Family activities are not synonymous with “boring,” as evidenced by the offering of Outer Banks family attractions. In fact the majority of Outer Banks attractions are perfect for families. Sure, most people visit the Outer Banks for the beach, but these activities allow you to experience the area in a whole new way. Go on tours to find the wild horses or see a view of the coastline from the water. Visit museums, monuments and lighthouses to get a taste of the Outer Banks history. Parade through gardens and nature preserves as you and your family find plants and animals that are native to the Outer Banks. Feed animals on farms during the day and check out kid-friendly movies (indoor and out!) in the evening. With a week to do everything, the activities will seem limitless. Check out our listing below of all the Outer Banks family activities that you and everyone in your party can enjoy, and get ready for the fun that awaits you.
Outer Banks Things To Do by Area
Corolla | Duck & Southern Shores | Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills & Nags Head
Roanoke Island & Manteo | Hatteras Island | Ocracoke Island
Outer Banks Things To Do by Category
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
1411 National Park Drive (off U.S. Highway 64) next to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Manteo
Designed by two of America’s foremost landscape architects to pay tribute to America’s first English colonists, The Elizabethan Gardens is a rare treasure and a beloved Outer Banks attraction. It’s a haven of verdant, flourishing growth and natural prosperity. The gardens are in bloom year-round with azaleas, hydrangeas, roses, camellias, flowering trees, a variety of annuals and herbs and much more. Adding exquisite touches are imported Italian Renaissance fountains, garden ornaments, a waterfront gazebo, benches, statues, an expansive lawn and some of the most amazing live oaks you’ll ever see. The large shade canopy overhead provides a cool oasis even on the sunniest summer day. The Garden Gift Shoppe sells books, gifts, herbs and plants. This is a trusted plant source for many locals, as the garden staff nurtures their plants with great care.
New at The Elizabethan Gardens is the John White Butterfly Center. Guests are welcome to walk through the indoor greenhouse, which houses butterflies from May through September. The Elizabethan Gardens also has many new family-friendly aspects, including The Discovery Cottage, an indoor/outdoor educational play area and a location for summer programs. The play area offers a large play ship reminiscent of the ship that carried the colonists to the New World, swings, slides, Elizabethan-style playhouses, educational signage, a koi pond, sandpits, a fossil pit, outdoor picnic tables and room to run.
The Elizabethan Gardens holds outstanding events such as horticulture education workshops and summer programs for kids. Seasonal events throughout the year include Easter Eggstravaganza (day before Easter); Butterfly Festival (month of April), Virginia Dare’s Birthday Celebration (August), Peace, Love and Dogs (September), Harvest Hayday (October) and WinterLights (December and January).
The gardens open at 9 a.m. seven days a week throughout most of the year and at 10 a.m. in December and January. They are closed to the public in February for maintenance. Closing time varies according to the season. Admission (pre-tax) is $10 for adults, $7 for youth ages 6 to 17, $3 for children ages 2 to 5 and free for children younger than 2. Dogs are admitted for $3, but service dogs get in free. Organized tour groups can apply for reduced admission rates in advance. Tickets are for timed entry admission and are purchased online at elizabethangardens.org.
The gardens make a beautiful setting for photographs, bridal luncheons, weddings, receptions, retreats or meetings. Choose from a variety of backdrops for an unforgettable day. An on-site Reception Hall, tent and Rose Garden accommodate parties large and small. Rental information is posted online.
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From late June through mid-August, on weekdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Elizabethan Gardens offers these fun, kid-friendly events with paid admission. Events are weather-dependent and limited to 10 participants outdoors at the Discovery Cottage. Tickets must be purchased 24 hours in advance of the date.
Backyard Birds: Discover more about the birds in your own backyard with educational and hands-on activities for inquisitive minds. Participants will explore about birds with a guided art craft and create a bird snack to take to home.
Fun with Frogs: Discover the exciting life cycle of frogs with educational and hands-on activities for inquisitive minds
Butterflies: Discover the exciting life-cycle of butterflies with educational and hands-on activities for inquisitive minds.
Helpful Bugs: Learn about the beneficial insects in the gardens.
Self-Guided Audio Tours: Take a tour at your leisure using your mobile device, anytime during regular hours of operation year-round.
Designed by two of America’s foremost landscape architects to pay tribute to America’s first English colonists, The Elizabethan Gardens is a rare treasure...read more
Designed by two of America’s foremost landscape architects to pay tribute to America’s first English...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of every month from April through December. From 6 to 8 p.m. downtown Manteo’s sidewalks come alive with a wide variety of musical performances and festive activities for all ages. Individual shops and restaurants frequently do their own celebratory activity such as live music, special sales, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. Dare County Arts Council always hosts an opening reception for exhibits in its gallery, and Downtown Books frequently hosts a book signing. It’s a great time to explore all that downtown Manteo has to offer.
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of every month from April through December. From 6 to 8 p.m. ...read more
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
8526 Caratoke Highway, Powells Point
Nothing satisfies your craving for fun like a day at H2OBX Waterpark, located just 3 miles north of Wright Memorial Bridge. Start with that perfect Carolina sun. Add a dose of adrenaline as you climb six stories and shoot down the Rogue Wave or drop 90 screaming feet down The Plank. Stir in a float down Teach’s Tide Adventure River. Test your skills on the Flow Rider wave simulator. Chill as you get toes up in some perfect shade. Top it off with family-friendly food, and you’ve got yourself the best summer day ever. It’s the coolest spot for summer fun for locals and vacationers of all ages.
Nothing satisfies your craving for fun like a day at H2OBX Waterpark, located just 3 miles north of Wright Memorial Bridge. Start with that perfect Carolina...read more
Nothing satisfies your craving for fun like a day at H2OBX Waterpark, located just 3...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16.5, Nags Head
The place to be in Nags Head during the summer season, Jennette’s Pier offers anglers a wide variety of fish to target while sightseers can watch brown pelicans overhead and bottlenose dolphins swimming in the sea. The pier is surrounded by wide, clean public beaches, free parking and a bathhouse, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors from near and far. Owned and operated by the N.C. Aquariums, this state-of-the-art facility includes large aquariums in its pier house alongside educational exhibits, restrooms and a remodeled Pier Shop. There, visitors can find Jennette’s Pier t-shirts, hats, visors and plushies. Anglers can also find everything they need for a day of fishing, including different types of rod and reel combos, bait and tackle. Ice-cold drinks, snacks and souvenir items are also available in the gift shop.
The Pier property serves as a frequent venue for community events, and the upstairs Oceanview Hall is available to book for wedding receptions.
Education is a strong suit of Jennette’s Pier. The pier has emerged as a must-see place for schools to visit on the coast. In the past decade, they’ve averaged around 8,000 to 10,000 North Carolina students a year. They host school groups on field trips, offer week-long summer camps and teach Family Fishing – a rundown on the angling essentials – for $20. Check out the Surfside Classroom, or sign up for Family Fishing offered weekdays all summer at 9 a.m. Pier staff also keep busy with two important conservation organizations – the OBX Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the Responsible Pier Initiative, which promises to help protect sea turtles.
The pier has a blanket license for all anglers, so if you don’t have a fishing license, you’re covered. A daily fishing pass costs $14 for adults and $7 for children ages 12 and younger. A three-day pass costs $36, and a seven-day pass is $80 (children pay half on passes). Walk-on passes cost $2 for adults and $1 for children. Rods can be rented by the day for $12 (photo ID required). Ask about prices for annual passes, family passes and pin rig passes.
For more information about their events and pier programs, call or see their social media pages. Jennette’s is open year-round except on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. In season, from May through October, their hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Off-season hours vary, so call ahead.
The place to be in Nags Head during the summer season, Jennette’s Pier offers anglers a wide variety of fish to target while sightseers can watch...read more
The place to be in Nags Head during the summer season, Jennette’s Pier offers anglers...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching the world to fly since 1974. With 10 retail locations from Corolla to Ocracoke, Kitty Hawk Kites boasts an impressive selection of kites, flags and spinners, toys, apparel, gifts and games on the Outer Banks. Kitty Hawk Kites specializes in kites, from the single-lines for kids to high-tech stunt varieties. The stores also sell fun outdoor goodies such as flags, toys, boomerangs and games. You’ll find a wide selection of Outer Banks gear, beach sportswear and footwear from Crocs, Chaco, Hey Dude, Southern Fried and Life is Good apparel, t-shirts, sweatshirts, outdoor clothing, sunglasses and more. Kitty Hawk Kites also offers a number of adventure activities including hang gliding, kayak and SUP tours, lessons and rentals, parasailing, Jet Skis, dolphin tours, wild horse tours, historic tours and much more. The brand-new Whalebone Watersports Center on the Nags Head Causeway offers kayak fishing, Jet Skis, pontoon boat rentals and more. At Kitty Hawk Kites' Waves Village Watersports in Rodanthe, you can learn kiteboarding; buy and rent kiteboarding gear; rent a kayak, surfboard or standup paddleboard or climb the adventure tower/ropes course. Kitty Hawk Kites Hang Gliding School at Jockey's Ridge in Nags Head offers private lessons, beginner lessons, advanced lessons and training packages for hang gliding, as well as retail merchandise and sand boards available for rent.
Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching the world to fly since 1974. With 10 retail locations from Corolla to Ocracoke, Kitty Hawk Kites boasts an impressive...read more
Kitty Hawk Kites has been teaching the world to fly since 1974. With 10 retail...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of the most popular attractions on the Outer Banks. With more than 200 species of animals, including otters, sand tiger sharks and jellyfish to see, the aquarium is a wondrous place to explore. Yes, it's perfect for a rainy day, but you will also appreciate the cool, quiet environment when you've had enough of the sun. Just stepping into the aquarium’s lobby is like diving into the ocean’s depths. Explore the Waters of the Outer Banks through seven galleries, touch pools and immersive experiences. Watch fish, sharks and daily dive shows in the 285,000-gallon Graveyard of the Atlantic exhibit while learning about the marine life that inhabits the actual shipwrecks off the Outer Banks coast. Explore a sunken Spanish galleon in the Sea Treasures gallery. Explore aquatic habitats from the Alligator River to Gulf Stream waters, and let the kids play in an interactive Gulf Stream splash pad. Gently stroke a stingray or touch a hermit crab in the Sea Senses gallery and learn more about these underwater critters. In the Wild Wetlands gallery, watch alligators, otters, turtles and more from the surrounding natural habitat. See sea turtle rescue in action at the Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation (STAR) Center. Then enjoy some of the best views on the island as you stroll down their Soundside Pier and find adventure on the Nature Play Trail. Register for special programs that take you behind the scenes to see animal feedings, enjoy kids' programs or even dive with sharks (open to certified divers only). Activities aren’t limited to water. Neptune’s Theater offers films, animal encounters and programs on the Science on a Sphere experience.
The aquarium is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Tickets are sold online only at ncaquariums.com/roanokeisland. Tickets times are every half-hour, with the last tickets being sold at 4 p.m. Admission is $12.95 for ages 13 to 61; $11.95 for ages 62 and older; $11.95 for members of the military; $10.95 for children ages 3 to 12; and free for children 2 and younger, pre-registered North Carolina school groups and North Carolina Aquarium Society members. For information on renting the aquarium for special Outer Banks activities such as weddings or receptions, purchasing tickets and registering for programs online, give them a call.
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of the most popular attractions on the Outer Banks. With more than 200 species of animals, including...read more
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of the most popular attractions on...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
With tons of rentals and activities, a surf boutique and great restaurant onsite, Nor’Banks offers one-stop shopping for all the best of the Outer Banks. Nor’Banks' friendly staff, professional service, modern equipment and gorgeous location make it the ideal destination for watersports. Offering Jet Ski rentals and tours, parasailing, tubing, wakeboarding, waterskiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, pontoon boats, sailboat rentals and private sailing instruction, Nor’Banks truly has something for everyone. Their gorgeous soundside facility has plenty of parking, changing rooms, restrooms and showers for your comfort and convenience. The surf shop and boutique is curated with great gear and apparel, including hard-to-find brands handpicked by the crew of outdoor living. Check out the selection of surfboards from local shapers, polarized sunglasses from Raen and Nectar and sustainably minded apparel and gear from brands like Carve, Vissla, Topo and Nomadix. Be sure to check out Surfer Girl, their new luxury 38’ Maine Cat catamaran available for private cruises for up to 15 passengers. Enjoy your favorite beverages with their highly experienced crew at the helm. Book in advance with their online reservation system to enjoy expedited checkout upon arrival, and be sure to stick around for live music and a drink at the waterfront bar.
With tons of rentals and activities, a surf boutique and great restaurant onsite, Nor’Banks offers one-stop shopping for all the best of the Outer Banks....read more
With tons of rentals and activities, a surf boutique and great restaurant onsite, Nor’Banks offers...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
200 Satterfield Landing Road, The Bypass, MP 10.5, Nags Head
Bowl, rent shoes, book parties and play billiards at OBX Bowling. Enjoy their arcade with classic games like skee ball, air hockey, Deal or No Deal and much more. There are automatic bumpers on the bowling lanes for the kids age 11 and younger. Try your hand at glowing disco bowling under neon lights on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Group rates are available upon request. Beer and soft drinks are available. The snack bar offers sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, pizza and fried food.
Bowl, rent shoes, book parties and play billiards at OBX Bowling. Enjoy their arcade with classic games like skee ball, air hockey, Deal or No Deal and much...read more
Bowl, rent shoes, book parties and play billiards at OBX Bowling. Enjoy their arcade with...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
Ocracoke Civic & Business Association Contributor
Ocracoke Alive, Inc. was formed to enrich Ocracoke Island by serving the cultural and artistic needs of the community. Through fundraising and donations, this group supports the musical, educational and artistic vein of the Ocracoke community by organizing and sponsoring multiple events throughout the year, including the annual Ocrafolk Festival, Festival Latino de Ocracoke, community plays and school programs.
Ocracoke Alive, Inc. was formed to enrich Ocracoke Island by serving the cultural and artistic needs of the community. Through fundraising and donations, ...read more
Ocracoke Alive, Inc. was formed to enrich Ocracoke Island by serving the cultural and artistic needs of the community....read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
49 Water Plant Road, Ocracoke
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving the island’s history and cultural heritage and to protecting its environment. Housed in the turn-of-the-century home of Coast Guard Capt. David Williams, the museum lets visitors glimpse island life in the early to mid-1900s. Many of the architectural elements are intact, and a bedroom, living room and kitchen are decorated with period furnishings donated by island families. The museum has photographs, artifacts and exhibits that pertain to island life and culture. A favorite is a video on the Ocracoke brogue. The museum also houses special rotating exhibits and a gift shop. Upstairs is a small research library that can be used by appointment. In the yard of the museum you can find outdoor exhibits including an old-style cistern and the traditional fishing boat, Blanche, circa 1934. During the summer, OPS hosts free porch talks and museum tours with a variety of islanders sharing their knowledge, stories and history. The museum also offers a mid-week Kids Kraft program for kids. This interactive program is fun and informative and the children leave with a handmade island souvenir. Stop at the OPS gift shop for a schedule of these events. It’s free to visit the museum, though donations are encouraged. It’s open from the end of March through the first week of December.
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to preserving the island’s history...read more
For a peek into Ocracoke’s past, visit Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum. The nonprofit organization is...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
8770 Oregon Inlet Road, off N.C. Highway 12, Nags Head
It's all about making fishing memories at this legendary Outer Banks marina. A fleet of 48 boats offers a variety of fishing excursions at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center year round (weather permitting). Nearshore, inshore vessels offer half-day or full-day trips, while the headboat offers a choice of morning or afternoon inlet/sound fishing. Offshore vessels travel to the Gulf Stream, where anglers enjoy a full day on the water. Make-up charters are available if you don't have a full party. Anglers go for a variety of species, depending on the season, including billfish, tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, Spanish mackerel, flounder, drum, bluefish, cobia and more. Anglers aboard charters do not need to purchase fishing licenses, and all tackle and bait are provided. The newest boat at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center is The Safari, a dolphin watching inlet/sound tour offering cruises daily! Even if you're not fishing or going out on the water, watching the boats come in with their catches is fine entertainment. Come to the docks between 3 and 5 p.m. and you'll see the day's catches being unloaded. Be sure to check out the world-record blue marlin replica mount (caught in 1974) displayed in an outdoor case, and take a photo of your group in front of a record-setting 805-pound bluefin tuna replica mount caught in 2011.
You can fuel up your boat here and also purchase food and drinks for your trip at the recently renovated and freshly updated on-site marina store, which carries a wide selection of fishing and boating gear, hardware, sunglasses, apparel and footwear, souvenirs and camping supplies. Check out their online store too. An air pump for inflating your tires, a public boat ramp (courtesy of National Park Service), clean restrooms and ample parking are also available. The boat ramp offers five launching lanes, courtesy docks and about 75 parking spaces for vehicles with trailers. You'll find it 8 miles south of Whalebone Junction in Nags Head.
It's all about making fishing memories at this legendary Outer Banks marina. A fleet of 48 boats offers a variety of fishing excursions at Oregon...read more
It's all about making fishing memories at this legendary Outer Banks marina. A fleet of...read more
Outer Banks Child & Family Oriented
P.O. Box 265, Kill Devil Hills
Outer Banks Sporting Events is an event-planning nonprofit that organizes multiple fitness events throughout the year. One hundred percent of the net proceeds of these events supports two Outer Banks nonprofits – Outer Banks Relief Foundation and Dare Education Foundation – and this is why the slogan of Outer Banks Sporting Events is Run for a Reason. This organization hosts races like Running of the Leprechauns 5 and 10K in March, Flying Pirate Half Marathon in April, Outer Banks Triathlon in September, the Outer Banks Marathon (a Boston qualifier) and Southern Fried Half Marathon in November and more. All the events have after parties, finisher awards and activities for the whole family. Challenge yourself while giving back to the community. Volunteer opportunities are always available.
Outer Banks Sporting Events is an event-planning nonprofit that organizes multiple fitness events throughout the year. One hundred percent of the net...read more
Outer Banks Sporting Events is an event-planning nonprofit that organizes multiple fitness events throughout the...read more