Wanchese, NC

An unincorporated village on the southern end of Roanoke Island, Wanchese is small and well off the beaten path. Not many visitors make it down this way, but if you want to see the last vestiges of the old Outer Banks, this is a good place to look. If you're coming from the beaches, when you get to the big intersection at Highway 64, take a left onto N.C. 345 instead of taking a right into Manteo. This winding, narrow road (biking is not recommended) will lead you to Wanchese, which is named after the ruler of a Native American tribe that was encountered by English colonists in the 16th century. Mostly you'll just see local homes, but these homes are interesting in their simple coastal architecture, and since many commercial fishermen live down here, some of them have boats and crab pots and fishing gear in the yards. You'll also find boat-building shops, fish houses, marinas, boat yards and other marine-related businesses around town. Wanchese has a few great restaurants – O'Neal's Sea Harvest in Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park, Great Gut Deli at Thicket Lump Marina and The Landing Grill at Wanchese Marina – where you can dine with the locals. There's also a tiki bar on the docks at OBX Marina. If you're looking to buy fresh seafood to cook yourself, you can get the freshest at O'Neal's Sea Harvest or at Fresh Catch Seafood on Mill Landing Road. If you want to stay over in the most quiet part of the Outer Banks, this is a good place to do it. Wanchese has two bed and breakfast inns and an RV park.