7 days · Full-week renters who want the whole coastline
Seven-Day Outer Banks Itinerary: Corolla to Ocracoke
A week is enough to see the entire island chain properly, including Ocracoke, without spending every day in the car. This plan front-loads the long drives and leaves the last two days flexible.
Written and reviewed by Isaiah Burch · Last verified July 2026 · Suggested base: One central rental, with a possible Ocracoke overnight
Day 1 — Arrive
Groceries, unpack, sunset on the beach.
- •Stock up in Kitty Hawk or Nags Head
- •Evening beach walk near the rental
Day 2 — Corolla and the 4x4 beaches
North end day.
- •Wild-horse 4x4 tour out of Corolla
- •Currituck Beach Lighthouse climb
- •Corolla Adventure Park ropes course or Heritage Park sunset
Day 3 — First flight and the dunes
Central beaches history.
- •Wright Brothers National Memorial
- •Hang gliding lesson or a sunset climb at Jockey's Ridge
- •Dinner in Duck or Kitty Hawk
Day 4 — Roanoke Island
Aquarium, gardens and the Lost Colony.
- •North Carolina Aquarium and lunch in Manteo
- •Fort Raleigh and the Elizabethan Gardens
- •The Lost Colony outdoor drama in the evening (summer only)
Day 5 — Hatteras Island
Lighthouses, refuge and shipwreck history.
- •Bodie Island Lighthouse, then Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
- •Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton
- •Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras Village
Day 6 — Ocracoke
The free ferry day. Leave early.
- •Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry (free, about one hour, no reservation)
- •Ocracoke village, the 1823 lighthouse and Lifeguard Beach
- •Late-afternoon ferry back, or overnight in the village
Day 7 — Open day
Whatever the week made you want more of.
- •Scenic helicopter flight from Manteo to see the whole chain you just drove
- •Kayaking in Kitty Hawk Woods or a dolphin cruise on Roanoke Sound
- •Final beach afternoon and a seafood dinner
Driving, ferries and timing
- •The Ocracoke day is a 3.5-hour round trip in the car plus two ferry crossings — start before 8am.
- •Ferry departures reduce in the shoulder season; check the NCDOT schedule the night before.
- •Fill the tank in Avon or Hatteras Village; fuel south of Oregon Inlet is limited and pricier.