Two Weeks in Rodanthe: Thanksgiving, Wildlife & History

Spending two weeks in Rodanthe, NC, was nothing short of magical. Tucked away in the Outer Banks, this little seaside town became the perfect backdrop for both adventure and relaxation. It was the kind of trip where the ocean set the rhythm of our days, from the fiery sunrises over the Atlantic to the glowing sunsets that melted into the sound.

Life on the Beach

Our campground sat right on the beach, which meant the sound of crashing waves was always in the background. The dogs absolutely loved it—it was their first real chance to explore the shoreline, sniffing at seashells, digging into the sand, and chasing the foam at the water’s edge. We spent hours walking the beach, searching for treasures like sea glass and shells. One day, Patrick even had some of the sea glass turned into earrings, a beautiful keepsake that will always remind us of our time there.

View Indy getting touched by the ocean waves!

The beach wasn’t always just treasures and waves. We came across reminders of how wild the ocean can be, including jellyfish and other sea life that had washed ashore. It was a sobering, fascinating look at the circle of life happening right at our feet.

Birds, Wildlife, and Pea Island

Just a short drive from Rodanthe is the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, which quickly became one of our favorite spots. The variety of birds was incredible—flocks of waterfowl skimming the surface of the water, tall cranes wading gracefully, and elegant egrets standing perfectly still as if posing for a picture. The refuge felt alive in every direction, and it made us slow down to really take it all in. View the photos of a bird coming in for a landing and two ibis birds kissing.

We also saw a ton of Ibis birds, which we had no idea what they were until the Outer Banks

While there, we also stopped at the historic Pea Island Life-Saving Station. Its history and beauty left us both in awe. It’s humbling to imagine the bravery it took to patrol those rough waters and rescue shipwrecked sailors in decades past.

This was the beautiful life saving station that sat right on the beach

Alligator Alley Adventures

One afternoon we decided to check out Alligator Alley, which turned out to be a hidden gem full of wildlife. The drive itself felt like a safari—at one point, we spotted black bears lumbering through the brush and owls perched quietly, watching us with their glowing eyes. To add to the adventure, the road somehow led us right up to the gates of an active military base—oops! We didn’t hang around long, but it definitely made for a funny story.

Discoveries and History Along the Outer Banks

This trip also turned into a history lesson. We visited two lighthouses—Bodie Island and Cape Hatteras. Standing at their bases, looking up at these towering guardians of the sea, made us feel small but connected to the long maritime story of the Outer Banks. We also learned about how German U-boats once prowled the waters off the North Carolina coast during World War II, a chilling but fascinating chapter of history.

The was the Bodie lighthouse, which also had spectacular night time skies!

Another discovery was learning about fulgurite—when lightning strikes the sand, it fuses it into a natural glass rock. The thought of holding a piece of lightning in your hand feels like something out of a storybook.

And of course, no trip to this part of North Carolina would be complete without revisiting one of America’s oldest mysteries: the Lost Colony of Roanoke. In the late 1500s, more than 100 English settlers vanished from the Roanoke settlement without a trace. All that was left behind was the word “CROATOAN” carved into a post. Historians have speculated for centuries about what happened—did they integrate with local tribes, were they lost to disease or storms, or was it something else entirely? Standing in the place where that history unfolded gave us chills, imagining what life must have been like for those early settlers.

A First Ferry Ride to Ocracoke

One of the biggest highlights was taking our first car ferry ride over to Ocracoke. I’ll admit, Patrick was pretty nervous about driving the truck onto a boat and sailing it across the ocean, but it ended up being such a memorable experience. Standing on the deck, watching the shoreline fade while seabirds trailed the ferry, felt like an adventure within an adventure.

Thanksgiving, Outer Banks Style

Spending Thanksgiving in Rodanthe was a little bittersweet. It was my first Thanksgiving without my family, and that tugged at my heart. But Patrick and I turned it into something special, creating our own tradition with just the foods we love most from Thanksgiving. Sitting together, just the two of us, eating a meal we had chosen ourselves while listening to the waves outside—it felt intimate and meaningful in its own way.

The Laundromat Saga

Not every part of the trip was glamorous. Bailey, our cat, decided to add her own twist to the adventure by repeatedly peeing on the bed. That meant we had no choice but to visit a laundromat for the first time on our travels. The campground laundry was too expensive, and the blanket took forever to dry, so we loaded everything up and made the trip. It wasn’t exactly how we planned to spend our day, but looking back, it was one of those funny, real-life RV moments we’ll probably always laugh about.

The culprit who kept peeing on our bed.

Sunrises, Sunsets, and Memories Made in Rodanthe

If there’s one image that will stay with me forever, it’s the sky in Rodanthe. Every sunrise painted the horizon with fiery oranges and pinks, and every sunset bathed the sound in golden light. Each one felt unique, like a gift we were lucky enough to unwrap every day. Patrick captured this heron flying during an orange sunset.

Just one of the many beautiful sunsets.

Birds in flight during a sunset

This was a sunset right from our campground

Two weeks in Rodanthe gave us more than just a vacation—it gave us memories that stitched together history, nature, new traditions, and even a few unexpected adventures. From sea glass earrings to ferry rides, from the mystery of Roanoke to Bailey’s laundromat escapades, it was a trip that reminded us how much beauty there is in slowing down and exploring together.