Cecil and I have this funny habit when we’re on vacation where we go to bed early but then wake up early. Then once we’re up and dressed we’re ready to go explore. This usually means stores and historic sites aren’t open yet so it gives us a chance to find a great coffee shop and then take walks without the crowds.

Monday morning on the Outer Banks was no different. We decided to start the day in the town of Duck, about 20 minutes north of Kill Devil Hills. If any of you are wondering, yes, the famous Duck Donuts started in Duck, North Carolina. Our first stop was the original store in downtown Duck and we were not disappointed. I mean, just look at those donuts? Krispy Kreme will always be my favorite donut but Duck Donuts are a very close second.

For this morning’s coffee we went to Duck’s Cottage Coffee & Books. It’s a coffee shop and independent bookstore. My mocha latte paired perfectly with the donuts. The store is located in a former hunting cottage, which was built in 1921 by a group of New York investors who came to the area to hunt.

With happy bellies we made the short drive to the Duck Town Park & Boardwalk that’s situated along Currituck Sound. Gorgeous, wide-open views of the sound and the park had lovely flowers blooming (even in November!). If you walk the full-length of the boardwalk it’s roughly a mile. The boardwalk was one of my favorite things about our trip and you’ll find out why on Day 5!

I’ll try not to bore you too much with our next stop because the history buff in me could write pages about it! We left Duck and went back to Kill Devil Hills to tour the Wright Brothers National Memorial. It was here that brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright of Dayton, Ohio, taught the world to fly. They began their experiments in 1899 and made their first visit to the Outer Banks in 1900. For the next three years they worked, tested, and failed. It was during their 1903 visit that things changed. On December 17, 1903, Orville flew for 12 seconds and 120 feet – the first successful flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft. The world would never be the same.

Located there today is a museum, reconstructed 1903 hangar and quarters/workshop, stones marking the first four flights the brothers made, a memorial boulder dedicated in 1928 for the 25th anniversary, the Wright Brothers Memorial on top of Kill Devil Hill – completed in 1932, and a bronze and steel life-size sculpture of the first flight.

It’s a lot of walking but well worth it, especially for the views at the top of Kill Devil Hill! You can see why they chose this sand dune to launch their glider flights.

By this time we had worked up quite an appetite so we went in search of a juicy hamburger. A few blocks from our hotel was a place that you could easily miss – Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint. It’s a small restaurant and bar that serves only hamburgers and fries. They figured out the secret, though, make only one thing but do it well. Cecil and I don’t say this lightly, but those were the best hamburgers we have ever tasted. He had the Cobra Kai (burger topped with cream cheese, pickled Jalapeños and Jalapeño jelly) and I had a cheeseburger. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!

After that amazing lunch we hopped back in the car and drove about 20 minutes south to the town of Manteo, located on Roanoke Island. Its historic downtown overlooks Roanoke Sound and is easily walkable. We wandered through a few stores, including Downtown Books, but my favorite part was walking out to the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. Unlike the other Outer Banks lighthouses, this one is not original. The first three versions of the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse were located in the neighboring town of Wanchese. It wasn’t until the citizens of Manteo began preparing for the town’s centennial in 1999 that they decided to rebuild it in Manteo. It was completed and dedicated in 2004. There’s a small museum inside the lighthouse that gives its history but, as with so much on the Outer Banks, the views are the best part.

As you can imagine, by this time Cecil and I were ready for a NAP. I grabbed a coffee to go at Charis Coffee Company, made one more quick stop in Manteo that I’ll talk about on Day 5, and went back to the hotel. Since we are early risers that means that we have become pro nappers. We crawled into the king bed and slept for at least a couple hours.

Feeling refreshed and hungry, we got ready for our anniversary date night. As you know, one of Cecil’s main jobs is finding places for us to eat and he did not disappoint. We had dinner at the Trio Restaurant & Market in Kitty Hawk. The market sells beer, wine, and foodstuffs (crackers, jellies, fresh cheeses, and more). I enjoyed a glass of sangria and the shrimp & grits. Cecil had the gouda & roast beef panini. Both were excellent! What a special place to celebrate our 5th anniversary.

Next up – Two lighthouses and the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge!