How Not to Go Insane at the Beach in the Rain

So you are here on the Outer Banks, enjoying paradise with family and friends. Un-crowded beaches, hot sun and cooling breezes have brought you here, and as you lazily open your eyes after sleeping in just a wee bit late, you hear it....

The rain is falling sideways and pounding the window glass of your beachfront cottage! The weatherman promises a return to glory tomorrow, but today is going to be a washout. You check the movies that have been supplied by the rental owner, but after deciding that the ones he didn't want in his personal collection are probably not the ones you want to watch on vacation (Gidget, Swiss Family Robinson, National Lampoon's Vacation, e.g.), you start to get a little panicky about what to do with a five, eight and thirteen year old.

Fear not! The Outer Banks knows that a vacation is not made of the beach alone, and there are other treats to enjoy that will intrigue the whole family.

The great American pastime is, of course, shopping, and when you are on the Outer Banks, you have some great options. Moving from north to south, Scarborough Faire is located on Route 12 in Duck, and has a little something for everyone, from books to boutiques and bakeries. There are over twenty shops making up this unique shopping venue. Shrouded in tree cover and featuring raised boardwalks that meander through natural habitat, it is as scenic as it is irresistible.

At the other end of the beach is one of the calling cards of the Outer Banks, the Outlet Mall. Lots of major manufacturers send their seconds to this shopping Mecca and the big winner is the consumer. This reporter bought his staple fall jacket at The Gap Outlet Store for $5, and I still don't know what was supposed to be wrong with it! Along with The Gap, Geoffrey Beane, Nautilus, London Fog, Pfaltzgraff, Nine West, Wilson Leather Goods and Bass, among others, entice you with great prices and terrific selection.

When you are tired of shopping (it could happen!), why not take a journey to Roanoke Island and enjoy the state's largest aquarium. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island will be found on Airport Road, and features beautiful and well maintained displays featuring a variety of aquatic inhabitants. After learning about the freshwater creatures that are indigenous to the surrounding areas, your visit will climax with the enormous "Graveyard of the Atlantic" 285,000 gallon saltwater tank with sharks and other representative fish from the area swimming in a natural habitat that features a mock-up of the famed "Monitor" iron-clad ship that sank off of Cape Hatteras during the Civil War. If it is only drizzling, maybe the kids will enjoy finding shark teeth hidden in the sandboxes provided for just such a treasure hunt along the nature trail. They can keep the teeth!

Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills will provide an arcade for the young at heart among you, as well as great pier fishing if the weather isn't too severe. Video games and snack food and some fantastic views of the water will allow the family to kill an hour or two at a site that is uniquely the Outer Banks.

We even have bowling! The Nags Head Bowling Center has everything a family needs to survive a rained-out beach day. Even the littlest ones can have fun with the safety rails taking the gutters out of play, and the computerized scoring system will put them up automatically for those who need them. There is a large arcade, too, so the tweens can wear themselves out on the joysticks while the rest of the family is knocking down the pins.

If that's too much exercise, maybe it's time to get some candy and hunker down in an overstuffed chair for the most current blockbusters. R/C Movie Theatres features a multi-plex with 10 theaters. You can even get your tickets online before you go, saving time and effort when you get there. The theater is at the 6-1/2 milepost on the bypass, conveniently located to the entire beach area. Stadium seating allows for comfortable reclining seats that include drink holders, and the theaters are also handicap accessible.

There's more, of course, but that should get you started for a day or two of less than optimal weather conditions. Once back at the cottage, if it is still raining and no chance of a thunderstorm, put on your suits and experience the awe of nature on the Outer Banks with a walk along the now deserted beaches. If you brave it, it will be a memorable part of the vacation.

Then go inside, towel off, make some popcorn, light some candles. Rummage through the bookshelf or cupboard, find the Parcheesi or Monopoly or a deck of cards and enjoy the magic of family on the Outer Banks.