Outer Banks Tours

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 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. 

Paradise Dolphin Cruises operates the Kokomo, a 40-foot catamaran that carries 40 passengers and offers a comfortable ride with a canopied top, cushioned seats and a restroom. The boat's location at Safe Harbor Marina offers the closest access to the waters where these amazing creatures are most often found. Paradise offers four two-hour dolphin trips daily plus sunset cruises. As you search for dolphins, you'll also enjoy the local scenery and learn about the other wildlife you will encounter. The boat is handicapped accessible and is available for private parties and catering. Reservations are required for dolphin tours and sunset cruises so call ahead.

In the heart of Hatteras village, Slash Creek Outfitters strives to make your Hatteras vacation the best one yet. This is the place to rent a four-person or six-person golf cart for tooling around the village, bikes of all sizes (kids and adults), kayaks for exploring the Slash Creek or the Pamlico Sound, beach chairs for relaxing and more! All of their vacation rental items, including beach gear and even beach wheelchairs, can be booked online. Have your rental items delivered to your beach house (for free) or stop by to pick them up and grab a vacation keepsake in their specialty curated, ever-expanding retail shop. Slash Creek Outfitters also offers the ever-popular sunset kayak and eco-tours. 

UltraFlight OBX offers aerial tours in a motorized hang glider attached to a two-seater trike. It's a completely open-air experience, and your views are completely unobstructed. The trike takes off from the Currituck County Regional Airport and heads straight for the Outer Banks shoreline. You can choose a short 15-minute trip or go for 30 or 60 minutes. The pilot is FAA certified, of course, and can teach the passenger a little about the basics of flying a weight-shift aircraft, if you're interested. Passengers must be at least 10 years old and weigh less than 240 lbs.