Seems like October is the time for road tripping in our family. Last year, we drove down to Baltimore, Maryland, for Rex’s high school reunion in nearby Bel Air, MD. This year, it’s off to Duck, North Carolina for a few days. We’re going to drive about halfway the first night, and stay near Chincoteague, Maryland, wake up the next morning to look for wild horses, then drive another four hours to our weekend destination.

Duck is 75 miles south of Norfolk, Virginia. Take Interstate 464 south to Route 168, which will become Route 158. After crossing Currituck Sound, head north on Route 12 for five miles.

The Sanderling Resort & Spa overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound. It has three inns (Main, North and South) and four stand-alone houses, styled in the low-rise, cedar-shingled architecture typical of coastal North Carolina. Next door is the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary. As The New York Times suggested in 36 Hours in Duck, NC, we’ve requested a third-floor room in the South Inn for the best view.

A few years back (July 2005), Rex read a travel article by Cindy Price in The New York Times about “36 Hours In…Duck, North Carolina.” Ever since, he’s been hoping to take London, Maddie, and me away for a long weekend, and this year, we’ve found the time. In preparation for our trip, I’ll be posting about the things we plan to do — including restaurants and kid stuff — with a little help from my Southern colleague, Brent.