This is the third part of a 3-part travel review series of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Part III: Towns of the Outer Banks

Last weekend a few of the guys from the Sports Chief and myself visited the Outer Banks of the great state of North Carolina. Our plan was pretty simple: we really didn’t have one. Other than knowing where we were going to stay, everything else was pretty much left to what we wanted to do in the moment. We began our trip in Nags Head and completed it in Ocracoke (right down Hwy 12). On this stretch of the Outer Banks we encountered several small towns that this part of the travel series will be dedicated to.

We arrived in Nags Head, one of the few entry points to the Outer Banks, just before midnight. It was late and we decided to set up our tent at Oregon Inlet Campground to attempt to get a good night sleep (more on how that went HERE). We woke up and began our day, spending the entire day between the towns of Nags Head and Kitty Hawk.

Nags Head is a town probably most noted for its entry point to the Outer Banks, by crossing over Croatan Sound into historic Roanoke Island, then over Roanoke Sound getting to the famous Highway 12. Once in Nags Head, there are several things to see and experience if you want to properly do your trip to the Outer Banks. The first is the first thing we did when we started our day: visit Bodie Island Lighthouse. If you want to read more about our lighthouse visit, along with our other lighthouse visits, click HERE. But the lighthouse is definitely something you want to see and take pictures of, and it’s conveniently located off the main highway.

One of the things we made sure we experienced while in Nags Head may be its most popular attraction, Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Here you park and walk a short trail that takes you to the tallest sand dunes in the Eastern United States. You can climb the dunes and take in great views of the Albemarle Sound on one side, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, lined with historic cottages. You’ll see people hang gliding, as they offer a hang gliding school, and many others flying kites.

There are several public beach access points in Nags Head, along with fishing piers. The most popular pier, which we made a visit to, is Jennette’s Pier. Built in 1939, this pier has been a favorite for NC coastal fishermen for a long time. It’s 1000 feet long, so if you just want to go out and walk the pier like we did, you’ll pay $2 and have plenty of things to keep an eye on with all the fishermen and what they are catching. We saw someone catch a stingray, which was pretty cool. It also offers tremendous views of the beach and the small cottages along the beach.

The next town just north of Nags Head is Kill Devil Hills. With an interesting name, this place is best known for something that has influenced people all around the world, and that is being the place where the first “heavier than air” powered flight took place. In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright flew their personal-crafted airplane off the big sand dunes of Kill Devil Hills, the very first successful flight marking 12 seconds long and 120 feet in distance. With their success in Kill Devil Hills that day, traveling for people worldwide has been dramatically revolutionized with millions of people flying every single day. It costs $10 to enter the Wright Brothers National Memorial Park, which gives you access to climb the big hill where the first plane took off and see the monument, as well as a museum dedicated to the first flight.

Kill Devil Hills is one of the more modern towns along the Outer Banks, with all types of restaurants and places to stay. Fast food chains are present, as well as fine-dining options. It is also one of the larger towns on the Outer Banks, with about 6,800 residents. Many public beach access points with lifeguards present can also be found in Kill Devil Hills.

Just north, and the northernmost town we visited, is Kitty Hawk. Kitty Hawk is smaller than Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills, and wasn’t incorporated into a town until 1981. Everything here is on a smaller scale, from the businesses to restaurants to the houses. It has a more laid-back, traditional feel to it, as well as a community feel. With that being said, there are places to eat and stay, especially for those interested in a casual vacation. One of our favorite stops that day was Kitty Hawk Surf Co., a pretty large surf shop that had cool merchandise and all types of surfing equipment.

After a stay in Kill Devil Hills, we made our way down Highway 12, traveling through several small towns on our way to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We traveled through Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, and Avon before reaching Buxton, where the lighthouse is. We didn’t stop in these towns, so I can’t say much about them, except the fact they are very, very small. They are neat to travel through and see the beach cottages and small, family-owned businesses along the highway, but these towns could more easily be classified as “villages” than towns. If you are looking for a variety of restaurants and places to stay, these towns won’t be what you’re looking for.

We stopped in the town of Buxton to visit America’s most famous lighthouse, and Buxton is just like the previously mentioned towns in the fact there is not much to do. However, these towns would be perfect for the vacationer who is interested in relaxing, fishing, and water-sports. All these towns are well-known for their water-sport activities such as surfing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding. After a stop at the lighthouse, we reached the town of Hatteras, as far as you can travel south before having to board a ferry to continue.

The last town I am going to dedicate this travel series to is Ocracoke. After riding an hour-long ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke, we drove off onto the island and began exploring. The vast majority of the 16-mile long island is a stretch of road just behind the sand dunes of the beach. There are places to pull off the road and access the mostly-empty beaches, but there are no lifeguards or public facilities. It’s like taking a step back in time and experiencing the beaches in the same way they were experienced hundreds of years ago.

Speaking of taking a step back in time, after you drive a ways down Ocracoke Island, you’ll finally get to the “town” part. For a couple miles there are small restaurants, pubs, stores, a marina, and old houses. Ocracoke is a very historical town and when you are there, you can just feel the history. I mentioned the same thing about just being around Ocracoke Lighthouse. I can’t really explain it, but you can feel you are in a place that contains a lot of historic tales.

I really enjoyed our stay at Ocracoke. It’s as laid-back as a place can be and perfect for vacationers who want to take it easy and fish. Just behind the town area, there are several old streets lined with houses that have been there for a long time and a couple of really old graveyards. When driving around Ocracoke, you have to go vey slow because there are A LOT of people riding on the side of the streets in rented bicycles and golf carts. If you are staying at the island for a few days, it would be more than worth it to rent a bicycle or golf cart to explore the island with.

Ocracoke Island is basically where our trip ended. We took a 2.25 hour ferry the next morning to Cedar Island, where we were able to then drive back home. I hope you enjoyed this Outer Banks travel review series and our experiences on the NC coast. If you are ever thinking about taking a trip to the Outer Banks, I would highly recommend it. It is a very unique trip that gives you a mix of modern and very traditional beach experiences, with a lot of historical landmarks to see.

Garett

Travel Review: Towns of the Outer Banks