Destinations
- United States
- Canada
- Caribbean
- Mexico
- Central America
- South America
- Europe
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia-Pacific
- See All
Interest Guides
When to Go
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
- See All
Plan a Trip
Travel Photos
Travel Blogs

Outer Banks Active and Adventure Travel Guide

Other Guides for Outer Banks

Active and Adventure Destinations Near Outer Banks

Travel Guides Near Outer Banks

Southeast Active and Adventure States/Provinces

Active and Adventure Travel Destinations

Wild horses in Outer Banks, North Carolina

Wild Horses on Corolla's beach in the Outer Banks, North Carolina (courtesy, Currituck Outer Banks Travel & Tourism)

Outer Banks Active and Adventure Highlights

By Travel Expert: Alistair Wearmouth

California’s not the only U.S. surfing mecca. Learn to surf the mellow rollers off Corolla Beach, on the northern tip of the Outer Banks. Rentals and lessons are available at the Corolla Surf Shop. Once you’re a master of the waves, move south for the bigger stuff at Cape Point, near Buxton.
Go kiteboarding in the East Coast's Hurricane Alley, where big wind and big waves equal big air. Pamlico Sound is where the best action is, although the choppier Atlantic Coast also offers some stiff challenges. Get schooled at the world's biggest kite school, Real Kiteboarding, which will take you from starter waves to monster chop in three short days.
Scuba dive the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," where more than 600 ships scuttled by extreme weather, lurking German U-boats, and captain error rest beneath the waves. The warm currents, courtesy of the Gulf Stream, create Caribbean-worthy conditions and visibility.
Mellow out on Ocracoke Island, a two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride from Cedar Island on the mainland or a shorter 40-minute hop from Hatteras on the Outer Banks. Camp at the island's 137-site campground nestled among cedars and sand dunes, or hop a kayak for a cruise through the same tidal marshes where Blackbeard met his watery end in 1718. Then sample the good life at the Ocracoke Village Pub.
Learn how to sandboard or hang glide at Jockey's Ridge State Park, near Nags Head, home of the highest sand dune system east of the Mississippi. Younger kids will love cavorting through the billowing dunes and flying kites here. The 420-acre state park opens its dunes to sandboarders October through March; a free permit is required. On a clear day, you can see the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kill Devil Hills from here.

Outer Banks Overview

They're maddeningly overcrowded in the summer, and development has been rampant over the last 20 years, but the Outer Banks of North Carolina are unlike anything else along the East Coast. The infamous pirate Blackbeard met his end here, and this is the place where the Lost Colony mysteriously disappeared. On these shores, Virginia Dare was born, and centuries later, Wilbur and Orville Wright learned to fly. The Outer Banks once enjoyed a dubious reputation as "the graveyard of the Atlantic," and to this day, you'll see the many lighthouses that stood vigil over centuries of shipwrecks. You can even see the actual shipwrecks -- at several places along the shore the rusted bones of schooners and cargo ships are mired in the breakers. The East Coast's tallest lighthouse is at Cape Hatteras, and the oldest is at Ocracoke Island. Sand dunes tower over long stretches of undeveloped national seashore, and you can hop a ferry to explore islands where the residents (descended from the Elizabethans) say hoigh toids instead of high tides and call tourists "comers 'n' goers." Read More

Hotels

from: $209

The Sanderling Resort and Spa

1461 Duck Road
Duck, NC 27949 Map

Distance: 48.7 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class:

View More Photos

Traveler Rating

2.3 out of 5
3 reviews

Expert Rated & Recommended

Ocracoke Campground

4352 Irvin Garrish Highway
Ocracoke, NC 27960 Map

Distance: 35.1 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated

Traveler Rating

Not Yet Rated

Expert Rated & Recommended

Inn on Pamlico Sound on Hatteras Island

48684 Highway 12
Buxton, NC 27920 Map

Distance: 18.5 mi.
(from destination center)

Hotel Class: Not Yet Rated

Traveler Rating

Not Yet Rated

Expert Rated & Recommended

All Outer Banks Hotels »

Outer Banks, NC Hotel Prices Made Easy
Orbitz.com - Just Orbitz and go!
Save Big on all Outer Banks, NC Hotels!
Travelocity.com - Book now with Travelocity.
Book Now with Cheap Tickets and Save on Outer Banks, NC Hotels!
CheapTickets.com - Just click. You're there.
Find the best rates for hotels in Outer Banks, NC
Kayak.com - Life's a trip.

Where City name or airport code

Rooms

Guests

Check-in

Check-In Date

Check-out

Check-Out Date

Find Rates

A new window will open for each site. Please disable pop-up blockers.

Attractions

Outer Banks Beaches

Traveler Rating

Not Yet Rated

One Visitors Center Circle
Manteo, North Carolina 27954

Distance: 30.9 mi. (from destination center)

Description: The Outer banks beaches are a 175 mile chain of... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended

Pamlico Sound

Traveler Rating

Not Yet Rated

Outer Banks

Distance: 36.7 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Pamlico Sound is the largest lagoon along the... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended

Outer Banks "Graveyard of the Atlantic"

Traveler Rating

Not Yet Rated

Outer Banks

Distance: 33.2 mi. (from destination center)

Description: Various dive outfitters up and down the Outer... Read More

Expert Rated & Recommended

All Outer Banks Attractions »

Airports

Major Airports near Outer Banks

	Distance (mi.)
Norfolk International Airport	103.1 map	Flight Deals to ORF
Richmond International Airport/Byrd Field	170.5 map	Flight Deals to RIC
Raleigh/Durham Airport	187.8 map	Flight Deals to RDU