The Outer Banks of North Carolina create a dramatic visual. Beautiful sweeping dunes of sand, sea oats blowing in the breeze, the rhythmic sound of waves washing against the shore and then pulling back leaving white sea foam bubbles to slowly disappear, while loquacious birds soar overhead or play tag with the ebb and flow of the tide.

The commonality from Corolla to Ocracoke is all Mother Nature’s doing. Barrier islands formed by loosely blowing sand that change with each wind shift. And dunes that without the aid of fences and the stabilizing force of sea oats would be anything but a sand dune.

Each little community, park and seashore along the Outer Banks has its own distinct personality. Imagine going back to a time when each was a sleepy little village some centered around mail delivery or the local general store. Or a fishing spot that began as a downtrodden path next to a young tree, then overtime evolved into a single dirt trail under a grown tree and then later only an asphalt road remains.

Times change and as much as possible these popular beach destinations have tried to retain the sense of charm that brought people there in the first place.

Corolla lies at the northern end of North Carolina’s Outer Banks at the very end of State Road 12. Here find the Currituck Lighthouse, Whalehead Club and the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education, along with wild horses and beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches. To reach Corolla, travel through the town of Duck and Sanderling past homegrown shops and restaurants and miles of stilt houses. The once undiscovered is quickly being discovered. >More

Just south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, in the Outer Banks is Kill Devil Hills. Home to aviation history, this is the site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial that commemorates the 1903 flight of Orville and Wilbur Wright. Aviation enthusiasts should take note of the constant wind brushing against their face. >More

Nags Head is another in a series of communities at North Carolina’s Outer Banks that has an unusual name. Here find Jockey’s Ridge State Park with the tallest natural sand dune system. This is one amazing sand box. Hang gliding lessons are offered or bring your own kite to experience the same rush Orville and Wilbur Wright did more than 100 years ago just down the road. >More

Manteo, North Carolina, sits on Roanoke Island where the first English settlement was established. While here visit Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Elizabethan Gardens, Roanoke Festival Island Park, the weather tower, Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, North Carolina Maritime Museum and its quaint downtown with shops and restaurants, or take in a production of The Lost Colony. >More

Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands are the home of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Each has its own unique lighthouse to protect sea travelers from treacherous shoals. The Oregon Inlet Fishing Center houses charter fishing vessels. Pea Island and the National Wildlife Refuge have hiking trails and nature-viewing opportunities plus beaches. In Hatteras take the ferry to Ocracoke Island or see the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. >More

Ocracoke is the end of the line for this stretch of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Drive past miles of sand dunes part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore before reaching the quaint village of Ocracoke, home to the Ocracoke Lighthouse. Here find a laid back lifestyle. Bicycle around town, charter a fishing boat, take in the Ocracoke Opry, listen to pirate stories, enjoy great seafood, discover artists and craftsmen studios and kayak close to nature. >More

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The Outer Banks of North Carolina
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
One Visitors Center Circle
Manteo, NC 27954
(877) 629-4386
(252) 473-2138