Visitor Centers | Outer Banks Attractions

Imagine that after a long day of driving, you find a spot to get a cup of hot coffee, a crisp apple, some maps, and then you walk around a little bit in the fresh air. Outer Banks visitor centers are like little oases on road trips. They have restrooms, air conditioning, vending machines, convenience stores, some room to stretch your legs and informational sections – they give you a place to clear your mind and enjoy a little time outside before you get back on the road. Outer Banks visitor centers are great for collecting maps and brochures and talking with the helpful locals who work there to get oriented. You can find visitor centers near bridges as you enter the Outer Banks from the North or West and in the towns of Ocracoke, Hatteras, Kill Devil Hills and Currituck. Some Outer Banks visitor centers offer fun and recreational activities, like nature walks and kayaking trips. Browse through the listings below to see what visitor centers you might pass as you make your way through the Outer Banks.

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

Jennette's Pier

Outer Banks Visitor Centers

7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 16.5, Nags Head

(252) 255-1501

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.