Outer Banks Attractions

Because of the number of communities integrating the Outer Banks, the attractions range from cultural to historical, and include parks, beaches, wildlife, museums, and lighthouses. North Carolina's lighthouses are considered one of America's most prized resources located within the North Carolina region.Find time to visit here when you book your budget flights to New York.

The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse is located on Manteo waterfront, Roanoke Island. Built in 1877 and decommissioned by the US Coast Guard in 1955. The original screw-pile lighthouse was originally located on Croatan Sound. Since 2004, this lighthouse has contained different exhibits featuring this island's maritime heritage, and the history of the Marshes Lighthouse and its keepers.

Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse still in operation, is one of the oldest on the eastern coast of America, and the shortest lighthouse at 75 feet in North Carolina. It is located in Ocracoke fishing village, and can only be seen for 14 miles. This lighthouse was built in 1823, which was later cemented, whitewashed, and equipped with a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1868.

The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is the tallest in the nation, and the first authorized by Congress in 1794, although it was not completed until 1804. In 1861, during the Civil War, Union ships damaged the light, and Confederate soldiers took the original lamp from the first lighthouse, being necessary to erect a new tower between1869-1870. Today, it houses a visitor’s center displaying the island's maritime history.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla stands 158 feet above the dunes, and it was the first to order fresnel lens flashing. This lighthouse was built to fill the last remaining dark spot between Bodie Island in the North Carolina's coast, and Cape Henry in Virginia. The peculiar natural red brick was left on purpose to distinguish it from other regional lighthouses.

Bodie Island Lighthouse stands 150 feet high and is located in Manteo, and encircled by 2 black and 3 white bands. This Lighthouse was originally built in 1847, but improvements were necessary and it was rebuilt in 1859. Originally named “Body", the light was not electrified until 1932. Bodie Island Lighthouse was transferred to the National Park Service in 1953 and today serves as a ranger office and visitor center for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

There are cultural attractions around the area, blending the charm of the coastal shore. In Hatteras, the main attractions include the unloading of catches at the Docks, in Hatteras Village Marinas, watching the offshore boats unload their daily deep-sea catches, between 4 and 5 p.m. when boats come back. After unloading a variety of catches, including Wahoo, tuna, mahi-mahi and others, fish are taken away to be cleaned.

Wanchese Fishing Village in Manteo is another place to watch trawlers bringing in their fresh catch to later pack it up and ship it out around the world. At Manteo, the Elizabethan Gardens are adjacent to Fort Raleigh National Historic Park, exhibiting a countless numbers of beautiful flora, including wildflowers, lush plants, shrubs, different trees, an ancient statuary and the Shakespearean Herb Garden.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Park was established in 1941 and enlarged in 1990. The Elizabethan Gardens preserve the Native American culture, the American Civil War, Freedman's Colony, and the activities of radio pioneer Reginald Fessenden. This park is the natural scenery to the outdoor historic drama "The Lost Colony," performed at the Waterside Theatre since 1937; however, the real lost colony of the 16th century, still remains a mystery to this day.

At Kill Devil Hills, many different beach tours operate family tours carrying from 15 to 35 passengers visiting interesting places, including the Wrights Brothers Memorial. Closer to this location, the Outer Banks Music Showcase is performed at Kitty Hawk with live music every night. Roanoke Island is home to the One Festival Park, celebrating the first temporary English settlements in America, making history exciting and fun.

Double L Bird Ranch And Petting Zoo in Buxton offers the performance of trained birds talking, while the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, located on 13 miles of pristine barrier island in the northern end of Hatteras Island, offers great surfing, kayaking, fishing, shell-hunting, and diverse outdoor activities.

Nags Head Park and Wildlife, includes the Jennette's Fishing Pier Nags Head, the oldest fishing pier on the Outer Banks, and owned by the North Carolina Aquarium Society. Offering a unique fishing experience, the park features interesting exhibits throughout its different 5 aquariums with indigenous fish species on display, housing also the North Carolina Aquarium Education Department.

Bodie Island Visitors Center in Manteo features a unique experience, joining a Ranger for a walk along the beach while exploring the changing environment. At this center, there is large number of hands-on activities for children promoting learning about the seashore, the funny way, while the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island has a variety of exhibits with education in mind.

At the North Carolina Aquarium, visitors are invited to join the journey through coastal freshwaters, exploring saltwater habitats, and discovering species such as river otters, largemouth and striped bass, as well as the well-known American alligators. The 35-foot long window of this tank allows visitors to watch fish flash, stingray, hermit crab, sharks and many other specials cruising in their natural environment.

The Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods is a 1200 acre of protected forest located in south Kill Devil Hills. Open to the public, this ecological preserve offers environmental activities such as bird watching and hiking. The Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station, located in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, was built in 1874 for the United States Life Saving Service, which was later converted to a boathouse in 1911. This Lifesaving Station features today a historic exhibition.

The Corolla Wild Horses have been running free on the Currituck Outer Banks for more than 400 years, witnessing the disappearance of Native Americans from the Carolinians shores These horses still can be seen roaming the beaches. In 1926, the National Geographic Magazine published that there were between 5,000 and 6,000 wild horses running wild. Today, it is estimated that there are only 300 Spanish mustangs. Visiting Corolla contributes to the fund towards their preservation.

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