Outer Banks Things to Do Date Night

Out and about on the OBX
The Outer Banks, especially in the summer, is all about family time. But that doesn’t mean that Mom and Dad might not be able to sneak out for a date night. So, just in case the opportunity comes up, here’s a few
suggestions and we’ll throw in some of the more notable local talent. This is by no means a complete list; especially during the summer, just about every bar and restaurant has live music and and there are probably more incredibly talented musician per capita on the Outer Banks than anyplace else in the country.

Mike Dianna’s Grill Room up in Corolla has great food and a covered porch that is ideal for sitting outside, sipping a drink and listening to live music. Monday through Friday there is something scheduled every night, so for guests on the northern end, it’s a great place to go.

The Village of Duck, NC has a couple of places that feature live music, but for a little bit more sophisticated evening out, Aqua Restaurant wins out. Killer wine list, spectacular sunsets, great food, great service–about as good as it gets for a date night.

Ocean Boulevard and Art’s Place in Kitty Hawk are within easy walking distance of each other. Art’s Place doesn’t always have live music, but on Monday nights, traditionally Joe Mapp has been holding an open mic and if he is, cram yourself in–it will be worth the effort. A extraordinarily talented guitarist–especially jazz–musicians like to sit in with him and there have been some amazing evenings of entertainment when he is there. Ocean Boulevard has an outdoor seating area that is ideal for an acoustic set or duet. With the sound of the surf in the background, music playing, a drink in hand and conversation with someone special . . . well, it’s magic.

The two largest music venues on the Outer Banks are the Outer Banks Brewing Station in Kill Devil Hills and Kelly’s Outer Banks Tavern in Nags Head. This really is a very small sampling–some other places to check out might be Pamlico Jack’s on the sound in Nags Head–great sunsets, wonderful outdoor bar; or Poor Richard’s in Manteo where the music is great.

Local Outer Banks Talent
It’s pretty rare not to have a great evening of music on the Outer Banks, but there are a few standouts, or at least personal favorites.TR3 consists of Tim Reynolds (hence the name), Mick Vaughn on bass and Dan Martier on drums. Reynolds, who often tours with Dave Matthews as his guitarist, has to be seen to truly understand how good he is. The music is a hard rock jazz fusion style–tends to be loud, but if you can handle the noise, it’s worth it.Ruth Wyand plays guitar and plays it to perfection in just about any style. She has a strong folk-rock voice and she tends to bring a sense of humor to the stage. She’ll team up with a number of local musicians, so it’s tough to categorize her, but she is definitely worth seeing.For a younger band with a lot of energy and a great show just because of all the energy, check out the Hound Dog Family Band. The skinny drummer is Josh Martier, son of Dan Martier with TR3.

We hope while you are on your much needed family vacation, you get to sneak away and enjoy some “grown-up time” most importantly . . . go out and have fun!