Spend an Afternoon at Coquina BeachCoquina Beach, known for its secluded, wide beach, is one of the favorite beaches on the Outer Banks. Located only 6 miles south of the Whalebone Junction on the south side of Nags Head, this beach has smaller crowds than other parts of the Outer Banks while offering the basic amenities - a lifeguard (in the summer), restrooms, outdoor showers and a parking area. This beach is home to the coquina clams, which are edible and make excellent chowder. Because it is miles away from any commercial or residential building, Coquina Beach is a great place to sunbathe, swim, fish, surf and search for shells. Go Waterfowl HuntingIn the 1920s, many parts of the Outer Banks were used primarily for waterfowl hunting. Today, people visit the Outer Banks for several different reasons - family reunions, windsurfing, surfing, kiteboarding, research, reporting or simply to just get away from the city for a few days. Though waterfowl hunting is not a primary pastime in the area, some hunters do still visit the Outer Banks to hunt waterfowl. If you prefer to have a hunting guide, you may call Ken Dempsey Guide Services, which is a full-time professional outfitter who has been in the business for 16 years. For complete information on season dates, bag limits and shooting hours, call (800) 675-0263. Play a Friendly Game of Miniature GolfThe Outer Banks is home to more than 12 miniature golf courses, which are located as far north as Corolla and as far south as Frisco. Most courses open at 10:00 a.m. and stay open past midnight in the summer months. There are a variety of themes at these miniature golf courses, ranging from dinosaurs and other animals to pirates and buried treasure. In Corolla, The Grass Course can be reached at (252) 453-4198. In the Nags Head/Kitty Hawk area, try The Promenade at (252) 261-4900 or Galaxy Golf at (252) 441-5875. On Hatteras Island, try Avon Golf at (252) 995-5480 or Frisco Mini Golf at (252) 995-6325. Because there are so many miniature golf courses to choose from, you may want to just take a drive until you see one you like! Tour the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke IslandLocated on Roanoke Island, the North Carolina Aquarium is a 68,000 square-foot facility with a "Waters of the Outer Banks" theme. Visitors see a variety of marine communities including coastal freshwaters, wetlands, estuaries, roadside ditches and the Gulf Stream. A main attraction at the aquarium is the Graveyard of the Atlantic tank, which holds 285,000 gallons of saltwater and is home to sea turtles, sharks and almost 1,000 other sea creatures. The aquarium is open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily (except for Christmas and New Year's Day.) Prices are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and active military personnel, $5 for children ages six to 17, and kids five and under are free. For more information, contact the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at (252) 473-3494. Enjoy a Local Seafood DinnerYou can't spend any time at the Outer Banks without having a local seafood dinner. Throughout the Outer Banks, there are many great restaurants that will serve the catch of the day and cook it how you like it. You can't go wrong with an authentic seafood dinner on the Outer Banks. Many of the restaurants will prepare YOUR catch of the day for you, if you have been out fishing and don't want to cook your own catch. All you have to do is ask! Catch a Wave Surfing in the Outer Banks Ocean WatersBecause the Outer Banks is set farther into the ocean with deeper waters than most other coastal regions, the surf of the Outer Banks is said to have the best breaks on the East Coast. The various fishing piers, shipwrecks and sandbars also create unusual wave patters for the thousands of surfers who come to the area each year to ride the Outer Banks waves. As with anything in the ocean, always go with a friend and be aware of water, weather and beach conditions. If you don't know how to surf but would like to learn, various surf shops offering lessons are: the Corolla Surf Shop at (252) 453-WAVE, The Pit Surf Shop in Kill Devil Hills at (252) 480-3128, the Hatteras Island Surf Shop in Waves at (252) 987-2296 or the Ride the Wind Surf Shop in Ocracoke at (252) 928-6311. Visit the Fort Raleigh National Historic SiteFort Raleigh National Historic Site, located on Roanoke Island, was designated as a National Historic Site in 1941. Situated on more than 500 acres, this location offers a sound side beach, the Fort Raleigh Visitor Center and nature trails. The Visitor Center is home to a small museum with interpretive exhibits, and this site is a must-see for American history enthusiasts. Self-guided tours or tours led by knowledgeable National Park Service staff are available. The Site is open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., seven days a week (hours are extended during the summer months.) For more information, contact Fort Raleigh National Historic Site at (252) 473-5772. Take a Scenic Flight TourIf you think the Outer Banks are beautiful from the ground, wait until you see them from the sky! This stretch of islands and waters will amaze you. Depending on where you fly, you will see things from the air such as the Oregon Inlet, one of the four area lighthouses, the Wright Brothers Memorial, and more! For a tour of the northern Outer Banks, you may contact Kitty Hawk Aero Tours at (877) 274-2461 or Outer Banks Seaplanes at (252) 475-1007. Kitty Hawk Aero Tours depart from the Manteo Airport. Outer Banks Seaplanes take off and land on the Roanoke Sound. For a tour of Hatteras and/or Ocracoke Islands, contact Burris Flying Service at (252) 986-2679. Prices for the above services start between $30 and $75 per person, depending on the size of your group and the length of your flight. You will want to call ahead to make reservations. Buy a Hermit Crab and Take Your New Pet HomeAs you may know, hermit crabs are very popular pets. Similar to letting a child have a goldfish or a hamster, hermit crabs are also low maintenance pets. They need a small living area (a goldfish bowl or empty fish aquarium) with sand and some water. They like to eat cornmeal. At first, the hermit crab is a bit like a turtle and is afraid to come out of his shell. But, after he gets used to you and his surroundings, he will come out to say hello and be very active. When your hermit crab gets large enough and runs out of room in their current shell, he will leave that shell and move to a larger one. While you are visiting the Outer Banks, you can look on the beach for some larger empty shells for your new pet to grow into and put them in his house with him. Many of the local Reef and Wings stores sell hermit crabs and houses at reasonable prices. Visit the Historic British CemeteryLocated in Ocracoke, the British Cemetery is a memorial cemetery for the crew of the British vessel HMS Bedfordshire. On May 11, 1942, a German submarine torpedoed and sank this 170-foot British ship that had four officers and 33 enlisted soldiers on board. All men on board the ship drowned, and a few days later four of the bodies were found on shore by local U.S. Coast Guard officers. Ocracoke residents gave Britain a 12 by 14 foot section of land next to the Island's cemetery and buried the soldiers there. Today, the cemetery is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard of Ocracoke Island and a ceremony is performed at the Cemetery each year on the anniversary of the deaths of the British sailors. | Kill Devil Hills RestaurantsThai Room Restaurant710 S Virginia Dare Trail Oceanside Plaza Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Krave Grill & Games 710 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Port O' Call Restaurant & Gaslight Saloon 504 S Virginia Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Western Sizzlin' Restaurant 804 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Brewing Station 600 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Slice Pizzeria 710 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Rita's Water Ice 710 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Dare Devil's Pizzeria 1112 S Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 9 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil's Frozen Custard & Beach Fries 1002 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 JK's Restaurant & Bar 1106 S 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 Food Dudes 1216 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil Hills ShoppingOBX Chefs 2 Go1006 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Mike Hogan's Gallery 12 1006 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Bird Store 807 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Parrot Bay Trading Co. 808 S Croatan Highway Milepost 9 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 KDH Cooperative Gallery 502 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Manteo Blacksmith Shop 502 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Trading Post Beach Store 305 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Custom Cycles 103 E Clark Street Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 17th Street Surf Shop 1007 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Scrapbook Store & More 1001 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Sportsman 100 W Clark Street Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 TI's Bait & Tackle 100 W Clark Street Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks AttractionsNorth Carolina Coastal Land Trust701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Woods Preserve & The Nature Conservancy 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Wright Brothers National Memorial 800 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Avalon Fishing Pier 2111 N Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 6 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Fishing Pier 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 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 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 The Lost Colony 1409 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island 374 Airport Road Manteo, NC 27954 Roanoke Island Festival Park 1 Festival Park Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks ActivitiesDestination Fun1217 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Fishing Charters 200 Quail Lane Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Daredevils 100 Veterans Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Coastal Helicopters, LLC PO Box 715 Nags Head, NC 27959 Nags Head Bowling & Billiards 201 W Satterfield Landing Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf 1600 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Scoot-Hers/Sandy Beach Tours 2300 S Croatan Highway Suite #102 Nags Head, NC 27959 Outer Banks Gearworks Laser Tag and Fun Center 2406 S Croatan Highway Nags Head, NC 27959 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 Fine Line Charters 105 S Colony Court Nags Head, NC 27959 Colington Speedway 1064 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 |