View the Ocracoke LighthouseLocated in the southwest corner of Ocracoke Village, many visitors view the Ocracoke Lighthouse each year. Built in 1823, the lighthouse is the second-oldest lighthouse in the nation and is 77.5 feet tall. Though the lighthouse is not open for tours or climbing, visitors can walk down a wooden boardwalk adjacent to the lighthouse to view and photograph the structure. To get to the Ocracoke Lighthouse, turn left off NC Highway 12 at the Island Inn. The lighthouse is about 800 yards down, on the right side of that street. Visit the Nags Head Woods Ecological PreserveThe Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve is a maritime forest that is managed by The Nature Conservancy, which is an international, nonprofit conservation organization. Located in Kill Devil Hills on the west side of US Highway 158, the Preserve is home to many rare plant and animal species. Spend an afternoon hiking on more than 5 miles of trails and footbridges that take you through forest, swamp, pond and dune habitats. Trails are open to visitors during the week between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Bicycles and pets on leashes are restricted to a portion of the trail. For more information, contact the Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve at (252) 441-2525. Try Your Luck at ParasailingParasailing, a sport where participants are pulled through the sky by a boat while being attached to a sail, is an activity enjoyed by many on the Outer Banks. Unbreakable ropes are the standard for this sport, so parasailing is a relatively safe activity that can be enjoyed by all ages and skill levels. Enjoy the view of the Outer Banks similar to what the seagulls have! For the northern beaches, you can fly with Kitty Hawk Watersports in Corolla at (252) 453-6900 or The Waterworks in Nags Head at (252) 441-8875. For Hatteras Island, you can fly with Hatteras Watersports in Salvo at (252) 987-2306 or Island Parasail in Avon at (252) 995-0177. Go Beachcombing For ShellsBeachcombing for shells, also called shelling, on the beaches of the Outer Banks is an activity enjoyed by all. The best times to look for shells are after a high tide, after a storm, in the morning and during the winter months. When picking up shells from the sand, make sure you check first to make sure nothing is still alive inside the shell. If the shell you choose is the home to a live sea creature, set him back in the sand and keep searching. After you are done with your beachcombing, don't forget to soak the shells in bleach water or another cleaning agent. Even if the shells you choose are empty now, they had something living in them at one time and need to be cleaned before you pack them in your suitcase. Catch a Local Music Performance at the Deepwater TheaterMolasses Creek is a high-energy acoustic folk band that plays bluegrass and ballads and is the most popular local band on Ocracoke Island. Though they perform throughout the nation, Molasses Creek plays in the Deepwater Theater all summer, and during occasions throughout the year. They perform at the theater on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the summer. Other performances also take place in the Deepwater Theater, including the Ocracfolk Opry, which is held on Wednesday evenings. The Deepwater Theater is located on the School Road in Ocracoke Village. Browse the Local Gift Shops and BoutiquesWhether your shopping interests are high-end boutiques, art galleries, local souvenir shops or seafood markets, you will find a variety of stores up and down the Outer Banks. Whether you are as far north as Corolla or as far south as Ocracoke, you could spend a day browsing in local shops and galleries. Duck and Corolla feature the most high-end boutiques, while Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head shopping is more practical and affordable. Manteo/Roanoke Island has a variety of stores as well, but focuses more on antiques, art and high-end boutiques. Hatteras Island shopping is practical and features more surf and souvenir shops than the other types. Ocracoke Island also has a variety of shopping, and since the Village is so small you can walk or bike between stores. Wherever you are, you will be able to find the perfect Outer Banks gift or souvenir to take home with you. Watch the Charter Boats Come in with Their "Catch of the Day"Both Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet have fleets of charter boats that take excited fishermen into the gulf stream to catch the fish of their dreams. Can't afford to go on a charter boat? Don't have sea legs and don't want to experience life on the water? Try going to the docks in the afternoon when the charters come in. You will see tired, sunburned (and happy) fishermen, whistling mates and captains and hundreds of pounds of the tuna, wahoo, mackerel, dolphin and other choice catches of the day. See the people who caught them and watch the mates clean them in the fish cleaning stations. Experience a small part of the charter fishing experience without spending a dime! For daily information on times of charter returns, contact the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at (800) 272-5199, Oden's Dock (Hatteras Inlet) at (252) 986-2555 or Teach's Lair Marina (Hatteras Inlet) at (252) 986-2460. Visit the Pine Island Audubon SanctuaryDucks, geese, rabbits, deer, fox and many other animal species live in the 5,400-acre wildlife refuge known as the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, located between Duck and Corolla on the northern Outer Banks. Many trees and marsh grasses also grow in this secluded wetland area. A trailhead is located at the Sanderling Inn and gives access to a 2.5 mile clay trail that takes hikers, bikers and strollers through a part of the Sanctuary. Take an Adventure Tour To See the Corolla Wild HorsesThe very northern tip of Corolla is home to about 60 wild horses that freely roam the 15,000 acres between this northern edge of Corolla and the Virginia State Line. No one knows for sure how the horses arrived on the Outer Banks, but many believe they came to the area with early European explorers. Adventure tours are available to see the horses either via suburban or via all terrain vehicles (ATVs). To experience the tour in a suburban, contact Wild Horse Safari at (252) 453-0877 or Bob's Off Road Wild Horse Adventure Tours at (252) 453-8602. If you are the more adventurous type and would rather view the horses from your own ATV, contact Corolla Outback Adventures at (252) 453-4484 or Back Country Outfitters & Guides at (252) 453-0877. However you decide to view the horses, remember they are wild, and you should stay at least 500 feet away, and do not feed or touch them. Go Shopping at Tanger Outlet CenterThe Tanger Outlet Center is located on the south side of Nags Head on US Highway 158. If you love to shop, or even if you forgot something at home, this is a great place for you to find some Outer Banks bargains! A few of the stores at the Outlet Center are: The Gap, Ralph Lauren, Wilson Leather, The Dress Barn, Kitchen Collection, Claire's Boutique, Rack Room Shoes, Bass and Nine West. Don't forget to stop by the Tanger Outlet Center and buy yourself something special! | Outer Banks RestaurantsNew York Pizza Pub2217 S Croatan Highway Milepost 10 Nags Head, NC 27959 Red Drum Tap House 2412 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Tropical Smoothie Cafe 2236 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Kelly's Outer Banks Restaurant & Tavern 2316 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 The Ship's Wheel Restaurant 2028 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil Grill 2008 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Dunkin' Donuts 2407 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Flying Fish Cafe 2003 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Arby's 1901 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Beach Road Grill 2519 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Big Daddy's Water Ice 1700 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Peppercorns Restaurant & Lounge 1701 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head ShoppingIPSO Facto Gallery206 E Gallery Row Nags Head, NC 27959 Lone Wolff Trading Company 210 E Gallery Row Nags Head, NC 27959 Sally Huss Gallery 300 E Driftwood Street Nags Head, NC 27959 Brew Thru Beverage Store 2203 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Wings 2229 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Morales Art Gallery 207 E Gallery Row Nags Head, NC 27959 Ben Franklin Store 2117 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Glenn Eure's Ghost Fleet Art Gallery 210 E Driftwood Street Nags Head, NC 27959 Lighthouse Gallery & Gifts 301 E Driftwood Street Nags Head, NC 27959 Food Lion 2210 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Whalebone Surf Shop 2214 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Fudge Company 2236 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks AttractionsNorth Carolina Coastal Land Trust701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Woods Preserve & The Nature Conservancy 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Fishing Pier 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Jockey's Ridge State Park 300 W Carolista Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Oregon Inlet Fishing Center 98 NC Highway 12 Nags Head, NC 27959 Wright Brothers National Memorial 800 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Avalon Fishing Pier 2111 N Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 6 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Lost Colony 1409 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 Roanoke Island Festival Park 1 Festival Park Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks History Center 1 Festival Park Manteo, NC 27954 Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse 207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue Manteo, NC 27954 North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island 374 Airport Road Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks ActivitiesScoot-Hers/Sandy Beach Tours2300 S Croatan Highway Suite #102 Nags Head, NC 27959 Nags Head Bowling & Billiards 201 W Satterfield Landing Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Gearworks Laser Tag and Fun Center 2406 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Coastal Helicopters, LLC PO Box 715 Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Fishing Charters 200 Quail Lane Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Fine Line Charters 105 S Colony Court Nags Head, NC 27959 Galaxy Golf 2914 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Destination Fun 1217 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Centre for Dance 2910 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Family YMCA 3000 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Centro Familiar Hispano 113 W Villa Dunes Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Daredevils 100 Veterans Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 |