Adventures in the Outer Banks – Flexible Travel Planning with Expedia
Disclosure: This is a sponsored collaboration with Expedia. As always all opinions are my own.

Mr. Misadventures and I both have nomadic blood or like my favorite Halloween costume growing up, gypsy genes. We are both army brats who grew up moving often and living in different parts of our own country and the world. We both choose careers at global companies with lots of international travel and we both love to travel in our free time. Heck, the 14 years I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area before I started dating Mr. Misadventures I lived in 11 different places! My grandmother used to say she wrote my address in pencil because she knew I wouldn’t be in any one place long.
Some posts on this site contain affiliate links, meaning if you book or buy something through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). Opinions are always my own and I’ll never promote something I don’t use or believe in. Also as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
As a couple, Mr. Misadventures and I have lived in the Bay Area and France, spent 18 months on the road in an RV exploring the United States, 6 months living in the RV in Portland while thinking about settling down in the Pacific Northwest, 2 years in Phoenix settling back into a non-RV life, and then we picked up and moved to the Raleigh-Durham region this February. We wanted a taste of the East Coast and to be closer to our beloved France.
But then the Queen reared her ugly head. [Reference here.] The world changed. Life changed. And travel stopped.
It was 97 days before we left our house to go to the grocery store for the first time. And 130 days (4 months = 10 days) before we left our home to get a break. We were going absolutely stir crazy and decided that after the 4th of July weekend we were going to take a day trip to the mountains, just to get some fresh air. We did that 2 weekends in a row and decided given the circumstances, it was exactly what we needed.
Then the sea called.

Except for the 2 years in Phoenix and a portion of our RV trip, Mr. Misadventures and I have always lived near a body of water, mostly the Pacific ocean and we really missed it. One of the bonuses of moving to North Carolina was the proximity to the seaside, so we decided we would take our first mid-pandemic overnight trip to the Outer Banks. The timing of my collaboration with Expedia could not have been more perfect, it was the catalyst I needed to do some traveling on my terms with the flexibility I needed to feel safe. I really felt that Expedia was the best place to plan, book, and manage, or in my case, control, our trip with an Expedia itinerary.
When I began looking for accommodations in the Outer Banks, I was completely unaware that you can rent stand-alone private homes and condos on the platform. That was our first choice as we felt we could have some level of control of the cleanliness and isolate easier, however even in a pandemic this portion of North Carolina’s coastline is popular. So our next plan of attack was to find a newer hotel that had windows or sliding glass doors so that we could leave them open and not use the ventilation system.
We chose several Expedia hotels and began reviewing the photo galleries and the cleaning and safety practices that Expedia has added so you can quickly see what policies a hotel has in place to keep visitors safe. Ultimately we went with the Hampton Inn & Suites in Corolla because it is newer and had a sliding glass door opening onto the sea.

We felt comfortable making the reservation as we could use the Expedia app’s “free cancellation” or “Reserve now, pay later” filters to easily find and book flexible accommodations that suited us in these unprecedented times. If you don’t feel comfortable booking something because you want to see the property first to ensure you feel comfortable staying there, then take advantage of booking last-minute deals using the Expedia app. And if you do rent a private home or condo you can message the owner right from the Expedia app to ask about cleaning policies or make special arrangements.
So how was our trip?
In a word, good. North Carolina has a mandatory mask-in-public rule, and I am hypersensitive to social distancing, but for our first overnight trip out I think we got the respite we needed while still remaining safe.

The hotel was clean and people were following safety policies. And while I would have loved to indulge in a famous Duck donut, the more reasonable person inside of me went for the low carb banana, dark chocolate, and walnut muffin baked by the hubby along with a coffee from the breakfast bar which we indulged in at the outdoor tables between the beach and pool. I had not been to the Outer Banks since the summer of 1984 when my family rented a house in Kitty Hawk, but what I remembered most was the direct access to the beach. So I was so pleasantly surprised to just walk out the back door of the hotel, and up and down a set of stairs, and voilà, there it was! There was even a lifeguard on duty which is awesome for families.
We headed out for the day exploring the Corolla area which included the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. And while the actual lighthouse is closed for climbing to the top, we still enjoyed visiting.
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
We will be back to climb those stairs to the top for the view!
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
We also checked out the beach. We stopped into the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge (we will return here in the fall to photograph birds) and then looked for wild horses on Corolla and Carova beaches.
Our trip had dual purposes. We wanted, needed, to get out of our house and we reveled in the 5-hour drive to the Outer Banks, but we also used it to do reconnaissance because we would like to spend a week here in October so we wanted to scope out the best (and least crowded spots). We were grateful for the opportunity to do it in collaboration with Expedia, which gave us the ability (and you can have it too!) by providing a platform and app that has last-minute deals and one-stop vacation planning.
On our way out we stopped at the Wright Brothers National Memorial so that Mr. Misadventures could see what all the fuss is about. North Carolina license plates have “First in Flight” with a picture of the Wright brothers plane so I wanted him to have the connection.

Then we had our first sampling of North Carolina barbeque (or ‘cue as they call it around here) when we stopped at Currituck BBQ Company. It is easy for us to eat low carb at a place like this (unless you splurge for the banana pudding which you know I did since I had been so good about not eating a Duck Donut – this time…).

As we headed home bellies full, we began thinking about what our next trip could look like, and indeed, the spark of travel is alive and well in the Misadventure family!
Tips for traveling during the Age of the Queen
- Look for hotels that allow you to do same-day cancellations.
- If you are uncomfortable booking a hotel without seeing it, book last-minute deals using the Expedia app
- I brought my own cleaning wipes to clean the hotel room (you can also do this with a rental car) to my standards
- Because we were driving in, we brought our own pillows
- Bring a roll of paper towels, that way if you get takeout for your meals you will have ample cleaning materials
- Bars aren't particularly safe at the moment, and in North Carolina, they are still closed, so consider bringing your own libations, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset from our hotel terrace with a bottle of wine we brought with us.
- Bring some of your own food. If you don't feel comfortable with restaurants you can still enjoy your time (and even save money). We brought breakfast and lunch and then took out dinner. We also brought our own water. When I start getting more comfortable with restaurants first on my list will be seafood. And I will be using my friend Mikkel's guide to the best seafood restaurants in Outer Banks, she has done all the research for me and I can't wait to start checking items off her list!
- If you are driving, check out the available rest stops along the way. If you drink a lot as I do, you will need to stop and you will want to make sure you feel safe. The North Carolina rest stops that I have used have all been super clean with mostly contactless facilities, but I the last 2.5 hours of our drive home there were only small gas stations so I..um…”held it,” you can't always do that with kids, so plan accordingly.
- Face mask (of course!), hand sanitizer, and wash your hands!
How about you? Have you planned any trips lately? Are you staying local or road-tripping? Do share!
This is a sponsored collaboration with Expedia. As always all opinions are my own.
Like it? PIN it!
![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
We love exploring the Outer Banks. The lighthouses are so beautiful are so clean.
This looks like a great area to explore! I’m sure my family will love it. Plus my daughter watches a show called Outer Banks so she’d be all about going.
I can’t believe you skipped the Duck Donuts. You are much stronger than I am! I loved all the photos you shared. I’ve yet to fully explore the Outer Banks. I’ve dabbled but I haven’t fully immersed myself. Glad you’re here in NC!!
I’ve never been to North Carolina, but I would love to one day! Looks gorgeous!
Looks so beautiful and peaceful! I can’t wait to get back to the beach.
There is nothing like heading to the ocean when you need to get away from it all. It relaxes and mind and makes all troubles melt away. The Outer Banks are so beautiful! I haven’t been there in years but it looks just how it remember it. I’m glad you had a great time!
I don’t have any trips planned anytime soon. We have been out and about some, mostly to the grocery store, outdoor activities, and some fun things on occasion. I’d love to go on vacation but since I am immunocompromised, I’ve decided to hold off until it is safer.
I lived in NC for 8 years and miss being a short drive from the beach. My favorite beach area was the Emerald Isle. I used to go fishing on one of the piers or to play on the beach with the kids. I do miss it but I am back home near family now. I also don’t miss the hurricanes. 🙂
I enjoy planning my travel with Expedia I hope we can travel soon and no I have not planned any travel at this time.
Thanks for sharing this information. I can’t wait to start traveling again.
It’s really great to plan your travels with Expedia. I have been using this for sometime and I am really satisfied. Hope you had a wonderful and exciting adventure.
This whole post makes me miss the beach life so much! I’m meant to be on a beach in Spain right now but sadly COVID has put an end to that dream.
How fun! We’re in North Carolina and yet we’ve never been to the Outer Banks yet. LOL. Hopefully soon.
As one who has also had relatives complain about how often I’ve moved, I really enjoyed reading this post. Your honesty about talking about how quarantine/lockdown also resonated with me -it’s been grim not to be able to do the things we had planned for this year, but we’re grateful to be healthy at this time x
I sure know what you mean about needing to get away after being cooped up for so long. Good to know that the hotel felt safe and that the area you visited required masks. That is a mandatory requirement for me. I love all the views you got of wide open spaces. A good checklist for heading out these days.
I love planning trips. Expedia is one of my main go to’s for travel planning.
I enjoyed reading through your well-written post about you adventures in the outer banks. We all need to get out for some fresh air after being at home for long. I love your tips for traveling during the Age of the Queen. You will definitely need loads of cleaning wipes to clean the hotel room, and rental car!! 🙂
Looks like grat place to travel with family.I like the food it looks delicious. Yes traveling nowadays is need to very careful.
Thanks for sharing these useful travel tips! I will make sure to use Expedia to plan my future travel.
Thanks for these tips. It’s great travelling! And I love planning it too!
This looks like a lovely trip & a real tonic to all that time spent at home over the last few months. I long to feel the sand between my toes & the waves on my body again. Great tips towards the end too. I’ve been doing a lot of research lately to make myself feel safe & agree with all of those. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for all the tips! As of now, I only planned local roadtrips.
It sure is nice to go out and have fun with this kind of view and fab accomodation!
I have never thought about booking through Expedia. And you chose the perfect place for your first trip out after the “Queen” descended!
It’s so refreshing to read about a safe and healthy vacation during Covid. I’m also starting to get just a bit Stir Crazy and boy do those beach photos look amazing! Thanks for the tips about Expedia, too. I’ve never used them but I’m really interested in trying it out now!
Always a wonderful choice to spend time close to the ocean (sea). I haven’t seen much of the US, however the Outer Banks, looks like a great place to explore.
I never booked my trips through Expedia but now after reading all your reviews, I would surely plan with it. It is good after covid they are taking all precautions and guiding properly. I like Hampton Inn properties in USA and your stay at Hampton Inn & Suites with perfect blue water is really tempting me to go for it. Thanks for sharing your genuine reviews.
I love the Outer Banks! Can’t wait to go back
I can’t believe I missed the Outer Banks while I was living in North Carolina😭 I’ll have to go back sometime to go here!
I feel like I should just replicate this trip! I’ve never been to the Outer Banks, even though it crosses my mind to go there sometime quite often. I’ve never used Expedia to plan a trip, but maybe I should! Thanks for the tip!
I love the expression – In the Age of the Queen. I think that might work its way into my vernacular. You guys take your quarantine seriously. The first trip out is always interesting. Sounds like you had a positive experience.
This is great! I had no idea Expedia added these features and was planning to book accommodation soon so I will defo check it out! Sounds like you had an amazing short trip, just what I need soon too 🙂
Wow, I had no idea Expedia has all of those options for planning a trip. I will have to look into checking them out in the future! I’m glad you were able to get away, it is definitely much needed in these times.
Went to the Outer Banks, Hatteras, with my family 5 1/2 years ago. It’s a beautiful destination for sure. I’d like to go back on my own with my camera…hmmm…your post has given me an idea!
I’ve yet to go to the Outer Banks, and living on the east coast, I’m pretty ashamed about that. I LOVE Expedia – it’s really my go to search engine for planning trips, I rarely if ever use anything else actually in terms of booking.
Great tips! Outerbanks looks beautiful thanks for making booking with Expedia a breeze.
It’s so wonderful that you were able to return to the sea! I’m very much the same – I’ve always lived next to water. It’d be so weird to be away from it especially during the pandemic. Glad you had a fun trip
I hadn’t really heard of the Outerbanks before this year, but it looks like an amazing spot! I would love to explore this area of the states and spend time on the beaches. Looks like it was a wonderful experience 🙂
Finally catching up on some blogs! You’ll have to let me know if you go in October — my sister and best friend (who live in Raleigh and Durham respectively) booked a huge place with their families together during the second week I think? Granted I’d understand if you didn’t want to get together, given the circumstances, but they do use good social distancing practices. (Except, obviously, with each other. 😉 )