Plenty To Explore Beyond the Beach
By Aaron Tuell
Nov. 07, 2019
OUTER BANKS, N.C.– Visitors to the Outer Banks do not spend every vacation hour on the water. When rain rolls in, or when beachgoers simply want a change of pace, the islands offer many inland ways to stay entertained.
Along with a wide selection of history-focused and cultural sites, plus open spaces across parks and natural areas, the Outer Banks gives travelers many additional recreation choices. Guests can see the destination on foot, on bikes or from horseback. They can play golf or tennis, take the kids to race go-carts, browse galleries, or spend the day shopping, all while staying within the barrier islands of the Outer Banks.
Walking Trails and Bike Routes
Many visitors prefer a less crowded route, discovering beaches and maritime forests on foot and finding quieter spots in places such as Buxton Woods and Nags Head Woods Preserve. Trails for hiking are also available at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Alligator River Wildlife Refuge and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. To protect the area’s remote natural landscapes, hiking on restricted dunes is prohibited.
Other travelers choose two wheels, using the destination’s bicycle paths and the wide paved shoulders found along most major roads. Cyclists can ride in Sanderling, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head and Roanoke Island. For families, including those riding with children, most towns offer bike paths suited to slower touring or a leisurely afternoon ride. These paved, separate routes run beside the highway or through wooded sections. Some link one town to the next, letting riders avoid motor vehicle traffic. Faster cyclists can use many wide outside lanes and wide-paved shoulders that create separation between bicycles and motor vehicles.
The Wright Brothers Bikeway runs from past the north end of the Outer Banks in Sanderling to South Nags Head. The route combines wide-paved shoulders, bicycle paths and quiet neighborhood streets. Throughout the bikeway, pedestrians share the bike paths. One short stretch in Kitty Hawk remains unfinished.
Visitors who want to cover the full Outer Banks by bicycle can travel 130 miles from Corolla and Duck in the north to Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke in the south, taking a restful 40-minute free ferry ride between Hatteras Village and Ocracoke.
Cyclists are encouraged to check the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau web site at www.outerbanks.org for route information and a link to the Wheels of Dare Bicycle Club, which provides detailed biking options along with an overview of North Carolina bicycling laws and beach-area riding guides.
Horseback Outings
Vacationers who would rather ride horses than bikes can take scenic trail rides through Buxton Woods or enjoy peaceful, memorable rides on quiet beaches. Equine Adventures (252- 995-4897) in Buxton provides ride details. Reservations are required.
Golf and Tennis
Gentle ocean breezes invite golfers to experience some of the finest year-round courses in North Carolina. The Outer Banks has many course options that can test both seasoned golfers and beginners. Four public courses are located on the Outer Banks, with additional courses available in nearby areas.
At Duck Woods Country Club (252-261-2609), golfers play a semi-private 18-hole, par-72, Ellis Maples designed course laid out among canals and lush greenery. The championship course offers both striking scenery and a serious challenge. The course and grill operate year-round at milepost 1 on the U.S. 158 Bypass in Southern Shores.
A short drive away, Nags Head Golf Links (252-441-8073) offers an 18-hole Scottish-style championship course, with Bentgrass greens and Bermuda fairways that fit the landscape and stay in good playing condition year-round. Its clubhouse includes the Links Grille restaurant and bar, along with a golf shop. Open year-round at milepost 15 on the U.S 158 Bypass in Nags Head, the course overlooks the Roanoke Sound and is well suited to Outer Banks golfing. In the true Scottish links tradition, world-class architect Bob Moore worked the Outer Banks natural windswept environment into a shot maker’s paradise. Coastal winds add difficulty, and the source page includes Golf Digest commentary praising the course’s length challenge and the beauty of the Roanoke Sound holes. The view helps make it a favorite for those seeking golf in Nags Head.
Sea Scape Golf Links (252-261-2158) gives players another place to get their swing in, with an 18-hole championship course wrapping around the edge of the Kitty Hawk Maritime Forest and offering beautiful ocean views. Designed by former PGA tour player and Masters Champion Art Wall, the course includes a pro shop and restaurant.
Tennis players visiting the Outer Banks can use both a private club and free public courts for singles or doubles play. Duck Woods Country Club (252-261-6438) in Southern Shores is the private option and has four clay courts.
Public options include two-hard surface courts near the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department and four hard-surface courts beside the Kill Devil Hills Water Plant. In Nags Head, a public court sits behind Kelly's Restaurant off the US 158 Bypass at milepost 10.5. On Hatteras Island, courts are available in Buxton at the Cape Hatteras School. Courts at area schools are open for public use only during after-school hours.
Recreation and Amusements
While some guests spend their time hiking, biking, horseback riding, golfing or playing tennis, others head for the destination’s recreational amusements. The Promenade (252-261-4900) in Kitty Hawk includes a children’s park, driving range, grass-putting area, water sports options, mini-golf course and arcades open year-round. Colington Speedway (252-480-9144) in Kill Devil Hills offers three tracks for two-seater and kiddie Naskarts. These are only a sampling of the Outer Banks choices for miniature golf, go karts and other family fun.
Art Galleries
The Outer Banks has galleries throughout the destination. Local painters, sculptors, print makers, jewelers, craftsmen, decoy carvers and photographers show their work in more than 20 galleries between Duck and Hatteras Island. Visitors can also find original classics by artists such as Rembrandt, Whistler and Chagall. Travelers looking for art can browse Gallery Row in Nags Head or visit the small shops in the towns along Hatteras Island, Duck and Manteo. The Bird Store (252-480-2951) in Kill Devil Hills is a wildlife gallery featuring antique and new decoys, locally carved waterfowl, original art and prints, collectible fishing gear and more. Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery presents original paintings and sculpture by local artists (252-441-6584).
Shopping
Beyond artwork from local artisans, Outer Banks visitors can search for finds in the destination’s nine shopping malls. These include Outlets Nags Head in Nags Head (252-441-5634), with savings on designer brands, and Scarborough Faire in Duck, which offers specialty shops and services.
Shoppers also visit the many gift and specialty stores across the Outer Banks, along with one-of-a-kind boutiques selling clothing, shoes and accessories. The area’s 10 antique shops are also frequent visitor stops. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau Web Site provides a complete list of local malls and stores at www.outerbanks.org.
About Aaron Tuell
Aaron conceives and contributes to award-winning projects in public relations, social media and travel customer outreach. He has extensive experience with national media outlets, celebrity projects, social media strategy and oversight, commercial broadcast and web video production, marketing photography, publicity and promotion, as well as working with and as news media.
Manager of Public Relations
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
252-473-2138 office
877-629-4386 toll free
tuell@outerbanks.org