Here is a list of some of our favorite beach toys for kiddos. We gravitate to unique, high-quality toys that inspire creativity. Some of these toys are classics, and some add a twist.

We were not provided with free or discounted products to review. These recommendations were not influenced by manufacturers. We did, however, heavily consider customer reviews at retail websites when deciding which products to feature. We like these products, but we took care to make sure other customers agree. Some of the product links include affiliate codes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Quut Alto

Quut makes high-quality, fun, educational toys. The Alto is a set of three stacking molds. Separate the molds and pack them with sand, then stack them on top of each other to make a three-tiered tower. This is the kind of durable, simple toy that kids love to experiment with. They will find several uses (we’ve seen them turn into hats!).

Quut Triplet

Quut Triplet

Another favorite from Quut is the Triplet beach toy. It’s a rake. It’s a scoop. It’s a siv. It’s a shovel. It’s a funnel. All in one simple, well-designed tool. Multiple Triplet tools will stack. This unique sand tool for kids is durably made and will last several seasons. Kids can use it to dig holes, build sand castle foundations, carve moats, hunt for sand crabs, remove shells and create designs in the sand. We love the Triplet for its quality and the creative ideas it sparks.

Toysmith Sand Shovel

Toysmith Sand Shovel

There isn’t much that kids enjoy more than digging on the beach. Tiny, cheap plastic sand shovels just don’t get the job done sometimes. We like the highly-rated Toysmith Sand Shovel with wooden shaft. Available in each of the primary colors, this king of kiddie sand shovels measures 25 inches tall and features a sturdy plastic spade/handle on a wooden shaft. It floats in the surf and it’s very affordable. We think this is a pretty good option for 6-12 year olds. Remember the rules of our local beaches – all holes must be filled in before you leave the beach!

Miniland Scoop

Miniland Scoop

Need something a little smaller? Check out the Miniland Scoop. Much better than a cheap plastic kids shovel, this scoop is virtually unbreakable. It is made of thick plastic and is designed to stand up to rough play. This scoop is perfect for sand castle construction, sand crab hunting and digging for buried treasure. The Miniland scoop is 9 inches long and available in multiple colors.

Miniland Bucket

Miniland Special Bucket

Here’s another upgrade over standard, cheaply-made beach toys. Miniland makes tough products designed to last through the abuse of many beach outings. Combine this bucket with the Miniland scoop for a durable sandcastle construction set. Collect seashells, move sand, or carry water back to your spot to cool hot sand. The thick, sturdy handle is just as tough as the bucket body.

Miniland sand set

Miniland Baby Sand Set with Bucket, Scoop, Rake and Shovel

Very small children will love this Miniland Set. This is the classic combo of bucket, scoop, rake and shovel, but produced with much higher quality. Miniland products are very durable and made with thick plastic. This tool set is made especially for tiny hands. Each tool is approximately 4 inches long, and recommended for ages 10 months and up.

Sand Castle Molds

Sand Castle Molds

Here’s another classic, must have beach toy. These durable plastic molds help create magnificent castles in the sand. Four molds are included in the set. These molds are rated at ages 2+, but we sure see a lot of adults “helping”! With the help of these molds, sand castles can be constructed more quickly, and with the right mixture of sand and water, your forms will stay crsip for hours.

Hape Sand Digger

Hape Hand Digger

For an alternative to the classic shovel or scoop, check out the Hape hand digger. This small, excavator-style bucket is durable, affordable and highly-rated.

American Pie

American Pie

Discover the best homemade ice cream and authentic made-from-scratch New York Style pizza the Outer Banks has to offer at American Pie in Kill Devil Hills. An Outer Banks favorite for lunch, dinner or a delicious scoop of scrumptious ice cream after a day at the beach.

 

It was 1978 when Eddie and Lou Miller first opened Miller’s Seafood and Steakhouse. As a teenager, their son Brian spent his summers working in the restaurant, getting familiar with the family business. After college, Brian and his wife Beth came back to Kill Devil Hills and began working together at Miller’s. Brian and Beth officially purchased the restaurant from Eddie and Lou in 2007. A few years later they opened American Pie together, and both restaurants now carry on the Miller family tradition of quality, excellence and hospitality.

 

“I learned everything about the restaurant business from my parents,” Miller says. “They ran the business together for all those years, and now my wife and I are doing the same. “Throughout the summer, we’re feeding around 2,000 people a day in our two restaurants. It’s a challenge we embrace every season, and we get a lot of fulfillment from making it all work.”

 

The Millers focus on two main specialties: high quality foods and unparalleled service. Seafood at Miller’s is fresh and locally caught, and they serve high-quality Angus beef, fresh pastas and homemade desserts. At American Pie, guests enjoy hand-tossed pizzas and homemade ice cream.

 

“We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the products we bring in are top-notch,” Miller says. “Our customers know that when they visit our restaurants, they’ll be getting the quality and consistency they’ve come to know and love.”

Resort Realty

Resort Realty

For more than 30 years, Resort Realty has been providing unforgettable Outer Banks vacations. From Corolla to Hatteras Island, Resort Realty offers nearly 550 Outer Banks vacation homes that range from cozy 1-bedroom condos to exquisite 13-bedroom luxury estates. Whether you’re counting down to a beloved family vacation, getting away for a long weekend, or planning a special event, our homes represent a variety of lifestyles and locations, with amenities and furnishings such as elevators, private pools and gourmet kitchens to more simple pleasures like wraparound porches, dune-top gazebos, and oceanfront hammocks made for afternoon naps.

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Sailing the Outer Banks

Sailing the Outer Banks

Vacationers will notice a handful of sailboats at every local Outer Banks port, either saddled up to the docks or breezing across the harbor, en route to the nearest sound for a cruise, or to the continent-spanning Intracoastal Waterway to continue a long coastal voyage. Some vacationers are even in it for the long haul, docking for a summer or a winter season at a number of local marinas that offer all the comforts of home. Clearly, sailing lovers of all varieties have plenty of options, but even newcomers to the sport can experiment with life on the water with a local sailing lesson, rental, or waterfront cruise.

Hotel Manteo

Hotel Manteo

With a laid-back, get-away-from-it-all ethos, Hotel Manteo captures the historical significance of Roanoke Island and the small-town charm of downtown Manteo in a lifestyle-driven experience that goes far beyond that of the traditional beach town hotel. Rooted in Manteo’s rich history and the coastal Carolina way of life, Hotel Manteo offers an immersive stay, warm and friendly hospitality, and access to the very best of the Outer Banks. It’s time to unwind, and to let go.

Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education

Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education

Corolla, North Carolina is a must see nautical village scented with the spray of the salty sea. It's located on NC Highway 12 along a thin strip of land bordered on the east by the tempestuous Atlantic Ocean, and on the west by the inland waterway of Currituck Sound. Corolla is home to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, whose beacon first beckoned to sailors at sea in 1875, and to art noveau Whalehead in Historic Corolla, a turn of the century hunt club for sportsmen. The quaint village is also home to one of North Carolina's natural history gems called the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. The center, which opened in 2006, is an impressive and marvelous 22,000 square foot interpretive center for young and old alike to explore the history and vast diversity of North Carolina's wildlife.

Back Country Safari Tours

Back Country Safari Tours

Discover wild Spanish Mustangs and our unique Barrier Island ecology on the Wild Horse Safari. Explore over 30 miles of "off road" beach, dune and sand trail and ride with a professional naturalist guide in a custom 4x4 open-air Safari Cruiser, or experience the Beach Cruiser and Kayak Safari combination tour to paddle in the placid waterways of the wildlife rich Currituck Sound. The Outer Banks Leader in off road Eco-Adventures! Where the Road  Ends....The Adventure Begins.

Outer Banks Tours

Outer Banks Tours

Many newcomers to the Outer Banks find the best way to delve into the local history, scenery and culture is via a tour, and luckily the Outer Banks has a world of different tours available. Vacationers can take to the sea, skies, or the land for an in-depth view of the Outer Banks, and can choose from quick one-hour excursions to overnight trips that explore the region's little known hidden treasures.

For an introduction to everything the Outer Banks has to offer, or to experience the North Carolina Coast from an entirely new perspective, hop on board a boat, kayak, bus or plane, and begin a guided adventure that will surely leave your family completely fascinated with the rich landscape of the Outer Banks.