Southern Shores NC Town Vacation Information and History
Extending from sound to sea, the town of Southern Shores is heralded as one of the most beautiful, well-thought-out developments on the Outer Banks. Its scenic beauty is hard to match with canals, maritime hardwood forests, dunes, and private beaches. As a result, real estate agents often call Southern Shores property one of the best Outer Banks values for long-term investment. Southern Shores is south of Duck and north of Kitty Hawk.
Southern Shores was the first planned community on the northern Outer Banks. The development of this coastal community is primarily thanks to the work of well-known local author David Stick.
Southern Shores consists of approximately four square miles of land stretching through the northern Outer Banks alongside N.C. 12. As you drive through the town on its winding, two-lane road, you’ll see open skies and dunes with low scrub vegetation. Intermittent large, expensive homes are available for rental for several months.
If you turn off N.C. 12 towards the sound, the landscape changes dramatically. Here you’ll find quiet neighborhoods filled with homes occupied by year-round residents, towering trees draped with moss, and grass that thrives in the sandy earth.
Comprising primarily single-family homes, Southern Shores is predominantly a residential town that’s uncluttered by some of the commercial aspects of other Outer Banks areas, making it the perfect place to seek solitude.
Many year-round residents enjoy kayaking in the winding canals found on the sound side, relaxing outdoors with a cold drink, or enjoying the day under an umbrella on one of the area’s most secluded beaches. Thanks to the shallow water and lack of waves, a sandy sound side wading beach on the North Dogwood Trail is a favorite spot for families with small children.
Shopping in Southern Shores, NC
One of the most miniature commercialized towns located on the northern Outer Banks, Southern Shores has only three locations where vacationers can find retail establishments and restaurants.
The Marketplace (5543 N. Croatan Highway) is situated just east of the Wright Memorial Bridge. You’ll find a Food Lion grocery store, a Starbucks, several restaurants, and a few other shops that should have all of the essentials you’ll need for a vacation. Located at the corner of Highway 158 and NC 12 at the neck of Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk is Southern Shores Crossing (1 Ocean Boulevard). Coastal Provisions, an art studio, and a spa are the main attractions at this retail shopping complex.
Beaches in Southern Shores, North Carolina
Vacationers who love spending time at the beach and would rather not be within an elbows distance of a nearby beachgoer will undoubtedly enjoy the seclusion on the beaches of Southern Shores. Although easily accessible, visitors can comb the beaches for seashells in the morning without competition and enjoy the view from the shore without nearby distractions.
Surfers also enjoy riding waves without competition from other riders, and kite surfers can propel into the sky without worrying about running into a swimmer. Southern Shores’ beaches are carefully guarded by a team of lifeguards on duty every day during the summer. The picturesque natural beauty of Southern Shores’ beaches keeps vacationers coming back year after year – regardless of their home’s distance from the town.
