Top Rest Stops for Your Drive to the Outer Banks

Family Road Trip Stops from the Philadelphia Region to the Outer Banks, NC

Driving from the Philadelphia area down to the Outer Banks, North Carolina, has become one of our favorite road trips as a family. While the drive is long—usually around 9 to 10 hours depending on traffic an how long we stop —we’ve learned that planning thoughtful rest stops along the way makes the journey feel much more manageable. With kids in tow, having fun and memorable places to stop not only breaks up the ride but also turns the travel day into part of the adventure. Here are our go-to stops that make the drive smoother and more enjoyable

After this stop, the scenery really starts to get interesting as we drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. It’s always a highlight of the trip with the expansive water views and the unique experience of actually driving under the bay. Once we’re across, we make one final stop before the last stretch: Wawa. This one is less about sightseeing and more about practicality, but it’s still a favorite. We fill up the car with gas, grab fresh coffees and let the kids pick out some snacks to keep them occupied for the final two and a half hours into Corolla, NC. It gives us just the reset we need before the home stretch. Their bathrooms are pretty clean as well.

By the time we roll into the Outer Banks, everyone feels refreshed, and the kids are already to jump in the house pool as soon as we get there! For us, these breaks have become as much a part of the trip as the beach vacation itself.

Snacks for the Road

One thing that helps us on long road trips like this is packing a cooler for the car ride. We usually bring a larger cooler for meals and drinks, but we also keep a small cooler within reach of the backseat for the kids. Stocked with cut up fruit, squeeze pouch yogurts, juice boxes, and individual snack bags, it makes it easy to hand out snacks on the go. The individual portions help cut down on mess, although not completely, and having everything ready to grab keeps us from relying too much on fast food along the way.

Of course with the individual snack bags and juices, it creates way more trash, which for some reason my kids have a hard time getting into the trash bag. I purchased car trash cans recently and that has helped some, as opposed to the plastic trash bag I had hanging over the arm of the seat. We now have a trash can in the back row, and the middle row. So now no excuses, right?

👉 Looking for Car Essentials for your next trip? Check out my Road Trip Essentials post!

A few hours later, we make our second stop at the New Church Safety Rest Area in Virginia. This one offers plenty of picnic tables, making it a great place to stretch out and enjoy lunch if you packed food for the trip. The highlight here is definitely the large LOVE sign, part of Virginia’s “Virginia is for Lovers” campaign. My kids get excited to take their picture with it every time, and we’ve built up quite a collection of snapshots through the years. It’s also home to the Virginia Welcome Center, where we like to wander in and pick up brochures. Even if we’re heading straight to the Outer Banks, we often find ourselves brainstorming future getaways while flipping through the pamphlets.

Our first stop is the Smyrna, Delaware Rest Area. It’s not just a basic highway stop; it’s a surprisingly family-friendly place to take a break. The small playground is perfect for toddlers and younger kids to run off some energy after sitting in the car for a couple of hours. There are plenty of picnic tables for a snack break or even an early lunch if you get on the road bright and early. What makes this spot especially fun for us is the little pond with koi fish. The kids love checking on them every time we pass through, and it’s become a sweet tradition to say hello before getting back on the road.