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Meet Lee and Hazy
Lee Nettles here. I’ve been in NC most of my life and on the Outer Banks full time for nearly 20 years. My wife, Holly, and I live in Nags Head with our dog, Hazel Mae — Hazy to her friends — and our cat, Fry. We’re empty-nesters with two adultish daughters, which leaves me more time for live shows, guitar, songwriting, losing my hearing one band practice at a time and trying to take Hazy everywhere she wants us to go. She helped with this dog-friendly Insider, so you’ll see a few favorites we’ve marked as our territory.
Summer is beach time, and OBX beaches are super pet-friendly. Nearly every vacation rental company offers homes that welcome pets — just look for the "pet-friendly" filter on websites. Likewise, hotels, motels, inns and campgrounds provide a lot of dog-friendly options too. On the beach itself, the rules vary somewhat by town, national seashore and time of year, so be sure to check details before heading out. In general, though not everywhere, dogs are welcome year-round on a 6-foot leash. During non-summer months, the rules relax in places.
Lee’s & Hazy’s favorite ways to play
- Satterfield Landing Dog Park in Nags Head: Aside from the beach, you can often find us here having some off-leash fun.
- Soundside Markets in Nags Head: Grab your flip flops and hit one of these weekly markets. There’s a lot of great local art and craft vendors, food, music and dogs to sniff. Check out the new Soundside Boardwalk while you're there.
- Fourth of July fireworks: The OBX has four different fireworks displays popping off in Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Avon and Manteo. That's more for her people than for Hazy, but she allows it.
- Roanoke Island Festival Park: This one’s exclusively for the humans (sorry, Hazy!). You might be surprised to know we have a fantastic 3,000-person outdoor music venue located right on the water. It's a special night watching the moonlight dance on Roanoke Sound with songs to fill the air. There’s also a settlement site at the park, plus the American Indian Town, a museum and the Elizabeth II (a representation of one of the English ships from the Roanoke Voyage of 1585).
Trails worth sniffing out
- Soundside Nature Trail at Jockey's Ridge State Park: Hazy and I agree there's nothing better than hiking this trail. Most know about the awe-inspiring dunes the state park is known for, but there’s a sandy beach and little trail that weaves down a set of steps and meanders through the woods on the west side.
- Nags Head Woods: This nature conservancy is one of three maritime forests on the Outer Banks (the others are in Kitty Hawk and Buxton). One of the things I love about the Outer Banks is how it surprises you. First, that we have maritime forests! But also, to get to this amazing natural site, you turn at Pigman's Bar-B-Que, ride a half-mile through a residential neighborhood and voila! You're walking through a forest with your dog with no one else in sight.
- Pea Island: Pea Island is one of two national wildlife refuges in our area. The bird-watching is phenomenal here, but the thing that blows me away is how you can pull off NC-12, cross the dunes and find a stretch of beach that is all your own. Just know that cars can get stuck, so be careful where you pull off, and only walk on established paths. It's a sense of adventure and freedom — to be so close to a bustling area and yet feel so far away.
Bone Appetit
- Swells'a Brewery in Kill Devil Hills: And you thought Hazy was short for Hazel. The rotating taps of locally brewed beers are great. Impossible to go wrong here. Grab a pint of All Rights, All Rights, All Rights IPA, or get a flight and try a few. Dogs are welcome inside, but the outside area has a lawn with picnic tables, live music and an upstairs deck with ocean breezes. Swells'a are active supporters of local nonprofits, hosting events and donating proceeds to causes like the SPCA Animal Shelter (where we adopted Hazel) and Outer Banks Forever, the local National Park Service Friends Group
- Avalon Fishing Pier in Kill Devil Hills: Grab a beer and enjoy the view with your dog. Or start earlier in the day — the sunrises here are spectacular.
- Tortugas’ Lie in Nags Head: This classic Beach Road spot has a big backyard with volleyball, an outdoor bar and live music. The specials usually include a locally caught tuna dish and some of the best fish tacos on the beach.
- Mulligan's Grille in Nags Head: It has an upstairs deck with ocean views, a bar and even a food menu for your pup!
Regardless of season, please consider taking a few minutes from your vacation to volunteer. It's a great way to get a deeper understanding and connection to the community. We've got a volunteer portal where you can search for opportunities by date, location and interest. Walk dogs at the SPCA, participate in a beach cleanup or even just attend an event (most are put on by non-profits as fundraisers).
This insider was produced in partnership with Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.