Planning an Outer Banks vacation? Discover 500+ things to do — beaches, restaurants, lighthouses, wild horses, fishing charters, shipwrecks, museums, kids activities, rainy-day attractions and hidden local gems from Corolla to Ocracoke.
From the wild Colonial Spanish mustangs of Corolla to the shifting sands of Ocracoke, the Outer Banks stretch more than 200 miles along North Carolina's coast. This is the definitive guide — every town, every lighthouse, every restaurant worth the drive, and every experience worth building a trip around.
Stand where powered flight began in 1903. Walk the takeoff line, climb Kill Devil Hill to the granite monument, and tour the visitor center's full-scale flyer replica.
Tip: Arrive before 10am for cooler weather and easy parking; entry fee is $10/adult, kids free.
The tallest active sand dune system on the East Coast. Sunset hikes, hang gliding lessons with Kitty Hawk Kites, and sweeping views of both ocean and sound.
Tip: Free admission. Wear shoes in summer — sand hits 120°F midday. Best light 1 hour before sunset.
The iconic black-and-white striped lighthouse just south of Whalebone Junction. Climb all 214 steps to the top from late spring through fall.
Tip: Climb tickets ($10) sell out — reserve on recreation.gov. Boardwalk marsh trail is free and dog-friendly.
A rainy-day favorite with sharks, sea turtles, river otters and a walk-through 285,000-gallon shipwreck tank. Daily dive shows and touch tanks.
Tip: Buy tickets online to skip the line. Pair with lunch on Manteo's waterfront just 10 minutes away.
A 1,000-foot concrete pier with rod rentals, a tackle shop, and some of the best fishing on the Outer Banks. Walk-on passes are cheap and worth it for the view.
Tip: $3 walk-on, $15 fishing pass. Sunrise here is unbeatable — arrive 20 minutes before first light.
70+ miles of protected shoreline stretching from Bodie Island to Ocracoke. Wild beaches, four lighthouses, and some of the best surf on the East Coast.
Tip: Buy an ORV beach-driving permit ($50/10-day) if you want to reach the quiet stretches south of Ramp 44.
Board a 4x4 Hummer or open-air Jeep and head north of the paved road to see the Corolla wild Colonial Spanish mustangs roaming the dunes and beach.
Tip: Book a morning tour — horses shelter in shade midday. Bring sunscreen; there's no roof on most rigs.
Bottlenose dolphins feed in the Roanoke Sound almost every summer evening. Nags Head Dolphin Watch and Crystal Dawn run 1.5-hour narrated cruises from Pirate's Cove.
Tip: Late-afternoon sailings have calmer water and better light. Reservations recommended in July and August.
13 miles of undeveloped barrier island south of Oregon Inlet. Two accessible trails, hundreds of migratory bird species, and empty Atlantic beaches on the ocean side.
Tip: Free. Bring binoculars — the North Pond trail is best at dawn for herons, egrets, and shorebirds.
Each Outer Banks village has its own personality. Pick a town to see where to stay, what to do, and where the locals actually eat.
What's actually open, what's in season, and what the weather is really like — month by month.
The Outer Banks look different from the air. Barrier islands, sound, ocean and four lighthouses in a single flight. OBX Helicopters — operated by our team — flies scenic routes out of Manteo year-round.
OBX Helicopters and Outer Banks Fun are both owned by Coastal Helicopters Inc.
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