Unique Things to Do in the Outer Banks
Everyone does the lighthouse and the beach. These are the experiences that make an Outer Banks trip memorable years later — several of them exist almost nowhere else in the country.
Written and reviewed by Isaiah Burch · Last verified July 2026 · Hours and prices change — always confirm on the operator's official site linked with each listing.
Experiences you can only have here
Hang gliding lessons at Jockey's Ridge
Kitty Hawk Kites runs one of the world's best-known hang gliding schools on Jockey's Ridge in Nags Head. Beginner lessons include five assisted flights down the dune face; the Wright brothers' historic flight site is several miles north in Kill Devil Hills.
Drive the beach to Carova
The paved road ends north of Corolla and the beach becomes the highway — mailboxes, houses and wild horses, no asphalt. Air down your tires and go at low tide.
Helicopter flight over Diamond Shoals
Shipwreck outlines, four lighthouses and the shifting shoals are only legible from the air. Operated by OBX Helicopters, which shares ownership with Outer Banks Fun.
Ferry to Ocracoke Island
The Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry is free, carries your car, and drops you on an island with one village, a herd of ponies and no chain stores. Reserve the longer Swan Quarter and Cedar Island runs.
Corolla Adventure Park
An aerial ropes course built into a maritime forest canopy, with zip lines and rope bridges strung between live oaks behind the dunes.
Kayak the Alligator River at dusk
Just across the bridge from Roanoke Island, the refuge holds black bears and the only wild red wolves on earth. Guided evening paddles are the realistic way to see either.
Seasonal one-offs worth timing a trip around
- •Storm-exposed shipwrecks after a nor'easter, most often on Hatteras Island beaches in late fall.
- •The Outer Banks Seafood Festival in Nags Head each October, and Day at the Docks in Hatteras in September.
- •Winter waterfowl on Pea Island: tens of thousands of snow geese and tundra swans, with the refuge nearly empty of people.
- •Bioluminescent plankton in the sound on warm late-summer nights — visible off dark docks between Manteo and Wanchese.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most unique thing to do in the Outer Banks?
Hang gliding off Jockey's Ridge is one of the Outer Banks' signature experiences. Lessons take place on the dunes in Nags Head; the Wright brothers' first powered flights occurred several miles north at Kill Devil Hills.
Do you need a 4x4 to see the wild horses?
You need either a four-wheel-drive vehicle with the tires aired down or a seat on a guided tour. The horse territory north of Corolla has no paved roads, and two-wheel-drive vehicles routinely get stuck in the soft sand.
Is the Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry free?
Yes, the Hatteras Inlet ferry is free and takes about an hour, with no reservation required. The longer routes from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter are ticketed and should be reserved in advance.
Keep planning your Outer Banks trip
See the Outer Banks from the air
Scenic flights from Manteo are available in several route lengths, from short introductory flights to longer coastline tours, putting the lighthouses, shoals and wild-horse beaches in one view. OBX Helicopters is operated by Coastal Helicopters Inc., which also owns this site.
Book an Outer Banks helicopter tour