Experience the serene Outer Banks of North Carolina while staying at a 2011 Conde Nast Gold List and Readers Choice winner for $179 per night.

Visit the Sanderling Resort & Spa Sunday-Thursday, Sept. 6-28 and avoid the peak summer crowds and rates that typically top $300. Or travel daily Aug. 21 - Sept. 2 for $50 more per night.

The elegant resort nestled along the beach features multiple restaurants, a spa, indoor pool and access to the Pine Island Racquet Club with a fitness center and indoor and outdoor courts.

Long known as an upscale getaway for families and couples alike, visitors to the Outer Banks can golf, shop, browse art galleries, visit the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (the East Coast’s tallest) and savor fresh local seafood.

The resort is approximately an hour and a half drive from Norfolk and Virginia Beach.