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Congratulations! You finally booked your dream Outer Banks vacation with Seaside Vacations. Beautiful sunrises, warm sand, and exciting adventures await you once you arrive. The Outer Banks is a unique place, home to many different types of people, wildlife, and weather. A trip to the Outer Banks comes with its own fun quirks and idiosyncrasies that make the Outer Banks a special place like no other. Here are some travel tips to help make your Outer Banks vacation even more enjoyable! Be sure to check our Guide to the Outer Banks for First-Time Visitors for even more suggestions.

Check-In/Check-Out Times

Most of our homes use a keyless entry system, so both check-in and check-out are contactless, quick, and easy! 

Check-in starts at 5:00 p.m. on your date of arrival. For an additional $125 fee (plus tax), guests may check in at 2:00 p.m. as homes become available. (Don’t worry, you’ll get another email with information about this later!) 

Check-out is at 9:00 a.m. on your day of departure. The cleaning crew arrives at the home at 9:00 a.m.; your prompt departure is appreciated.

For more information, see our Rental Policies.

What to Bring

Your vacation rental home features all the comforts of home, plus a few upgrades! Just remember that there are some things you should be sure to bring along with you, since you may not find them in your vacation rental home, like bath soap, toiletries, tissues, and toilet paper.

For your convenience, linens and towels are provided. We also provide an amenity starter kit so that you have the basics upon your arrival. Please keep in mind that you may need to replenish during your stay and will need to bring personal items, additional soaps, and paper products.

The starter kit includes:

  • Two rolls of toilet paper
  • A roll of paper towel 
  • Kitchen trash can liner 
  • A sponge 
  • A dishwasher detergent packet

See our Vacation Planning: Things to Bring on your Outer Banks Vacation Guide for more.

Grocery Stores

When coming to the Outer Banks for vacation, you want to spend your time relaxing, hanging out on the beach, and enjoying all of the adventures that the Outer Banks has to offer, not worrying about grocery shopping. Fortunately, the Outer Banks is home to many chain grocery stores, as well as local markets, where you can easily find everything you need during your stay. Check out our list here.

Traffic

If this is your first time visiting the Outer Banks, it’s important to keep in mind that for a relatively small and rural area, the Outer Banks has a large amount of traffic, especially during Saturday and Sunday check-in days during the summer months and holidays. To ensure that your vacation travel remains a positive experience, it helps to have some tips and tricks to help you prepare for your trip onto the island. Check out our Outer Banks Traffic Guide.

And if you're traveling to the Outer Banks with your electronic vehicle (EV), Seaside Vacations has you covered. Check out our Guide to Outer Banks Travel with an EV for information about charging stations, trip planning, and vacation rental homes in our program with their own chargers!

Beach Access Locations

The local towns on the Outer Banks strive to make beach accesses convenient and available to their residents and visitors. It isn’t uncommon to see a community path or walkway to the ocean that is available for public use and these are typically located in convenient places for foot access by semi-oceanfront and oceanside rentals. Check out our condensed list of beach accesses here.

Bonfires

Everyone loves the appeal of a bonfire on a cool summer night, especially on the beach. However, here on the Outer Banks, there are some rules regarding when and where you can have bonfires on the beach. See these laws by town here. And if you'd rather enjoy the fun of a bonfire without the stress of building and taking it down, consider letting Outer Banks Beach Fires light up the night with a beach fire package! Find out more about their offerings and take advantage of a special Club Seaside discount as a Seaside Vacation's guests here.

Hurricanes

Hurricane season lasts from June 1st until November 30th each year. However, it’s important to be aware of storms that can also form before or after this traditional season. In the event of a voluntary or mandatory evacuation, there are two routes off the island: Hwy 148 and Hwy 64 West. Each of these routes is marked with blue hurricane signs.

For more tips and information on hurricane preparedness and evacuation, please see our Outer Banks Hurricane Preparedness Guide. Under NC law, Seaside Vacations will not issue refunds in the event there is an evacuation due to a tropical system/hurricane. Please consider purchasing Travel Insurance.

What is Travel Insurance?  What would you do if you had paid a few thousand dollars for a vacation rental and then had a sudden emergency come up that prevented you from going on your trip? Now, not only are you dealing with the emergency but you’re also out thousands of dollars because you are legally liable to uphold the terms within your rental agreement. That’s a reality that some people face but it doesn’t have to be. Travel insurance is exactly that—insurance on the vacation you have purchased is designed to protect vacationers from losing out on the money they invested in their trip. Only it provides coverage for so much more than just a trip cancellation. It also covers medical expenses and belongings while traveling. When renting a Seaside Vacations home, visitors can purchase travel insurance through Red Sky - Sun Trip Preserver.


Now get planning for your unforgettable Outer Banks vacation! And be sure to check out the rest of our Vacation Anticipation Guides with Things to See and Things to Do on your Outer Banks vacation! Get excited! It's almost here!

We'll see you at the beach.

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