Take advantage of the Outer Banks’ coastal location by enjoying some aquatic activities. Yes, there are quite a few more beyond surfing in the Atlantic! If you’re feeling sporty, Outer Banks nautical activities you might want to try your hand at include kayaking or standup paddleboarding along the sound or in the ocean or even checking out North Carolina’s first historic shipwreck preserve for a fun activity that will also give you an excellent workout. For those who’d prefer more relaxing activities, you can visit museums with exhibits on common Outer Banks boats or the Graveyard of the Atlantic, take a ferry ride between Hatteras and Ocracoke, make faces at the fish in the North Carolina Aquarium or do some photography out in the marsh. Many of these Outer Banks nautical activities can be educational as well as fun. With all of the new knowledge you acquire, your friends and family will regard you as an Outer Banks aquatic expert – great, right? Look at the below listings to pick out the Outer Banks nautical attractions that look like a blast to 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 Nautical
1101 Corolla Village Road, Corolla
The red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers above the Historic Corolla Village. Visitors to this Outer Banks attraction can climb the winding staircase, 220 steps in all, to the top of the lighthouse for a panoramic view of Currituck Sound, the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Outer Banks. Inside the lighthouse, at the base and on the first two landings, there are museum-quality lighthouse exhibits. On the way up or down, stop to learn about the history of coastal lighthouses, the Fresnel lens, shipwrecks and the lighthouse keepers.
The 162-foot lighthouse was first lit on December 1, 1875. Onsite keepers, who lived in homes at the base of the lighthouse, operated the lighthouse until it was automated in 1937. With automation, the lighthouse no longer required a regular keeper. The lighthouse and its outbuildings fell into disrepair for decades until a nonprofit group called Outer Banks Conservationists, Inc. (OBC) stepped in to save the site in 1980. OBC renovated the keepers’ buildings to re-create their past glories and restored the lighthouse to make it safe to climb. In July 2003 The U.S. Department of the Interior awarded OBC ownership of the lighthouse.
It costs only $10 to climb the lighthouse. Payment conveys an understanding and acceptance of the lighthouse's posted waiver of liability (the tower construction predates modern building codes and safety regulations). Children must be 4 years old to climb, and children ages 4 to 12 years old must have adult supervision. Parents or guardians must sign a waiver for children ages 13 to 17 to climb alone. Children younger than 4 may enter free but only if in a carrier. Visitors stand in line to pay admission outside the lighthouse. The lighthouse is open daily from mid-March through December 1. Climbing hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. During extreme weather, the lighthouse is closed to climbing. Parking is free. Leashed dogs welcome on the grounds.
The nearby Double Keepers’ House is used as a private residence, but it makes for great photographs. You can go inside the small Keeper’s House, moved to the site in 1920 from Long Point Light Station in the Currituck Sound, which is now a Museum Shop and stocks everything lighthouse-related you could ever imagine. T-shirts, hats, books, postcards, blankets, taffy, ornaments, jewelry, magnets, figurines and more fill this former keeper’s residence.
The red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers above the Historic Corolla Village. Visitors to this Outer Banks attraction can climb the winding staircase...read more
The red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse towers above the Historic Corolla Village. Visitors to this Outer...read more
Ocracoke is one of the few remaining working maritime communities. Round out your Ocracoke cultural education and learn about the life and history of the...read more
Over the last 70 years, Oregon Inlet Fishing Center has earned legendary status for its celebrated charter fishing fleet and proximity to the best fishing...read more
Originally a boathouse used to build world-record–holding speedboats, this building has seen a variety of boat-building uses in its day. The building’s...read more
Join a captain and crew for a two-hour saltwater safari on the newest vessel in the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center fleet. The Safari is a 50-foot...read more
Designated in 1991 as North Carolina’s first Historic Shipwreck Preserve, the USS Huron lies 250 yards from the beach. During the summer, buoys may...read more
