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Bodie Island Lighthouse and Marshes
(252) 441-5711
Rising 156 feet, the Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1872. Learn about the history of the lighthouse in the visitors center and keepers quarters, or take a self-guided nature trail through the surrounding marshes. The area is known for excellent coastal bird watching look for heron, egret, ibis and other wading birds. Parking areas adjacent. Eight miles south of US-58 and US-63 intersection, near Nags Head.
Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve
(252) 995-4474
Explore the largest maritime forest remaining in North Carolina. Hike an interpretive trail through the forest, marshes and well-preserved dunes. See more than a dozen rare plant and animal species and dozens of different kinds of birds, including migratory songbirds and raptors. Off of NC-12 in Buxton.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
(252) 995-4474
Climb the 257 steps of the tallest brick lighthouse in the country and one of the nation's well-known landmarks. Open for climbing early April to mid-October. The former keeper's quarters serves as a visitors center and a museum highlighting the island's maritime history and is open year-round. Located on NC-12 at Buxton.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
(252) 473-2111
Dedicated in 1953, Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the country’s first national seashore and remains one of the most popular. Stretching 75 miles along the Outer Banks from Nags Head to Ocracoke, the national seashore attracts beach goers, fishermen, lighthouse lovers, bird watchers, and a host of other visitors, drawn by the peace and serenity of the unique barrier island chain.
Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station
(252) 987-1552
The most complete site of remaining life-saving stations in North Carolina, built in 1874. Learn about the history of the building and the life-saving service through artifacts, interpretive exhibits, public tours, reenactments and more. Located off of NC-12 in the village of Rodanthe. Open mid-April through November.
Laura Barnes Shipwreck
See the remains of the Laura Barnes, a sailing schooner that ran aground in 1921. Other shipwrecks are sometimes visible along the shore, depending on the tide and shifting sands. Located on Coquina Beach off NC-12, south of Nags Head. Picnic shelters, bathhouses are open year-round.
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
(252) 453-4939
Located in Corolla, the lighthouse stands at 158 feet and visitors can climb the 214 steps to the top for a panoramic view. Visit the historic lighthouse keeper's house, outhouse and storage building. Open daily April through November.
Duck Pier Research Station
(252) 261-3511
Research pier operated by Army Corps of Engineers,
studying the affects of beach erosion and storms. Includes gazebo visual displays, and unique vehicle call CRAB, (Coastal Research Amphibious Buggy). Walking and guided tours Monday through Friday from mid-June through Mid-August. Located north of Duck in northern Dare County.
Elizabethan Gardens
(252) 473-3234
A living memorial to America's original English colonists. Features colorful displays of flowers, shrubs, plants and trees, an herb garden, antique statuary and more. Located at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site beside Lost Colony Waterside Theatre in Manteo. Open year-round, seven days a week.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
(252) 473-5772
Explore the north end of Roanoke Island where Sir Walter Raleigh's explorers and colonists established settlement in 1585. Features a visitors center, interpretive programs, nature trail and more. Open year-round.
Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center
(252) 995-4440
Authentic collections of ancient artifacts and unusual displays, as well as a Natural History center featuring self-guiding wooded trails, exhibits, a screened pavilion with fireplace, and picnic tables. Open Tuesday through Sunday. Located on NC-12 in Frisco.
George Washington Creef Boathouse
(252) 475-1750
A working boatshop offered by the NC Maritime Museum located on the Manteo Waterfront. Learn about Roanoke Island's maritime heritage and watch the age-old form of boat restoration and construction as you interact with the curator and volunteers who work there. Open year-round.
Hatteras Inlet Free Ferry
(252) 986-2353
Toll-free ferry connecting Hatteras Village and the northeast tip of Ocracoke Island, across the Pamlico Sound. See ferry schedule in this Visitors Guide for more information.
Jockey's Ridge State Park
(252) 441-7132
A 400-acre park with the highest sand dunes on the East Coast. One of the most significant landmarks on the Outer Banks, the park features nature programs, a self-guided trail, hang gliding, climbing, picnic facilities a visitors center and more. Open year-round. Located in Nags Head at milepost 12 on the Hwy. 158 Bypass.
Lost Colony
(252) 473-2127
Relive the exciting story of The Lost Colony, America's
First and longest-running Outdoor Drama, written by Pulitzer-Prize winner Paul Green and performed under the stars at the beautiful waterside theatre. Presented nightly except Sundays, May 30 to August 20. Located at the Waterside Theatre in Manteo.
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
(252) 473-3493
Sharks and alligators are among the living creatures on exhibit. Touch skates, rays or horseshoe crabs. Live animal exhibits, animal feeding programs and field trips are available. Open year-round.
Ocracoke Island
(252) 928-4531
Only fourteen miles in length, Ocracoke Village is a picturesque fishing community with a rich history. Blackbeard was slain here in 1718, and it has been home to both Confederate and Union bases. Pristine beaches and a quaint town make Ocracoke an Outer Banks must-see. The island is accessibly only by water or air, with ferries departing from Hatteras, Cedar Island and Swan Quarter.
Ocracoke Lighthouse
Completed in 1823, the sturdy 75-foot lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and one of the oldest in southeast. The lighthouse is the third beacon to mark Ocracoke inlet since the 1790’s. A wooden lighthouse located in the middle of the inlet was destroyed by an 1818 lightning strike and a lightship moored nearby was repeatedly driven ashore by bad weather. Although a portion of the lightstation grounds are open to visitors, the tower is closed to the public.
Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education
(252) 453-0221
The Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Corolla provides visitors with the opportunity to learn about northeastern North Carolina's rich natural history and heritage. The center houses an exhibit gallery, an auditorium, a museum store, a large decoy collection and a 12,000-gallon aquarium. Educational programs for all ages are also offered on a daily basis. Located at Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla.
Outer Banks History Center
(252) 473-2655
Learn about the history and culture of the Outer Banks through exhibits including manuscripts, maps, personal belongings and more. Check out the special exhibit this year - The Outer Banks Now and Then: Where We Are, Where We've Been. Open year-round. Located within the Roanoke Island Festival Park across from the Manteo waterfront.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
(252) 473-1131
A 5,834-acre refugee home to more than 265 species of birds such as Canada geese, snow geese and 25 species of duck in the winter months. Explore the beach, dunes ponds and marsh, and observe the large variety of birds from an observation platform. Located adjacent to NC-12 between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
(252) 475-1500
Celebrate history, education and the arts. Climb aboard Elizabeth II, a sailing vessel representative of those that sailed to Roanoke in the New World in 1585. Hear the costumed sailors' tales of treacherous voyages and a strange new land. Explore 400 years of Outer Banks history through hands-on exhibits in the Roanoke Adventure Museum. Learn about the island's Native Americans in the original dramatic film The Legend of Two Path, and enjoy dance, drama and musical performances in The Pavilion. Also features a Museum Store, porches, rocking chairs, marshside boardwalks, a fossil pit and acres of green lawns. Open daily. Located across from the Manteo waterfront.
The Whalehead Club at Heritage Park
(252) 453-9040
The mansion was the most famous of Currituck County's huntclubs. The historic landmark was built in the 1920s by wealthy industrialist Edward C. Knight at a cost of approximately $400,000. Self-guided and standard tours available year-round.
Wright Brothers National Memorial
(252) 441-7430
A full-scale reproduction of original plane, information services, exhibits, talks on history of the Wright Brothers, the Wrights' 1902-1903 camp buildings and reproductions, and much more. Open year-round.
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