On Thursday afternoon, just after work, B and I packed up the car and went down South. Our destination: Ocracoke, a remote island on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Settled in 1750, there are fewer than 1000 people living on the island today.
I haven’t really been “down South” before; I went to Charleston when I was nine, and Bonnaroo when I was in college. (I just breezed in and out of Nashville, then, but I definitely want to go back!)
The drive was long, so on the way down, we broke it up by stopping in Richmond, Virginia, for the night and staying with one of B’s friends. In the morning, I got a “natural,” acrylic- and formaldehyde- free manicure at Atir (five days later and it’s barely chipped!). I was going to meet some of B’s family, so I had to look my best!
We stopped in Norfolk, Virginia, for lunch. We found a gem of a place, Quenna’s Raw & Vegan, in the middle of a strip mall. Come to think of it, many great places we’ve found on road trips have been in somewhat obscure places!
It was “Avocado Friday,” so for $10.95 I got a HUGE pita stuffed with avocado and veggies, salad and a nori roll-up. Not only was it a good deal, but it was really delicious, too!
We drove down the coast, boarding a 30-minute ferry from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke. It was a beautiful ride; the sky was picturesque, the air tropical.
We arrived in Ocracoke just in time to see the sun set over the island.
Our motel, the Harborside, was really cute! And the proprietor, Cindy, was really friendly and helped us track down everything from ferry times to pony pastures. Each room had two wooden chairs outside.
All the better to enjoy breakfast al fresco!
We didn’t know how vegetarian-friendly the island would be (we actually found some great options at Dajio), so we brought oatmeal fixings (oats, chia, peanut butter, fruit) and lunch staples (pita, avocados, hummus). Our room had a pretty big fridge, so we had plenty of space!
After we unpacked, we changed clothes and headed out to a big party B’s uncle was hosting (the reason for our trip). It was quite a fête: there was a live band, tons of food and alcohol, and over 500 people! We had a blast.
The next day, we explored the island. We found the corral where Ocracoke’s formerly wild horses reside. I used to ride horses when I was younger, but it had been a while since I’d seen one.
We walked down to the beach, where there were quite a few fisherman.
It felt good to get our feet in! The water was a little chilly, but that is certainly to be expected in October.
We also walked down some of the beautiful, winding side streets. Small cemeteries lined our path.
On Sunday morning, we set off at 5:15 AM, not pulling into New York until 8:30. We spent over 30 hours in the car (thanks for driving, B!) but it was so nice to see such a gorgeous part of the country and finally meet B’s family. We’ll be pretty busy through the holiday season, so we were lucky to get a trip in! 
What’s the longest car trip you’ve been on? Have you ever been to the Outer Banks?
