Outer Banks Activities 2022 (2024)

The Outer Banks is one of the few places where you can find activities and attractions for the whole family, ranging the gambit from Mild to, well, Wild. On the following pages, you’ll find The Outer Banks is a prime collection of things to do with the family while you’re here on vacation, from playing some mini golf to visiting the Lighthouses of the Outer Banks, taking in a performance of the Lost Colony, and interacting with one of our Wildlife Refuges. Have fun, and be safe everyone!

A blast for the entire family! Play three 9-hole themed golf courses featuring miniature Corolla landmarks. For terrific fun, bring your entire group for bumper car adventures, too!

The Crystal Dawn, a 65-foot headboat, offers morning and afternoon inlet and sound fishing trips, beautiful sunset cruises on the Roanoke Sound, and its popular purple martin excursions that offer spectacular views of thousands of these migratory birds. The Crystal Dawn offers private party cruises. For day trips, all bait & tackle furnished.

Whether you want to fish on the ocean bottom for gray tile triggerfish, sea bass, in the Gulf Stream for tuna, mahi mahi, king mackerel; The Country Girl catches them in style. The 57-foot Country Girl is the only boat in the Oregon Inlet fleet that is Coast Guard-licensed and equipped to carry more than six anglers to the Gulf Stream. The Country Girl is the perfect choice for your next fishing trip!

Make it a point to either visit one or all five iconic beacons of the Outer Banks. They are all steeped in maritime history and draw people from far and wide. While all are worth the trip, if you want to climb and see the spectacular views from the top, visit Hatteras Island, Bodie Island and Currituck Beach lighthouses. These three beacons also offer interpretive programs and exhibits for the public. Keep in mind that climbs, which involve more than 200 steps in each lighthouse, can be very strenuous for some visitors.
Bodie Island Lighthouse •Currituck Beach Lighthouse • Cape Hatteras Lighthouse • Ocraco*ke Lighthouse • Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Described as a gem of forested ridges, ponds, marshes and wetlands nestled on the Outer Banks, Nags Head Woods Preserve protects one of the largest remaining maritime forests on the East Coast. Defined as a woodland habitat affected by the ocean, maritime forests such as Nags Head Woods have become increasingly rare due to the pressures of human development throughout coastal environments. There are multiple winding trails, one is even equipped with an audio tour along the route. Open from dawn to dusk every day free of charge.
Restrooms and visitor lobby are open based on staff availability.•nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/nags-head-woods-ecological-preserve

Located on beautiful Roanoke Island, visitors can learn about the 11 national wildlife refuges and one national fish hatchery located on the Outer Banks and in eastern North Carolina. Interactive exhibits, walking trails, and a virtual airplane are all part of the experience. Visitors will love stopping by the old Dare Forest Supply Store, learn the history of Buffalo City, and more, as you watch short films in the center’s theater. There are things to see and do as part of a guided tour. Or at your leisure, tour on your own. The choice is yours.
110 Conservation Way, Manteo •fws.gov/ncgatewayvc

Outdoor fun featuring electric go-karts, two 18-hole miniature golf courses, and bumper cars. Enjoy the updated arcade and dip ice cream. Located on the bypass at mile post 5.5 in Kill Devil Hills.

The newest pirate themed miniature golf and arcade in Corolla. Located in Corolla Light Town Center across from the Whalehead Club. You’ll experience 18 holes of mini golf around pirate ships, giant skulls and more! Everyone in the family no matter your age will find fun at the indoor arcade as well!

The Whalehead Club and the 39-acre Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla is a perfect venue to spend the day with the family. This Art Nouveau-style residence was restored in the 1920s and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The club features a copper roof, curved rooflines, ornamental chimneys, Tiffany lighting and distinctive porches. Visitors can go on a self-guided or staff-led tour of the club. Also on the grounds are the Currituck Beach Lighthouse and the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education. Nearby, stroll through the charming village of Corolla as you soak up small town life by the sea. Visit the website for hours, special events and programming. 1100 Club Road, Corolla, NC • visitcurrituck.com

If you like history, ecology and adventure, WHAT has you covered. Voted the #1 tour company in the US by TripAdvisor. Ride in the exclusive, open air, 13-passenger Hummers with a seasoned guide in search of the Colonial Spanish Mustangs! With added capabilities of custom designed, open air Hummer H1s, venture into three previously inaccessible and distinct ecosystems teeming with wildlife of all types!

More than 115 years ago, Orville and Wilbur Wright proved to the world that man could fly. And they did it right here on the Outer Banks with the first successful, “heavier than air” airplane flights on Dec. 17, 1903. Enormous sand dunes, steady winds and wide-open spaces drew the Ohio brothers to our shores. To commemorate their achievement, this massive monument in Kill Devil Hills marks the exact location where the brothers made history. It’s an experience the whole family will enjoy. 1401 National Park Drive, Kill Devil Hills • nps.gov/wrbr

You can of course go to the beach! That is a large reason why you are here, right? Each town’s beaches are a little bit different. To figure out which beach you want to go to, it has been proven time and time again, OBXBeachAccess.com is the best reference from simply finding the beach access nearest you, to parking lot sizes, handicap accessibility, and more – you just cannot go wrong. • OBXBeachAccess.com