Visitors to the Outer Banks are recreation lovers. After all, with an area known for its natural beauty, why wouldn’t you want to be outside taking full advantage of every Outer Banks thing to do you could think of? Perhaps the Outer Banks’ biggest draw is Mother Ocean and her surrounding sandy beaches. When it comes to things to do on the Outer Banks, the top of anyone’s to-do list involves getting in or near the water. That translates into sunbathing, swimming, body boarding, skimboarding, surfing, scuba diving, shelling, sea glass hunting, shore walking…and did we mention just sitting and looking at those meditative waves rolling in? Check out the Things To Do in Hatteras section and the Things To Do in Ocracoke section for the scoop on the best ways to enjoy the water.
Of course, the Outer Banks things to do on the sound are just as numerous as those on the ocean. Take a peek at the sound, and you almost always see someone boating, sailing, parasailing, kiteboarding, standup paddleboarding, clamming, windsurfing, kayaking or Jet Skiing. Check out Things To Do in Nags Head or Things To Do in Duck, NC, for your watersports options.
Outer Banks Things To Do on Dry Land!
Feel more like a dry activity? No problem! If fishing is the ticket, there are many opportunities to wet a line with piers, bridges, shorelines, the sound, bays, offshore and inshore charters. Along a similar drift, a dolphin or sightseeing boat tour is a popular Outer Banks thing to do, and you can learn more in the Things To Do on Roanoke Island section. And no equine lover's trip to the Outer Banks is complete without seeing the wild horses, a popular Thing To Do in Corolla, NC. Want to see as much of the Outer Banks as you can by walking, jogging or biking? Then you’ll love it here! Each town has either a designated bike path, boardwalks or back roads that are so lovely you’ll forget all about the fact that you have three more miles to go!
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
The Studio is a center for mindfulness, peace and inspiration. You'll find mindfulness-based kids' camps and after-school care, meditation classes, beach...read more
Beloved since its inception in 1991, Theatre of Dare is a nonprofit community theater group. They produce four or five high-quality shows each year,...read more
N.C.-licensed Ann Ehringhaus offers therapeutic massage including Chinese acupressure, Rosen Method Emotional Bodywork and Reiki and has studied many other...read more
From the Atlantic Ocean to the Pamlico Sound, Toeside’s Watersports in Avon has what it takes to conduct your saltwater adventure. Offering kite-boarding...read more
Show off your tan and your sandals with a manicure and pedicure from Top Nails. They’re a one-stop shop that also offers haircuts, styling and color as well...read more
Turf's Up OBX is an indoor entertainment and sports-simulation complex where you can play sports and games on high-quality HD simulators. Golfers (foursomes...read more
TW’s Bait and Tackle, located in Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, has been locally owned and operated for 40 years. They are the anglers’ landmark destinations for...read more
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s LEED–certified visitor center is on the north end of Roanoke Island near the entrance to Fort Raleigh National...read more
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, weather observations gathered near Cape Hatteras were important for forecasters all along the East Coast. The...read more
Uglie Mugs offers quite the combination of enticements — coffee, baked goods, Internet access, locally made photography, jewelry, t-shirts, mugs and beads...read more
Uncle Eddy's is the place for summer fun, and it’s a great place to stop after a visit to the lighthouse. The 18-hole mini-golf course is nestled under live...read more
To get your hands or feet shined to your own individual style and personality, define your look with the help of Unique Nails & Spa in Kitty Hawk. They...read more