Visit The Outer Banks

13 Top Outdoor Activities for Boomers Visiting the Outer Banks of North Carolina

Written by Luggage & Lipstick on Apr. 05, 2021.

Getting outside is one of the most rewarding ways to understand a destination. Across the Outer Banks of North Carolina, travelers can find outdoor experiences suited to a wide range of activity levels.

Extending 200 miles across four barrier islands between mainland North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean, the Outer Banks, also called OBX, brings together strikingly varied scenery: pristine protected beaches, marshland, gardens, and enormous sand dunes. Its past is among the oldest and most mysterious histories in the United States, and the area offers many things to do in the Outer Banks, North Carolina for couples, families, solo travelers, and girls’ getaways.

This is also the place that inspired the Netflix hit series Outer Banks.

#13 - Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Climb

In Buxton, the black-and-white spiral-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse rises more than 200 feet and is the tallest brick beacon in the world. Built in 1970, it remains one of the most visited attractions in OBX and is frequently called America’s Lighthouse. The climb to the top means taking on 257 sweat-producing steps, but the sweeping coastal scenery makes the effort worthwhile, especially with the welcome breeze at the top.

#12 - Ride Horses Along the Coast

Exploring the OBX coastal habitat from horseback makes for a relaxed outdoor outing. Guides set a comfortable pace for visitors, with plenty of time to enjoy the shoreline, maritime forest, and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse along the route.

The horses are calm, and riders do not need prior experience. Participants are paired with horses according to size, experience, and comfort level, and children as young as ten years old may join. Since the horses understand the route and routine, riders can simply settle in and enjoy the beach views, scents, and sounds.

#11 - See The Lost Colony Amphitheater

The Lost Colony outdoor drama is performed in an open-air amphitheater and has taken place during nearly every summer since 1937. The production tells the story of the English Roanoke Colony, which disappeared after Virginia Dare, the first American child, was born. Sir Walter Raleigh led the colony at this very location, and it vanished mysteriously with no survivors discovered.

#10 - Watch Dolphins

For a glimpse of the real locals, visitors can take a two-hour cruise through protected waters near the Outer Banks. Searching for bottlenose dolphins in shallow Roanoke Sound is a memorable family-friendly experience, especially for small children or grandchildren. Because the lagoon sits near the dolphins’ home and play area, the large pontoon boats have over a 98% success rate of seeing dolphins thriving in their natural habitat.

The Naturalist, Waverly, was especially popular with the many small children or grandchildren aboard the cruise. Warm and knowledgeable, she kept young passengers engaged with facts and activities. Waverly recognized two familiar dolphins, Rake and Cola, from the markings and shape of their dorsal fins. The dolphins moved through the calm water beside the boat.

#9 - Walk Through Nags Head Woods Preserve

Nags Head Woods Preserve contains an impressive mix of ecosystems, including ponds, marshes, swamps, and 1,400 acres of pristine deciduous forest. Its seven pedestrian-only hiking trails vary in length and difficulty, giving visitors access to distinct habitats, 300 species of plants, and more than 50 species of indigenous wildlife.

The Preserve also carries deep Outer Banks cultural history. From the mid-1800s through the 1930s, Nags Head Woods functioned as a lively village community with 13 homesteads, two churches, a school, a store, farms, a gristmill, and a shingle factory. Reminders of that earlier settlement remain, including a home foundation, cemeteries, and additional traces of human life in the woods.

#8 - Go Crabbing

The Outer Banks is celebrated for seafood, and blue crabs are a local favorite. Crabbing is common on OBX beaches from May through July, and visitors can book a boat with a crabbing captain to head out on the water in search of them.

After a crabbing trip, O’Neal fishery offers a close look at how blue crabs are processed. Nearby Oden’s Dock continues the seafood theme with constant motion as fishermen unload the day’s catch from their boats. The scene changes constantly and creates a strong photo opportunity.

#7 - Explore Jockey’s Ridge Sand Dune

Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head is home to the tallest living natural sand dune on the East Coast, varying from 60 to 100 feet in height and holding around 30 million tons of sand across 426 acres. People come to Jockey’s Ridge to fly kites, sandboard, take hang gliding lessons, or simply watch the dramatic sunset over the dunes.

#6 - Try Parasailing

For a birds-eye view of OBX marshes, beaches, and shoreline, parasailing behind a motorboat offers a high-up perspective. Riders are secured in a harness, and as the boat accelerates, the windy conditions lift the parachute into the air. While the boat moves along the shore, the coastline shifts below in a spectacular panorama. Captains may also add a splash, which makes for an energizing start to an early morning parasail outing.

#5 - Stroll the Duck Boardwalk

The one-mile-long wooded boardwalk sits in the center of town. Following the Currituck Sound, the path provides beautiful Sound views along with souvenir stores, art galleries, ice cream and fudge shops, and cafes. Duck Town Park includes 11 acres of natural scenery, trails, a play area for grandchildren, and an event amphitheater.

#4 - Visit Elizabethan Gardens

The Elizabethan Gardens on Roanoke Island are part of the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The gardens honor the brave English colonists and the first attempted settlement in the new world. Visitors will find statues of Queen Elizabeth, ornate walkways lined with flowers, 500 different species of plants, and more than 10.5 acres of gardens. In June, the hydrangeas appear especially beautiful, showing vivid shades and blends of blue, pink, magenta, and white.

#3 - Kayak Through the Marshes

Renting a kayak in the morning for a paddle through the Manteo marshland is a favorite OBX activity. Tandem kayaks can be rented directly on the Manteo boardwalk, with launching available just steps away. Guided tours are an option, though paddling independently at your own rhythm is also simple.

The route can begin near the bridge in Manteo Sound, then circle Roanoke Island Festival Park, an interactive historical recreation of the first English settlement in the United States. Paddlers pass near the Elizabeth II, the park’s main feature, within a site covering nearly 25 acres. The Elizabeth II represents one of the seven English ships from the Roanoke Voyage of 1585 to America.

The route also passes the small Roanoke Marshes Light, created to guide sailors through the shallow sound. Back on land, visitors can tour the charming lighthouse and walk the boardwalk nearby.

#2 - Go Hang Gliding

OBX is a memorable place to try hang gliding for the first time. Beginners have two choices: take a lesson and launch from the dunes with a small set of wings, or fly tandem with a trained pilot from heights ranging from 2,000 ft. up to one mile above the ground, with no experience necessary.

For the tandem option, a small ultralight plane tows the glider into the sky. At one mile high, the tow rope is released, and the glider begins to soar freely above Currituck Sound. One highlight is the chance to steer the glider personally. The experience feels more surreal than adrenaline-driven and is easy to recommend to nearly anyone.

#1 - Spend Time on the Beaches

The Outer Banks’ strongest attraction is unquestionably its miles of pristine beaches and wind-shaped dunes. Its four barrier islands create a stretch of golden sand that invites visitors to relax and explore. Cape Hatteras National Seashore regularly appears on top-beach lists, including America’s Top 10 Beaches by Dr. Beach.

The protected beaches of Cape Hatteras National Seashore are a favorite. The seashore runs more than 70 miles from Bodie Island in the north to Ocracoke Island in the far south and includes the infamous Graveyard of the Atlantic, known for dangerous currents and storms.

Where to Eat in OBX

The Outer Banks has many places for strong dining experiences. Favorites include:

Author

Luggage & Lipstick is by Patti Morrow, a freelance travel writer and founder of the award-winning blog Luggage and Lipstick and the regional blog Gone to Carolinas. TripAdvisor recognized her as part of a group of 20 Baby Boomer travel bloggers presented as having more fun than Millennials. Patti wrote the book Girls Go Solo: Tips for Women Traveling Alone and has more than 200 bylines in 40 print and online publications, including The Huffington Post, International Living Magazine, Travel Girl, and Ladies Home Journal.

Visit the 13 Best Outdoor Activities for Boomers in the Outer Banks page →