The Outer Banks is a world unto itself, made of islands linked to the rest of civilization only by a few bridges and ferries. This fact lends a separatist character to the Outer Banks, with residents who are proud to have escaped the trappings of the mainland and vacationers who come here to put aside the city life. Days go by in the indescribable realm of “island time,” becoming more surreal the farther south you go.
Cultural traditions and norms seem to fall by the wayside once one has crossed over onto one of the islands. Suddenly it’s perfectly acceptable to go barefoot all day, to wear your bathing suit to the grocery store, to get buried up to your neck in sand, to spend hours on the porch staring at the water, to stop to watch the sun set.
The area is a chain of several islands—Roanoke, Colington, Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke—stretching more than 100 miles along eastern North Carolina. Bodie Island, the largest landmass of the Outer Banks, encompassing the land from the north side of Oregon Inlet through Carova, is technically no longer an island. Physically it’s connected to Virginia and is therefore a peninsula. However, since the state border is closed to land crossings, Bodie is, in many minds, an island.
Overview
Some people also consider the islands south of Ocracoke Island, from Cape Lookout and through Bogue Banks, part of the Outer Banks. But for the purposes of this book, the Outer Banks extends from the Virginia line through Ocracoke. If you’d like information on the beaches south of Ocracoke, the best spots in the area are revealed in Insiders’ Guide to North Carolina’s Central Coast and New Bern and Insiders’ Guide to North Carolina’s Southern Coast and Wilmington.
Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke Islands are barrier islands, separated from the mainland by a system of wide, shallow sounds. The barrier islands are reefs of sand protecting the mainland from the ravages of the Atlantic Ocean. What keeps the barrier islands from washing away in the face of all that power is their ability to shift and move, to go with the flow of nature. On the other hand, vegetation plays a huge part in the stabilization of the islands, making them fit for human occupation.
The Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds system that separates the Outer Banks from the mainland is the second largest estuary in the United States, second only to the Chesapeake Bay. These sounds have 3,000 square miles of surface water and 30,000 square miles of watershed. The system consists of seven sounds—Albemarle, Pamlico, Currituck, Croatan, Roanoke, Bogue, and Core. These individual sounds are fed by inlets, cuts of water that slice through the skinny islands from the ocean, and by five major rivers. The Albemarle-Pamlico system is one of the most biologically productive estuaries in the United States, supporting a huge variety of wildlife, fish, shellfish, and plants.
Three North Carolina counties lay claim to these barrier islands—Currituck, Dare, and Hyde. Dare is the largest county, with 391 square miles of land, 509 square miles of water, and around 34,000 residents. Dare County stretches from north of Duck to the tip of Hatteras Island, including Roanoke Island and a mass of mainland. Currituck County encompasses 255 square miles of land, most of it on the mainland and a small portion of barrier island from north of Duck to the Virginia border. Geographically divided Currituck County has a population of more than 24,000; around 500 reside on Currituck’s northern beaches year-round. Hyde County’s Outer Banks portion is Ocracoke Island, a 9-square-mile island with around 900 residents.
The 35,000 or so year-round residents of the Outer Banks host more than 7 million visitors a year. Due to bridges and air travel, the Outer Banks islands are now more easily accessible than ever. This has led to rapid development, along with a dramatic increase in the availability of goods and services. Residents have all the accoutrements needed for a comfortable way of life, including a thriving economy with low unemployment, affordable housing, retail stores offering almost everything, and an abundance of restaurants, arts and entertainment, medical care, and recreational opportunities. With all this, however, no one will deny that the pulse of life on these barrier islands is still set by wind and water. The weather and the natural world play intimate and demanding roles in the lives of barrier island residents.
Much of what keeps the Outer Banks so special is the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which encompasses more than 75 miles of rugged, undeveloped beaches, dunes, marshes, and flatlands. With commercial and residential development continually increasing on the barrier islands, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore—the first national seashore in the nation—is treasured and appreciated more than ever. Three national wildlife refuges further protect portions of the Outer Banks from development.
Whether it’s the sunrise, the sunset, or what goes on between, the Outer Banks offers the most extraordinary of what island life has to offer. “The sunsets here are the prettiest I have ever seen,” Orville Wright wrote to his sister in 1900. “The clouds light up with all colors, in the background, with deep clouds of various shapes fringed with gold before. The moon rises in much the same style, and lights up the pile of sand almost like day.” We have more than just good looks and personality, though: We have history. We have drama. We have lots of good stories to tell.
In this chapter we offer overviews of the areas that make up the Outer Banks, taking you on a north-to-south tour of Corolla and Currituck beaches, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Colington Island, Nags Head, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island.
The Outer Banks’ biggest attraction is, of course, the water. Nine hundred square miles of water surround these islands, providing a huge, liquid playground for swimmers, boaters, sailors, surfers, anglers, waders, and divers. For those who don’t want to get wet, just being on these narrow islands with 175 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches and views of sparkling blue from every angle is enough.
Nature is so stark and apparent on the Outer Banks that no man-made attraction could ever compare with its glory. But we also have an abundance of stellar man-made attractions, many the sole reason people travel to the Outer Banks. These attractions satisfy history buffs, nature lovers, arts aficionados, and thrill seekers.
Overview
Some of the Outer Banks attractions were created by men and women out of pride for the significant historic events that took place here, such as the Wright brothers’ first flight and the first attempted English settlement in the New World. Others, like The Lost Colony outdoor drama, are themselves as much a part of history as the events they portray.
If you’re accustomed to metropolitan-area prices, you’re in for a real treat. Local attractions are affordable, with most costing less than $10 and many open for free. The priciest attractions are worth every penny and still affordable compared with city prices. Most places offer special family, child, or senior discounts. While some of the attractions stay open year-round, many close in the winter months or strictly curtail their hours. Call ahead.
The Outer Banks is not just the home of two of the most significant events in the nation’s history—the first English-speaking colony and the first powered flight—it’s also gifted with an extraordinary coastline.
Between lighthouses, lifesaving stations, wild horses, and shipwrecks, visitors can get lost in our long, lively history.
Wide-open wildlife refuges spread across the islands, and fluorescent-lighted fish tanks glow at the state aquarium. You can dive into history by boarding a reproduction 16th-century sailing ship or scuba dive into the Atlantic to explore a Civil War shipwreck. There’s never enough time to see everything the Outer Banks has to offer.
In this chapter we highlight our favorite attractions. Many others are there to be discovered; insiders often share their own secret spots. Many of these places have free admission or request nominal donations. We begin with the northernmost communities and work southward. Each area has its own section, so pick your pleasure.
Also, read the Recreation, Shopping, Arts & Culture, Water Sports, Fishing, Kidstuff, Natural Wonders, and Nightlife chapters for more exciting, educational, and unusual things to do and places to play on the Outer Banks.
The beach is always a popular lure for children. They can play tag with the waves, build whimsical sandcastles, fly a kite, play volleyball, or dig for treasure they just know has been left. The Outer Banks is a large sandy playground, with opportunities for exploration that are only limited by your imagination. For kids this means the possibilities are infinite, especially on sunny days at the beach. Be sure to check out the Waves and Weather chapter so your children have a safe vacation at the beach. If the skies are overcast or the temperature too cold to play by the shore, they’ll need a little more help from you (and us!) to entertain themselves.
Read the chapters on Recreation, Attractions, and Water Sports for a more complete listing of activities children will enjoy. Kidstuff takes a look at the not-so-obvious as well as some favorites.
The Outer Banks is the kind of place where many artists envision spending their days painting the beauty that surrounds them or sculpting forms wrought by visions brought forth by the ocean. For many this dream has come to fruition, and the beach has become a haven for artists of all kinds. The powerful influence of the ocean and wetlands appears in many works of art, as do the abundant wildlife and spirit of the residents as they work and play. Our historic landmarks provide inspiration for an artistic appetite. The relative isolation of our barrier islands, though seen by some as a drawback to year-round living, is a real plus to the artist, especially in the off-season. This is the time to contemplate and study, then commune with the muse and put insights into a tangible piece of art. When a nor’easter blows on a gray February day, the muse may be an artist’s only visitor! Take the time to visit our many galleries and talk with some of our local artists and writers. Through their eyes you are sure to gain more appreciation of this special area.
Overview
You can get a feel for this fascinating visual arts arena, which runs the gamut from conceptual art to classical painting, by attending several annual events. One of the longest running of these is the Dare County Arts Council’s Frank Stick Memorial Art Show, which was started back in 1978. The show is held at the Ghost Fleet Gallery in Nags Head every February and features more than 150 artworks.
For some family fun of the artistic kind, set aside the first weekend in October for the arts council’s annual Artrageous Art Extravaganza, which features hands-on creative booths with cookie decorating, hat creations, weaving, face painting, and much more. Fashion shows, food, live music, art collaborations, and local art and craft booths highlight the two-day event. During an elegant Sunday auction, fine art by adults and children is put on the block. Dedicated volunteers who coordinate the weekend event outdo themselves year after year. (See the Annual Events chapter for more information.)
Another must-see is the New World Festival of the Arts each August on downtown Manteo’s waterfront, an ideal site for showcasing the talents of approximately 80 local and national artists and artisans. Look for painting, photography, jewelry, pottery, and an assortment of handcrafted items. If you would like to show your work or need more information, call the phone number listed in the Annual Events chapter entry.
Private visual art studios are scattered from Corolla to Ocracoke for art seekers. Many local artists offer lessons, mostly in watercolor and other painting techniques. We do have many landscape painters here, but our 50 or more commercial art/craft galleries are packed with expressions as individualistic as grains of sand.
The Outer Banks has become a bona fide art community. Artists living here and in the surrounding areas are a close-knit group, sharing tips and encouraging each other in their endeavors. Perhaps because of the lifestyle here, our artists are eager to meet visitors. Since 1997 the Town of Nags Head has purchased more than 90 pieces of art by local and regional artists. The collection, selected by the town’s artwork selection committee, includes paintings, sculpture, photographs, wood carvings, etchings, mobiles, found-object art, and more. The public is invited to view this collection during town hall operating hours.
Local theater groups present plays, comedies, and dramas both seasonally and year-round. Music streams from some nightclubs, and standup comics perform summer stints. Symphonies, vocal groups, and individual classical, folk, and pop artists enliven our local auditoriums throughout the year. What we can’t generate ourselves in the way of cultural experiences, we import with the help of volunteer-based nonprofit organizations. Thanks to the efforts of the Dare County Arts Council, Outer Banks Forum, the Theater of Dare, the Roanoke Island Historical Association (producers of The Lost Colony), the North Carolina School of the Arts, and Roanoke Island Festival Park, insiders on the Outer Banks enjoy exposure to local, regional, and national cultural opportunities.
We begin with a description of major arts organizations and follow with a north-to-south excursion through the Outer Banks’ eclectic galleries and other creative venues.