The Outer Banks along the North Carolina coast offers so many beautiful places to visit and is one of my favorite places to play and explore in North Carolina! From the northern beaches of Carova down to the quiet little island of Ocracoke there’s something for everyone to see and do.
Summer is on it’s way and if you are anything like me (busy, on the go, doesn’t have alot of time to plan a vacation) then this OBX travel guide is for you! I’ve compiled a list of Must See Places To Visit On The Outer Banks below so that you can easily plan your vacation or plan your next day trip itinerary!
This list is an “active” travel guide…meaning it’s constantly changing. If you don’t see your favorite place to visit let us know by leaving a comment below or emailing us at (ncfunfoodfamily@gmail.com). We would love to hear from you!
How This Outer Banks Travel Guide Is Set Up
Below you will find the Table of Contents where you can skip ahead to any of the article’s sections that you would like to see.
This article starts with the Upper Outer Banks such as Carova and Corolla and works it’s way down to the Lower Outer Banks like Hatteras and Ocracoke.
Table of Contents
- How This Outer Banks Travel Guide Is Set Up
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Carova
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Corolla
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Duck
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Kill Devil Hills
- The Wright Brother’s National Memorial
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Nags Head
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo
- Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
- Drive On The Beach
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Avon, Buxton, Frisco
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Hatteras Village
- Places To Visit and Things To Do In Ocracoke
- Zillies
- Time to Plan Your Trip to the OBX!
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Carova
The Currituck National Wildlife Refuge
Address: Corolla, NC 27927
At the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge you can drive down the beach, through sand dunes and through the brackish marshes. While doing so you can view wildlife such as Carova’s famous wild horses along with many kinds of birds, sea life and reptiles.
Please remember when visiting to be respectful of this beautiful and precious wildlife preserve by driving slowly while watching carefully for all wildlife and leaving no trace (take your trash with you when you leave).
You can learn more about how to Drive On The Beaches of North Carolina here.
The Currituck Visitor Center
Address: 500 Hunt Club Drive, Corolla
If you’ve ever driven to Carova you know that it’s a LONG drive. The Currituck Visitor Center is the perfect spot to stop and stretch your legs, use the restroom and discover what’s going on in the North Outer Banks. Make sure if you have kids to ask about their coloring book! My girls loved it.
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Corolla
The Currituck Lighthouse
Address: 1101 Corolla Village Rd, Corolla, NC 27927
The Currituck Lighthouse is an all brick lighthouse that can be found right along Hwy 12 in Corolla. This beautiful landmark is visited by many every year and is a must see when visiting the OBX.
The Currituck Lighthouse is open all year for viewing, but you can only climb it from March-November (It’s $13 per person). During those months the gift shop is also open.
The Currituck Maritime Museum
Address: 1140 Village Lane, Corolla, NC 27927
Located right across the road from the Currituck Lighthouse, the Currituck Maritime Museum is open year round and houses many beautiful exhibits showcasing historical boats and equipment, the OBX lighthouses, the weather of the OBX and much, much. more!
The Currituck Maritime Museum is a FREE thing to do on the Outer Banks, so it’s definitely a great place to visit on your next Outer Banks vacation.
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Duck
The Original Duck Donuts
Address: 1190 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949
Did you know Duck Donuts originated in Duck, NC? Makes sense right? You can still visit the original Duck Donuts and try their amazing cake style donuts! These make an awesome road trip snack or vacation breakfast item essential.
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Southern Shores and Kitty Hawk
John’s Drive In
Address: 3716 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
John’s Drive In is a must visit for lunch or even just a cold treat! This little food spot has been serving the people of the OBX for the past 43 years! There’s a reason they’ve been around for so long. We highly suggest trying out their dolphin boats along with a chocolate milkshake!
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Kill Devil Hills
The Wright Brother’s National Memorial
Address: 1000 N Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
The Wright Brother’s National Memorial might be one of the most loved places to visit on the Outer Banks. I can say that because North Carolina is known for being “First In Flight”…sorry Ohio.
This National Memorial hosts many fun things to do such as a visitor’s center, a sculpture, recreated camps, the monument and you can walk the multiple flight lines that Wilbur and Orville took.
The Wright Brother’s National Memorial does have a $10 admission, but it’s well worth it!
Outer Banks Brewing Station
Address: 600 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
Have you heard of the country’s only “wind powered brew pub”? Outer Banks Brewing Station was one of the first micro brewery’s in the state of North Carolina and it’s the only one in the country to be powered by a wind turbine!
Outer Banks Brewing Station not only has great beers on tap, but they are also known for their food. The menu at Outer Banks Brewing Station consist of popular bar foods along with high end foods such as fresh seafood, steaks and even tofu!
Outer Banks Brewing Station is a MUST when making your next vacation itinerary of places to visit on the Outer Banks!
Kitty Hawk Kites
Address: 3933 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, NC 27959
Kitty Hawk Kites has become a staple on many North Carolina beaches. Most native North Carolinians have vivid memories of visiting Kitty Hawk Kites to pick out one of their colorful contraptions to fly out on the beaches of North Carolina.
I, myself remember my family visiting Kitty Hawk Kites in Nags Head many times to purchase kid sized kites and then walking directly across the road to Jockey’s Ridge State Park to fly them over the living dunes. It’s a core memory that you can create with your family to this day!
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Nags Head
Jockey’s Ridge State Park
Address: 300 W Carolista Dr, Nags Head, NC 27959
Jockey’s Ridge is the tallest living sand dune in America and should be a priority when you’re planning your next trip to the Outer Banks!
There’s lots to do at Jockey’s Ridge State Park from hiking to swimming, flying kites to hang gliding plus so much more! This North Carolina State Park hosts a wide variety of native plants and animals many of which you can find nestled hiding amongst the dunes.
When you visit Jockey’s Ridge State Park we highly suggest wearing some type of water shoe as the sand can be incredibly hot during certain times of the year, also you will need sunscreen and sunglasses as the sun radiates off the sand.
Add Jockey’s Ridge State Park to your list of places to visit on the Outer Banks!
Jennette’s Pier
Address: 7223 S Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC 27959
My girls love visiting Jennette’s Pier! Inside the pier house you can find a few aquarium exhibits showing the variety of fish that live amongst the pier pilings. Jennette’s Pier is a part of the North Carolina Aquariums and thus pride’s itself on providing education about the Carolina coast for the public.
It’s free to enter Jennette’s Pier house, but to walk out onto the pier or to fish the pier there is a fee. The fee to walk out onto the pier is waved if you are a NC Aquarium or NC Zoo Member.
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo
Oregon Inlet Fishing Center
Address: 8770 Oregon Inlet Rd, Nags Head, NC 27959
The newly built Oregon Inlet Fishing Center is a must stop on your trip to the Lower Outer Banks! At the fishing center you’ll find everything from fishing tackle to drinks, alcohol to t-shirts. They also have clean restrooms, gas, free air (which is incredibly hard to find in that area), picnic tables and they have added a restaurant!
Best Restaurants In Nags Head and Kitty Hawk + A Restaurant With An Amazing View!
Drive On The Beach
Anytime we visit the Outer Banks we have to drive on the beach. We love driving on the beach so much we have an entire article all about “Our Best Tips and Tricks for Driving on NC Beaches”. Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo are some of our favorite stretches of beach to drive. These beaches tend to have less traffic plus the stretch of beach you can drive is much longer. I have listed the ORV ramps below. You can also find the map of all of the ORV ramps here.
ORV Ramps in Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo are: 23, 25, 27, 30 and 32. ORV Ramp 23 is only open during the off season (October 15-April 14).
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Avon, Buxton, Frisco
Avon Fishing Pier
Address: 41001 North Carolina Hwy 12, Avon, NC 27915
Avon tends to be a quiet little beach town, but locals know that this is the spot for some amazing fishing! On the Avon Fishing Pier you can often see people pulling in sea mullets, large Blues, Drums and much more. Avon is also home to one of our favorite bait and tackle shops “Frank & Fran’s Bait & Tackle”. So grab some bait and head to the Avon Fishing Pier for a fun day of fishing!
*The Avon Fishing Pier is seasonal so check ahead before visiting.
Beach Combing
Due to the rough waters of the Outer Banks the beaches are perfect for beach combing! It’s a great spot to search for sea glass, driftwood, sea shells and even old shipwreck artifacts! (Artifacts must be reported and turned over to authorities as it is a National Seashore!)
Avon, NC is the perfect spot to find Scotch Bonnets, Whelks, Olive Shells, Clam Shells, Scallop Shells, Moon Snails, Auger Shells and even Keyhole Sand Dollars. Pleas make sure before keeping anything that you make sure the shell isn’t home to a living animal or for sand dollars that it is hard and white (it has passed on).
*Metal detecting is prohibited throughout the Hatteras National Seashore!
Drive On The Beach
As I mentioned above we love to drive on the Outer Banks beaches. There’s just something special about driving along, listening to the waves break, the seagulls caws and feeling the sun shine.
ORV Ramps in Avon, Buxton and Frisco are: 34, 38, 43, 49 and 55. ORV Ramp 34 is only open in the Winter time (October 15-April 14).
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Hatteras Village
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Address: 46379 Lighthouse Rd, Buxton, NC 27920
The current Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the third lighthouse to protect ships from ending up shattered on the Diamond Shoals of the Outer Banks. The ocean and beach of Hatteras Island are constantly angry and changing so much so that the Hatteras lighthouse was moved to it’s current spot in 1999 due to erosion slowly taking the beach away from under it.
The Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States and is open for climbing all year round.
*The Hatteras Lighthouse is currently closed for climbing until 2026 due to repainting and
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore covers the lower Outer Banks Islands. It ranges from Bodie Island Lighthouse all the way down to Ocracoke, NC. It’s a hub for history lovers, beach combers and nature enthusiasts alike!
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore has three separate visitor’s centers. The first is located at Bodie Island Lighthouse, the second is at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and Museum of the Sea and the third visitor’s center is located at the Ocracoke Island Discovery Center.
When visiting please remember that alcohol and metal detecting is prohibited. We also suggest bringing a trash bag for you to place any trash that you create in. This will make it easier for you to take your trash with you. We want to keep this beautiful National Seashore as clean as possible.
Places To Visit and Things To Do In Ocracoke
The Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Address: 360 Lighthouse Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960
Ocracoke Lighthouse is the southern most Outer Banks Lighthouse and it’s also the shortest at about 75′ tall. This beautiful lighthouse is considered a secondary coastal lighthouse which is why it’s considerably shorter and has a dimmer light than the Hatteras Lighthouse.
While the Ocracoke Lighthouse is not open for climbing it is open for viewing all year round. The grounds that the lighthouse is on are only open during a short period in the Summer.
The Pony Pen
Address: NC-12, Ocracoke, NC 27960
Everyone knows there are wild ponies on Carova, but did you know there were once wild ponies on Ocracoke? While the ponies no longer roam free on Ocracoke you can still see the descendants of the once wild ponies at the Pony Pen on Ocracoke Island.
Springer’s Point Preserve
Address: 104 Loop Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960
One of my FAVORITE hiking spots is Springer’s Point Preserve on Ocracoke Island. This spot is also known fondly as “Black Beards Cove”. This is an easy hike and one we highly suggest trying at sunset. Springer’s Point Preserve hosts beautiful views, lots of nature and even an old gravesite!
There isn’t any parking at the trail head of Springer’s Point Preserve so we suggest parking at the Ocracoke Lighthouse parking lot or you can park at 426 Lighthouse Rd. just be sure to leave a donation for the Ocracoke Bread Of Life Food Pantry.
Hammock Hills Nature Trail
Address: Across from the National Park Service’s Ocracoke Campground
Hammock Hills Nature Trail is an easy 3/4 mile loop trail that takes you through the different coastal forest ecosystems found on Ocracoke Island. The trail is wide in most spots, but can become muddy after a storm. It does include a few minor hills, but there’s a bench around the halfway spot that looks out across the sound. This bench would be the perfect resting spot for anyone who might need a break.
Drive On The Beach
I have so many amazing memories of driving on the beaches of Ocracoke at night. It still feels like a magical dream.
Andrew and I spent our baby-moon before our youngest was born on Ocracoke Island and what we witnessed while driving on the beach that one night has been something we’ve talked about for years. While driving along at midnight we came upon giant sand cliffs with tiny wade pools at the bottom of the cliffs. I wish I had taken pictures, because it truly did feel like a dream. The next morning we visited the same spot, but the cliffs were gone. You never know what you’ll find while driving along these beautiful Outer Banks beaches.
ORV ramps on Ocracoke are: 59, 63, 67, 68, 70 and 72. These ramps are open all year with some small stretches of beaches closed during the Summer.
Zillies
Address: 538 Back Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960
Every time we visit Ocracoke Island at some point you can find me at Zillies. I love chilling on their beautiful porch, sipping on a wine flight and listening to the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees.
Zillies is one of my favorite places to visit on the Outer Banks! It’s a small wine, beer, cheese shop that also sells a variety of crackers, jellies and preserves.
With Zillies wine flight you can choose three different wines or with their beer flight you can choose four.
I’m such a sucker for a flight that I HAVE to get one while I’m visiting Ocracoke.
Time to Plan Your Trip to the OBX!
Now that you know the BEST places to visit on the Outer Banks it’s time to plan your trip! Remember that no matter if you are someone who likes to take it easy or someone who wants to be on the go the Outer Banks has something for everyone’s Summer vacation.
Let us know what is one of your favorite places to visit on the Outer Banks by commenting below. We would love to hear from you!
Want to know how you can save some money on your next visit to the NC Aquarium or NC Zoo? Click here to learn more about The Best Membership in North Carolina (Aquarium, Zoo Membership).