Take the Ocracoke Village Walking TourThe small fishing village of Ocracoke is the perfect opportunity for you to park your car for a day and wander the narrow streets of the village. Historical landmarks, local shops, restaurants, antique shops and old buildings and homes are among the interesting things you will find on your walking tour. A suggestion is to begin at the Ocracoke Visitor Center, which is located on the west end of the village and adjacent to the ferry docks. Since the island is so small, it is almost impossible to get lost! If you would like, ask a National Park Service employee in the Visitor Center for directions and suggestions before you start your journey. View the Ocracoke LighthouseLocated in the southwest corner of Ocracoke Village, many visitors view the Ocracoke Lighthouse each year. Built in 1823, the lighthouse is the second-oldest lighthouse in the nation and is 77.5 feet tall. Though the lighthouse is not open for tours or climbing, visitors can walk down a wooden boardwalk adjacent to the lighthouse to view and photograph the structure. To get to the Ocracoke Lighthouse, turn left off NC Highway 12 at the Island Inn. The lighthouse is about 800 yards down, on the right side of that street. Take a Local Sight-Seeing TourIf you aren't interested in boat or adventure tours, you may want to take an Outer Banks sight-seeing tour. There are a few options available on the Outer Banks for land tours. Hatteras Tours will take you on a fast-paced tour of island history, geology and culture and can be reached at (252) 986-2995. Candle light walking tours of Historic Old Manteo are offered and can be reserved by calling (252) 475-1701. Other Outer Banks tours are offered by OTS Ventures at (252) 202-3919 or Sandy Beach Tours at (252) 441-9800. Take a Bike Ride in the Salty Ocean AirBike riding is a popular way to exercise while on vacation on the Outer Banks, as it allows you to enjoy the nature and salt air at the same time. Highways 12 and 158 are busy highways, so only ride on them if you are an experienced rider. It is best to ride on side streets or in areas where there are separate bike paths. Corolla, Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island do not have any designated bike paths but do have extended shoulders on Highway 12. Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Roanoke Island have separate designated bike paths in either some or all areas. Don't forget to wear your safety helmet. For information on bike rentals, kiddie carts and pull-behind bikes for children, contact Ocean Atlantic Rentals at one of their four locations. Contact Corolla at (252) 453-2440, Duck at (252) 261-4346, Nags Head at (252) 441-7823 or Avon at (252) 995-5868. Send Outer Banks Postcards To Your Friends and FamilyAre you the lucky one among your friends and family who got to take a trip to the Outer Banks this year? Take an hour of your precious vacation time and send postcard notes to your loved ones from the Outer Banks. There are beautiful postcards sold at almost any local gift shop or grocery store and they are very affordable. Let them know you are thinking about them and that you wish they could be visiting the Outer Banks with you. If they can see a postcard of how beautiful it is, maybe you can persuade them to come along with you on your next trip to the Outer Banks! Visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse and Keepers' QuartersLocated more than a half-mile from the Atlantic Ocean on Bodie Island, the Bodie Island Lighthouse was built in 1872. It was the third lighthouse to be built near Oregon Inlet, as the first one was built south of Oregon Inlet in 1847 and developed structural damage within the first 10 years and had to be rebuilt. The second was also built south of Oregon Inlet in 1859 but was destroyed by Confederate forces during the Civil War. The current Bodie Island Lighthouse is 170 feet tall and was built north of the Oregon Inlet because of the inlet's constant moving to the south. Operated by the U.S. Coast Guard for many years, the lighthouse was turned over to the National Park Service in 2000. There is a Visitor Center with exhibits and a bookstore on the grounds, but the lighthouse is not available for climbing. For more information, call (252) 441-5711. Go Shopping at Tanger Outlet CenterThe Tanger Outlet Center is located on the south side of Nags Head on US Highway 158. If you love to shop, or even if you forgot something at home, this is a great place for you to find some Outer Banks bargains! A few of the stores at the Outlet Center are: The Gap, Ralph Lauren, Wilson Leather, The Dress Barn, Kitchen Collection, Claire's Boutique, Rack Room Shoes, Bass and Nine West. Don't forget to stop by the Tanger Outlet Center and buy yourself something special! Tour the Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History CenterThe Native American Museum & Natural History Center in Frisco is full of unusual collections of Native American artifacts dating back to the 1930s. The Museum has one of the largest collections of artifacts from the Chiricahua Apache tribe, as well as several artifacts from other tribes from around the country. There is a gift shop at the museum that sells various art, crafts, jewelry, toys and books. Outside the museum, there are outdoor nature trails leading into three acres of woods. The museum is open year-round on Tuesday through Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $2 per person or $5 per family, and group rates are available. For more information, contact the Museum at (252) 995-4440. Visit the Ocracoke Island Museum and Preservation SocietyOnce the private residence to Coast Guard Captain David Williams, this home was moved to its current location on Ocracoke Island's Silver Lake in 1989 and restored to its original beauty by the Ocracoke Preservation Society. Many furnishings reminiscent of the 19th century have been donated by local families, and photographs of island natives can be seen throughout the house. The museum also has several exhibits and a research library. Admission is free and the museum is open from Easter through the end of December. For more information, contact the Ocracoke Island Museum and Preservation Society at (252) 928-7375. Go Scuba Diving To View Underwater Shipwrecks and Sea LifeThe Outer Banks is otherwise known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" because of the more than 100 shipwrecks that have remains on the ocean floor between Corolla and Ocracoke. Wreckage from these ships is located at various depths in the ocean, and a great way to see them is by going scuba diving. As you may know, scuba diving can be very dangerous, and you must take special training in order to become a certified diver. For information on learning how to dive while you are in the Outer Banks, contact the Outer Banks Dive Center at (252) 449-8349. If you are already certified and just need a boat to take you to a diving spot, contact Outer Banks Diving and Charters at (252) 986-1056 or Atlantic Wreck Diving at (252) 986-2835. | Kill Devil Hills RestaurantsGoombays Grill & Raw Bar1608 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Mako Mike's 1630 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Pearl Oceanfront Fine Dining 1731 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Little Caesar's Pizza 1704 N Croatan Highway Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Subway Sandwiches & Salads 1704 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 New York Bagels 1708 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Good Life Gourmet 1712 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Cold Stone Creamery 1716 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27949 Subway Sandwiches & Salads 1726 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 China King 1728 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Stop-N-Shop Beach Shop, Deli & Wine Shop 100 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Jolly Roger Restaurant & Bar of Kill Devil Hills 1836 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC Kill Devil Hills ShoppingNorth Carolina Books1500 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Fashion Bug 1700 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Sheperd's Pets & Grooming 1700 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Sports Locker 1706 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Good Life Gourmet 1712 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Food Lion 1720 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Pilpel Beach Shop 1724 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Staples 1720 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Dollar Tree 1730 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Hairoics 1736 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Atlantic Dance Studio & Boutique 1742 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Stop-N-Shop Beach Shop, Deli & Wine Shop 100 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks AttractionsAvalon Fishing Pier2111 N Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 6 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Wright Brothers National Memorial 800 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Woods Preserve & The Nature Conservancy 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 North Carolina Coastal Land Trust 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Fishing Pier 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Dock of the Bay Marina 4200 Bob Perry Road Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 The North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve 983 W Kitty Hawk Road Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 Jockey's Ridge State Park 300 W Carolista Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Oregon Inlet Fishing Center 98 NC Highway 12 Nags Head, NC 27959 The Kitty Hawk Pier 5353 N Virginia Dare Trail Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 The Lost Colony 1409 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island 374 Airport Road Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks ActivitiesProfessor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf1600 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Atlantic Dance Studio & Boutique 1742 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 R/C Theatres of the Outer Banks 1803 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Junior Lifeguard Program 2052 New Bern Street Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Garden of Beadin' 2200 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Glazin Go-Nuts Paint Your Own Pottery 2200 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Daredevils 100 Veterans Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Destination Fun 1217 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Fishing Charters 200 Quail Lane Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Colington Speedway 1064 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Paradise Golf & Arcade 3300 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Coastal Helicopters, LLC PO Box 715 Nags Head, NC 27959 |