After the Coast Guard Marathon: Kill Devil Hills and the Outer Banks

The Route: Elizabeth City → Kill Devil Hills → Norfolk International Airport (ORF) Logistics: Car, about 1 hour 6 minutes and 51 miles (82 km) from Elizabeth City to Kill Devil Hills. No public transport has been listed. Marathon Month: April Duration: 2 nights

Elizabeth City ──(about 1 hr 6 mins by car, 51 miles)──> Kill Devil Hills
                                                               │
       Norfolk International (ORF) ◄──(drive, check time)──────┘

The Coast Guard Marathon finishes on Water Street on a Sunday in April, and Kill Devil Hills is 51 miles (82 km) from Elizabeth City, about an hour and six minutes at the wheel. A car is the only option that has been listed, and the sensible time to set off is after a shower, a meal and the bag collection. The drive leaves Monday free for the memorial.

April in Kill Devil Hills: The Wright Brothers National Memorial is open every day of the year except 25 December, so the season does not restrict it. The Atlantic is cold in April, and in most years the beach is for walking rather than swimming, though conditions vary. Several restaurants run reduced hours outside summer, so check opening times before relying on a particular dinner.

Nights One and Two: Kill Devil Hills

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is at 1401 National Park Drive and is open from 09:00 to 17:00. The entrance fee was $10 per person aged 16 and over when the state tourism office last published it (approximately £8), valid for seven days. Check nps.gov/wrbr for the current amount. The visitor centre has the exhibits, and the walk to the monument on Kill Devil Hill is paved, about a mile (1.6 km) round trip from the visitor centre and about an hour at a tourist's pace. The hill is 90 feet (27 m) high. There is no elevator or escalator, so the climb is the only part to judge against the legs. A paved path of that length is a slow, steady pull the day after a marathon, and the visitor centre exhibits make a fair alternative if the quads say no.

The beach is the second job. Virginia Dare Trail is known locally as the Beach Road, so the ocean is close to both hotels below. Soft sand is harder work on tired calves, so keep the walk short.

Where to stay

The Days Inn by Wyndham Kill Devil Hills Oceanfront Wilbur, at 201 North Virginia Dare Trail, is 0.5 miles (0.8 km) from the Wright Brothers Memorial and includes a free continental breakfast. The hotel at 107 South Virginia Dare Trail is listed under two names, Wingate by Wyndham Kill Devil Hills and Best Western Ocean Reef Suites. It has five floors, serves a free breakfast buffet with waffles, eggs and bacon, and is about five minutes by car from the memorial. Confirm that both are open in April, and the current brand of the second, when booking.

Where to eat

Henry's Restaurant, at 3396 North Croatan Highway, is open year round and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with seafood omelets, biscuits and gravy and hot cakes at breakfast, and seafood and burgers later. Its hours change by season, and it has been listed as closing at 14:00 on Sundays and Mondays and staying open until 20:00 on Tuesday to Thursday, so call ahead. Bob's Grill, at 1219 South Croatan Highway, has been listed as open daily from 07:00 to 14:00, which suits a Monday breakfast.

Getting to Norfolk International Airport (ORF)

Norfolk International Airport (ORF) is the airport the organiser lists for the race. Check the drive time from Kill Devil Hills on the day, because it is not published here, and leave a generous margin before the flight. Rental desks are in the arrivals terminal and cars are collected from Garage A.