Tour the Chicamacomico Lifesaving StationLocated in Rodanthe on Hatteras Island, the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station is one of the original seven lifesaving stations built on the Outer Banks. The original station opened at the current location in 1874 and became a storage shed in 1911 when a larger facility was built next to it. Crews at this station guarded the Hatteras Island northern coast for more than 70 years. Today, the lifesaving station is a museum of lifesaving equipment, awards and artifacts and volunteers are on staff to give guided tours. The station is open from Easter weekend through the Saturday after Thanksgiving from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Various programs are available during the summer months and admission is free, though donations are accepted. For more information, contact the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station at (252) 987-1552. Visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse and Keepers' QuartersLocated more than a half-mile from the Atlantic Ocean on Bodie Island, the Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1872. It was the third lighthouse to be built near Oregon Inlet, as the first one was built south of Oregon Inlet in 1847 and developed structural damage within the first 10 years and had to be rebuilt. The second was also built south of Oregon Inlet in 1859 but was destroyed by Confederate forces during the Civil War. The current Bodie Island Lighthouse is 170 feet tall and was built north of the Oregon Inlet because of the inlet's constant moving to the south. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard for many years, the lighthouse was turned over to the National Park Service in 2000. There is a Visitor Center with exhibits and a bookstore on the grounds, but the lighthouse is not available for climbing. For more information, call (252) 441-5711. Visit Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth IIVisible from Historic Downtown Manteo's waterfront, the Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth II ship is one of the largest attractions on the Outer Banks. The Park opened in 1998 as an educational, historical and cultural arts complex and teaches visitors about the evolution of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Elizabeth II ship was built in 1983 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first English settlement in America. The park is open year-round and admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and free for children under five. For more information, contact the Park at (252) 475-1500. Visit the Fishing Village of WancheseLocated on the south end of Roanoke Island (across Highway 64 from Manteo), the quaint fishing village of Wanchese awaits your arrival! Take an hour out of your busy vacation day to swing into the village, head to the docks and watch fishing boats come in with their catch of the day. You can also watch fresh fish and seafood as it is packed and shipped around the world. Enjoy a Local Seafood DinnerYou can't spend any time at the Outer Banks without having a local seafood dinner. Throughout the Outer Banks, there are many great restaurants that will serve the catch of the day and cook it how you like it. You can't go wrong with an authentic seafood dinner on the Outer Banks. Many of the restaurants will prepare YOUR catch of the day for you, if you have been out fishing and don't want to cook your own catch. All you have to do is ask! Catch a Wave Surfing in the Outer Banks Ocean WatersBecause the Outer Banks is set farther into the ocean with deeper waters than most other coastal regions, the surf of the Outer Banks is said to have the best breaks on the East Coast. The various fishing piers, shipwrecks and sandbars also create unusual wave patters for the thousands of surfers who come to the area each year to ride the Outer Banks waves. As with anything in the ocean, always go with a friend and be aware of water, weather and beach conditions. If you don't know how to surf but would like to learn, various surf shops offering lessons are: the Corolla Surf Shop at (252) 453-WAVE, The Pit Surf Shop in Kill Devil Hills at (252) 480-3128, the Hatteras Island Surf Shop in Waves at (252) 987-2296 or the Ride the Wind Surf Shop in Ocracoke at (252) 928-6311. Tour the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility at "Duck Pier"Situated on 173 acres just north of Duck Village, the Waterways Experiment Station of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been helping scientists study ocean processes since 1977. The site's equipment to monitor sand movement, wave forces, water currents, temperatures and sedimentation have helped the facility gain a reputation as one of the best coastal field research facilities in the world. From mid-June to mid-August, tours are available at the research facility at 10:00 a.m. between Monday and Friday. For more information, contact the Field Research Facility at (252) 261-6850, ext. 401. 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. Watch a Performance at the Outer Banks Music ShowcaseThe Outer Banks Music Showcase opened in the summer of 2004 and has been a popular entertainment destination for visitors and locals. The audience is entertained by various local performers who blend music with comedy to create family-friendly shows. Several music genres are presented including country, show tunes, pop, 1950s and 1960s, gospel and patriotic music. During the peak season, two performances are held each night. The theater is located in Kitty Hawk at Milepost 4.5 on US Highway 158. Tickets start at $19.95 for adults and $11.95 for children twelve and under. For more information, contact the Outer Banks Music Showcase at (252) 261-7505. Go Windsurfing in the Calm Sound Waters Throughout the Outer BanksThere are several great sound side locations on the Outer Banks where you can go windsurfing. Canadian Hole, located between Avon and Buxton, is the most popular because of the wind and water conditions in the area. Nags Head sound side access at Milepost 16 and Jockey Ridge State Park's sound side access are popular spots to launch as well. If you don't know how to windsurf but would like to try it, you can take lessons at numerous places on the Outer Banks. If you are in the northern Outer Banks, you may want to try Kitty Hawk Watersports of Nags Head at (252) 441-2756. If you are on Hatteras Island, you can take lessons from Windsurfing Hatteras at (866) 995-6644 or Hatteras Island Sail Shop at (252) 987-2292. | Nags Head RestaurantsThe Snow Bird Ice Cream & Grill3522 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 The Pier House Restaurant 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Lucky 12 Tavern 3308 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Tortugas' Lie Shellfish Bar & Grill 3014 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Pamlico Jack's Pirate Hide-away 6708 S Croatan Highway, Nags Head Nags Head, NC 27959 Butcher Block Fine Meats & Delicatessen 3022 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Logan's Ice Cream Cottage 2805 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Sooey's BBQ & Rib Shack 3919 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 The Ridge Coffee Company 3925 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 The Fudgery 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 How Sweet It Is 3941 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Front Porch Cafe & Roastry 2707 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Nags Head ShoppingT-Shirt Whirl3408 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Spring Tide Studios 3324 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Nags Head Fishing Pier 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Austin Fish Company 3711 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Brew Thru Beverage Store 3700 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Cloud Nine Beads Finding & Seaglass 3022 S Croatan Highway Pirate's Quay Shops Nags Head, NC 27959 Old Nags Head Barn 3022 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Wings 3022 S Croatan Highway Pirates Quay Shopping Center Nags Head, NC 27959 Butcher Block Fine Meats & Delicatessen 3022 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Yellowhouse Gallery 2902 S Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 11 Nags Head, NC 27959 The French Door 2921 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Wings 2907 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks AttractionsNags Head Fishing Pier3309 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 North Carolina Coastal Land Trust 701 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 Wright Brothers National Memorial 800 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Roanoke Island Festival Park 1 Festival Park Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks History Center 1 Festival Park Manteo, NC 27954 Jennette's Pier 7223 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse 207 Queen Elizabeth Avenue Manteo, NC 27954 North Carolina Maritime Museum on Roanoke Island 104 Fernando Street Manteo, NC 27954 Shallowbag Bay Club Marina 90 North Bay Club Drive Manteo, NC 27954 Nags Head ActivitiesJockey's Ridge State Park300 W Carolista Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Centro Familiar Hispano 113 W Villa Dunes Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Family YMCA 3000 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Galaxy Golf 2914 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Centre for Dance 2910 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Fine Line Charters 105 S Colony Court Nags Head, NC 27959 Kitty Hawk Kites 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Carolina Outdoors 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Miss Kitty's Old Time Photo 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Kitty Hawk Sports 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Native Vine Cellars & Tasting Room 3933 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Gearworks Laser Tag and Fun Center 2406 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 |