The Outer Banks are a long chain of barrier islands off North Carolina’s coast, with wide Atlantic beaches, tall sand dunes, historic lighthouses and wild horses. Most visitors rent a beach house for the week, from big oceanfront homes in the northern towns to quiet cottages on Hatteras Island.
Where to stay
- Corolla and Duck on the northern end are quieter and upscale, with large rental homes. North of Corolla, wild horses roam the beaches that are reachable only by four-wheel drive.
- Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head in the middle have the most hotels, restaurants and shops, close to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Jockey’s Ridge State Park.
- Roanoke Island and Manteo, on the sound side, have a small waterfront town and historic sites.
- Hatteras Island (Rodanthe, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras) is wilder and less developed, inside Cape Hatteras National Seashore and popular with anglers and kiteboarders.
Best times to visit
- Best overall: Late May through mid-June, and September through early October: warm days, fewer crowds and lower rates than midsummer.
- Busiest: Mid-June through August, when many rentals book Saturday to Saturday for the full week.
- Best value: Late fall through early spring has the lowest rates, but the water is cold and some restaurants and shops close for the season.
- Weather to know: Hurricane season runs June through November, peaking from mid-August through early October.
Getting there
There’s no major airport on the islands. Norfolk International (ORF) in Virginia is about 1.5 to 2 hours from the northern beaches, and Raleigh-Durham (RDU) is about 3.5 hours away. NC-12 runs the length of the islands, and a free state ferry connects Hatteras to Ocracoke.
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Things to do
- Climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States, or visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse.
- Walk or sandboard the dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head.
- See where the Wright brothers made the first powered flight at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills.
