erik were playing run away from the waves. We didn’t last long without shade and headed back to make dinner. We had breakfast for dinner, which took longer to make than anticipated, but I thought the wait was worth it, and the food was great. I could have breakfast for dinner any day.
Thursday was also shaping up to be a good day for the beach. Erik decided to get a beach umbrella this time to give us a better chance of lasting longer at the beach. We had a morning beach session, went back to the house for lunch and naps, and then returned in the afternoon. Madi and I walked along the beach looking for sea shells. We found a bunch of cool shells, which she brought back to the house. Jules played in the sand and wanted nothing to do with the water. Erik was the only brave one to go completely in the water. It felt too cold for me when the waves touched my legs. I enjoyed sitting in the beach chair, sipping a beer, and listening to the waves. It was so calming to listen to the waves. I was so glad we were able to have a few beach sessions despite most of our trip being rainy.
Friday was sadly too rainy to be able to enjoy one last beach day. We got doughnuts from Duck Doughnuts, which originated in Duck, NC, just the next town over from where our friends lived. We got the breakfast box, and everyone got to enjoy a doughnut. We weren’t sure what we were going to do that day with the weather, but we felt like we needed to get out of the house and do something. We decided to drive to a lighthouse because I have always loved lighthouses. We went down to the Bodie Island Light Station. When we got there and opened the doors, it was a little rainy, and then we realized there were a lot of mosquitos out. We quickly grabbed the girls and ran inside. We had hoped to go inside but found out that the kids needed to both be over 48 inches tall and had to be able to climb the lighthouse by themselves for some parts and couldn’t be carried. We walked through the gift shop, where Jules immediately grabbed and hugged a turtle stuffy, and Madi got a sketch pad that we were going to use on the airplane trip the next day. We took a few pictures of the lighthouse and got back into the car. Not before I got bit about five times. I have always had horrible reactions to mosquito bites, and this was no different. My whole left leg swelled up, and one of the bites was around my knee. It began to swell so much it was hard to walk. I took antihistamines and anti-inflammatories and put steroid cream on the bites to try and help the inflammation.
On our way back, we debated on heading towards another lighthouse and finding food on the way but realized the girls might not last too much longer in the car. We stopped by Jack Brown’s Beer and Burger Joint in Kill Devil. I got the Friday special burger, which was called the Ponch and had guacamole, bacon, white cheddar, and sriracha mayo. Erik got the Greg Brady, which had mac and cheese and BBQ potato chips. He loved it! Madi got the Frankie Brady, which was essentially a smaller version of the Greg Brady. We also got regular and sweet potato fries. Erik and I both got beers: a Wicked Weed hazy IPA and the Sour Monkey. For dessert, we got a few deep-fried Oreos, which, of course, the girls devoured. I was lucky to get a bite.
We went back to the house for the rest of the day. The girls napped, and once the other girls got back from daycare, all the girls played. After being there for a week, the girls were getting territorial and fighting over everything. I suppose this is normal toddler behavior, but I did feel bad that Madi and her friend were fighting so much near the end.
Saturday came and it was bittersweet to leave. I started to feel like we were overstaying our welcome with the big emotions the girls were having, and I also wanted another day or two of beach time. We woke up and finished packing our bags and got the car packed. The girls played with chalk outside while we did this. We knew we had a long travel day ahead of us and tried to prepare the girls for that. We had to drive 1.5 hours to Norfolk airport and get on our flight which had a layover in Detroit again before we go back to Salt Lake City. We said our goodbyes soon after and started our drive. We did not hit much traffic and got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
We ate at Back Bay Bistro, which was close to our boarding gate in the airport. We got the tuna nachos as an appetizer. Erik got the Bistro Burger, and I got the shrimp po' boy sandwich. We got fries with both of our meals and figured we would all share. The girls loved the tuna, shrimp, and fries. The goal was to not bring food onto the plane, and we succeeded. We boarded our flight, but not before the Delta agent told us the wagon does not count as a stroller, and they made us check it in. Erik boarded the flight with Jules, and Madi and I waited in line to get a bag tag for the wagon. I tried really hard not to get upset, knowing our layover in Detroit was short.
We got on the flight, and it went well. We even got compliments about how well-behaved our kids were. We headed towards our next gate, and they were just about to board the flight. We got on the flight and settled for the longer leg of the two flights. Madi was excited that this plane had a monitor for her to watch videos. There wasn’t any time for the girls to really stretch their legs between flights. We got settled and hoped for the best. The flight was going pretty well. Both girls found time to nap and used the toys we brought to keep themselves busy.
It was about an hour before we landed in Salt Lake, and Madi started to have a meltdown, saying she was sick and started screaming and crying. I did my best to comfort her, knowing she was getting stir-crazy being stuck in a small space. This was also making Jules upset. Between the two kids, Erik and I did our best to keep the noise down. We all switched seats multiple times, we walked down the aisle once, and tried many kids' movies. We were all relieved to land and grateful for the fellow travelers. They were all very understanding and even on this flight said they were well-behaved.
Madi had her backpack and blanket as she was walking out. She was visibly upset and crying. The pilot, whose name was David, stopped us and gave Madi a plane card and offered to let her sit in the co-pilot seat. She told him she was too tired and sick to do that. It was so sweet of him. We waited for our bags, and everything came out quick aside from the wagon. When it finally appeared, it was missing a wheel, and the other one was broken. I was so disappointed, and we weren’t sure how we would make it to the shuttle with all our bags without the wagon. We filed a claim, and this whole process delayed us another hour. Luckily, it was still able to be pushed, so we loaded it with luggage instead of the kids and made our way down.
We got to the car, got everyone in, and ordered pizza from Pier 49, hoping it would be ready as we drove home. It was going to take longer than we hoped, so we went home to not make the girls stay in the car any longer than they had to. They were so happy to be back. Madi was also saying how much she missed Maple. After Erik got the pizza and we all tried to eat despite being really tired, I left to get Maple. I came home right before Madi went to bed. Madi petted Maple and went to bed. After a long day of travel, I was so glad to be able to sleep in our own bed again.
Despite the hurdles, the trip was undeniably worth it. Spending quality time with friends, exploring new places, and watching Madi and Jules enjoy the beach, the parks, and the aquariums made it all memorable. We are deeply grateful to our friends for their warm hospitality, for showing us a beautiful new part of the country, and for giving our children the chance to reconnect. Their generosity and kindness made this trip possible and incredibly special. As we finally settled back home, exhausted yet content, we carried with us the joy of reuniting with cherished friends and the excitement of new adventures together.
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