JUST GOT BACK FROM VACATION!!!!!  Every year hubby and I make the 8 hour drive to Hatteras Island for an oh so pleasant anniversary week (without kids!!!!) We rent a ridiculous house in one of the villages and do whatever the heck we want for 7 glorious days. The number one question I get from people who haven’t been to Hatteras or the outer banks is “what do you do down there?” It’s not a remote island that has been uninhabited for years. No,  there are no board walks or carnival rides and there aren’t bustling families wandering all over the place with Thrashers French Fries and pizza.  But what there is, is space to breathe. You can fish off the shore line without hooking a kid on the end of the line. You can lay on beach without hearing the family next to you talk about who knows what and you can get an ocean front home with a view of just the ocean and limited neighbors for a price that won’t kill your bank account.

This was our house this year. Mermaid Haven located in the town of Avon in the Kinakeet Shores Development. (you can get more info about this house here )

Hatteras Island is a barrier Island off the coast of North Carolina. In some parts of the island you can stand on the main road and look one way and see the Atlantic Ocean and then look the other way to see the Pamlico Sound at the same time. It’s really cool. We go down in early May before the tourist season begins when prices are ridiculously affordable and we can hang out with our favorite locals who have become friends over the years. We of course have some favorite eateries that we hit every year and also some new adventures that we tried this year.

Our first place we go as soon our bags are thrown in the house is Rusty’s in Buxton.

We accidentally found Rusty’s a few years ago when we checked in really late to our house and were ravenous for food. Rusty’s was the first restaurant we saw and so we pulled in. It was destiny. We now go there at 3-4 times while we visit the island and have become quite friendly with the staff, especially our  favorite bartender EVER!!!!!! (she makes the most divine martini’s and margarita’s!!!)  Not to mention the food and homemade desserts are amaze-balls!

A great breakfast place to go is called The Orange Blossom Café in Buxton.

You order your breakfast item at the counter which ranges from egg, cheese and sausage croissants to Fresh lox, cream cheese and capers on a bagel or a freshly made bakery item such as the famous Apple uglie and then you take a seat outside or in and they will bring your order to you in a paper bag. No plates, just a white bag. It’s awesome.

Like I said they are famous for their apple uglies. What is an ugly you ask? As described by the bakery, an Apple Ugly is a “big, deep-fried, cinnamon-laced fritter with apples and glaze that ooze out slowly when you take a bite.” I mean really folks. I am not into donuts or sweets but this thing is heavenly. This place is always hoppin’ so you are sure to get a fresh ugly.

One more great lunch place is down in hatteras, the southernmost town n the island before taking the ferry over to Ocracoke. Hatteras Sol Deli & Café. Order. Grab your drink. Sit down.

Wait for your food on the deck. This makes my mouth water looking at this amazing sandwich!!!Moving on with the food/drink category, you need to wash all that down with some great coffee, right!?! Head up to the town of Avon to the Ugly Mugs Coffee. Best coffee on the island in my opinion. I go there pretty much every day. It’s small and quaint and has free Wi-Fi and they know how to make a darn good latte! (I am a latte snob if you didn’t already know.) They have all kinds of interesting mixes and matches of coffee drinks. Sure to make the snobbiest of coffee drinkers happy little clams.

Now that our bellies are full and we have a caffeinated beverage in our hands let go do something! We have many favorites that we do every time we come down. Such as going to Frisco beach and doing nothing.  Frisco beach is pretty vacant. I usually take a good snooze on the beach while hubby fishes the shore line.

I also love walking the beach down to the now barely standing Frisco pier, which was ruined in 2010 by hurricane Earl. It’s an unfortunate site to see the pier in this state as I know many locals have loved going out on it. I believe the pier is waiting to be torn down in the near future so I got some great pics of what is left of it.

The Avon pier is however still much alive and thriving. This pier was once straight as an arrow and over the years has grown mangled. Every year we find more and more old wooden boards have been replaced to keep it nice and sturdy. My husband would know, he is on the pier at 6am almost every morning with his “fishin’ buddies” catching some dinner.

While hubby’s out fishing all morning, and sometimes afternoon, I take my rented bicycle and head to Koru gym and spa in Avon. (it was a 1 mile bike ride from our house in kinakeet shores developement).  I am fitness nut so I need my gym time no matter where I go. I also got a massage this year at the same place which was a first for me and I must say, it was the best massage I have EVER gotten in my life!!!!! ahhhhh

I usually head across the street to the avon pier after my workout where hubby is fishing and I find a spot on the beach below and relax. I can see if he catches something big so I can go up on the pier and take a peek or I can wave it off and continue reading my book and listening to jack Johnson in my ears. Either way, we can both be in the same spot doing what we both love to do on vacation at the same time.

This year we decided to do something a little different. We went to the hatteras national seashore and climbed the Hatteras Lighthouse which happens to be the tallest lighthouse in North America. You learn something new every day ladies and gents.

At 208 feet tall and a mere 268 steps to the top, this was a feat even for us young bucks. We pretended to sightsee out the windows every few levels to catch our breaths. But, once you reach the top, it’s absolutely breath taking. You can see so far from 12 stories up!

The wind was about 32 mph that day at the top which almost let me lean into the wind without falling over.

Another place to hit up the Buxton Book store.

This is just the most adorable little book store I have ever come across. I got the “are you really making me go inside” look from hubby when we pulled in here. But low and behold, guess who was the first to engage in book reading. Just sayin’.

Now, don’t think I forgot my thrifting roots. When I stumbled across Changing Tides in Frisco last year, I knew I met my match in shopping heaven. The store owner and I immediately clicked and have since become friends.

I mean really any sign that says “repurposed” on it is always good in my book.

I always come home with a good find from this store. ALWAYS!

Alright folks, I could keep writing and gushing about my favorite place in the world but I think you get the gist of things. I wrote this post on the grounds that we love going here with or without the whole family. It’s our little gem that we treasure and I wanted to share it with all of you. (P.S – I forgot my camera so all these photos were taken on my I-phone. not too bad right!?)

Have a wonderful week!!!!