Outer Banks Things To Do

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.

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. 

Scott Lawlor is a highly trained E-RYT 500 YACEP yoga teacher based on the Outer Banks. Scott is a founder and co-creator of Kind Yoga in Kill Devil Hills, where he teaches weekly hot and cool yoga classes. He also can be found on the schedule at Outer Banks Yoga in Kitty Hawk and at studios and locations all around the Outer Banks and beyond teaching his signature Grateful Yoga, Yoga Jam, private classes, yoga workshops and much more. His high-energy, interactive teaching blending humor, honesty and attention to yoga lineage and Sanskrit is popular with all ages and levels of practitioners. He's available for private classes, corporate retreats, bachelorette parties and many more occasions.