Ultimate New York to Outer Banks Road Trip with kids.
Starting in New York
We like to start the journey first thing in the morning. We are usually out the door by 6-7am to start our long day of adventure.
New Jersey
We like to get our day started and have breakfast in the car. The service stations along the NJ route do not include McDonald's and my kids LOVE a McDonald's road trip breakfast. This location is 35 min from the George Washington Bridge and past all the busy Newark traffic.
Delaware
I have found that kids generally have a max sitting time in the car of 2-3 hours. I like to keep all of my stops within that range. Can kids go longer? Yes, but this is a road trip to build experiences and have fun. Get out and enjoy the day! Flyover Fun Park is 2.5 hours from your McDonalds breakfast stop.
Maryland
If your kids can hold on a bit longer than 2.5 hours, the next stop is one of our absolute favorites. Coco's Fun House is approximately 3.5 hours from your breakfast stop. I suggest letting the kids know that they will have a 1-hour time limit at the location and that we need to keep things moving as we have much more to explore.
Our next option before leaving Maryland is the Delmarva Discovery Museum. 16,000 sq ft of interactive exhibits teaching about the natural and cultural histories of the Delmarva area. Best suited for younger kids. Small gift shop for some motivational souvenirs to get back in the car.
If the Delmarva Discovery Museum isn't your thing, we absolutely love the park directly across the street for our mid-day stretch. This park has a small playground, a large field, picnic tables, a restroom, and a boardwalk along the river. The main advantage of this park is its easy accessibility on and off the highway.
Virginia
Depending on how many of these stops you have made along the way, this is usually the time you need to take a major car break and have some fun.
We have been to Children's Museums up and down the East Coast and the Children's Museum of Virginia ranks in our top 3! It has the best collection of interactive rooms and is HUGE!
North Carolina
Digger's Dungeon is one of those places that you have to see to believe. Monster Truck, Grave Digger's home base is located seemingly in the middle of nowhere but has a little of everything and is a fun experience for all. They are always adding attractions but these are a few highlights.
-Huge Grave Digger memorabilia museum/store
-Retro Diner
-Monster Truck Rides- Big and Small
-Farm area with animals
-Children's sand play area
-A working Monster Truck garage featuring trucks you know!
That is usually our final stop of the day before completing our drive to the southern end of the Outer Banks. Traffic starts to build up around Point Harbor, but it generally improves if your ultimate destination is south of Nags Head. You will find plenty of dining options throughout the Outer Banks, but I always recommend venturing off the main strip to find the freshest seafood in the area.
If you enjoyed this, check out my guide to "Best of the Outer Banks with kids" featuring our favorite things to do in each town.
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