Hey, y’all — LEXtoday City Editor Molly here. My family has been vacationing in Duck, NC since my grandparents retired there in the late 1980s. And while it started off as a sleepy little beach town with small beach box houses, it has grown into a family vacation must-see.
Why Go?
- Duck is a water lover’s dream. Since it’s a part of a chain of islands off the coast of North Carolina — you have the ocean on one side + the sound of the city on the other.
- The town offers free family-friendly programming in peak summer months and has great shopping, restaurants + beach activities — think paddle boarding and jet skiing.
Act like a local:
- Food: Get delicious seafood dishes at The Blue Point , then take your bottle of wine to sip on the dock while watching the sunset. Looking for something more casual? Head up the boardwalk to Coastal Cantina .
- Drinks: Start your day with a walk to get a latte from Treehouse Coffee and end it with a refreshing Crafty G+T from The Roadside Bar Grille .
- Shop: The Waterfront Shops feature 27 businesses including book stores, boutiques, restaurants + a yoga studio. Continue along the 0.75-mile Town Boardwalk for beautiful maritime forest + marsh views.
- Explore: Head north to Corolla to see wild horses or climb the historic Currituck Beach Lighthouse . Duck is just a ~20-minute drive from some fun + historical sites — like The Wright Brothers’ Memorial and Jockey’s Ridge State Park .
Where to stay:
- Vrbo: Oceanfront Condo , a boardwalk’s distance from the beach (~$280/night)
- Airbnb: 2047 Secret Spot , dog-friendly + an outdoor shower (~$350/night)
- Splurge hotel: The Sanderling Resort , indoor pool access and relaxing spa services (~$520/night)