10 Things We Did on Our Big Gay Trip to the Outer Banks with Our Best Friends
Including lots of tips and ideas for your next group vacation!
Hi!!!
We got back from the beach a few days ago, where we took our first official vacation without children in over five years. Sure, we’ve been on many trips with our kids, especially many beach trips, but a lot of the travel we do is for work, so there’s always been an obligation to fulfill on those. This one, however, was the first true vacation we’ve taken, where I brought my laptop but didn’t actually open it the entire time. I can’t tell you how nice that was.
It was us, Matt and Beau, Nick and his boyfriend Luka, and Hayli, and I kept saying the entire time how amazing and incredible the group was. Everyone was chill the whole time, up for doing everything and absolutely nothing. It felt like everyone who was there was meant to be there, since we all genuinely enjoy each other’s company, which made for an especially fun trip.
Our moms took turns watching the kids, so one would be with my mom while the other two would be with PJ’s, and it was a good setup that worked well for everyone involved. They spent time at PJ’s aunt’s pool and on my brother’s boat, they got to stay up late and watch movies with their grandmas, and they got that quality one-on-one time they crave. Overall, it was just as much fun for them as it was for us, and as parents, can you really ask for more than that?
Our best friends Beau and Matt planned and organized the entire trip, complete with a Google Doc detailing things like dinner plans, a playlist for the beach, and what we’re each bringing to contribute (like chairs, speakers, beach shades, wine, etc.). We broke up the 10 hour drive from Tennessee by stopping in Raleigh, NC seven hours in and staying the night, before waking up and making the rest of the three hour drive to the Outer Banks the next morning. I was dreading the long drive, but breaking it up into two mini trips made it so much more doable.
We spent five days doing absolutely nothing and taking care of absolutely no one. I don’t think I realized how freeing and restorative it was for me to have that little break from the kids and our day-to-day life. We stayed up late, eating and drinking whatever we wanted and making no plans but to go to the beach every day. We’re back from the trip now feeling refreshed and hugging our babies so close. It was the perfect little reset. As I was tucking in our daughter the other night, she quietly said, “I missed you so much” and I felt it in my bones. We missed them so much, too, but it really was an eye-opening trip in that I realized we can and we should go on more vacations without the kids, even if only for a few days. It gives everyone a little break, allows us to miss each other, and we return as a family stronger than ever.
But what did we actually do on our trip? Below are 10 things we did that all added up to a magical five days:
Dining in Raleigh
Like I mentioned, we broke the trip up to make it easier, and ended up spending the night in Raleigh, North Carolina. We ate dinner at the cutest restaurant the evening we arrived, called Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar, and not only was the atmosphere top notch, the food was, too.
The next day, we had lunch at The Hummingbird Cafe before hitting the road to finish out the road trip to the Outer Banks. I got the muffuletta sandwich, which is a classic New Orleans sandwich made with salami and ham and an olive mixture. I had never had one, but I was immediately sold. They also had house-made potato chips that were delicious. Such a cute and yummy place for lunch.
