Visit The Outer Banks

20 Things to Do in Manteo, NC on Roanoke Island

By Outer Banks Visitors Bureau on Feb. 19, 2025

Manteo sits at the center of Roanoke Island and serves as a hub for visitors to the Outer Banks. This picturesque coastal town borders the protected waters of Shallowbag Bay and offers a mix of waterfront experiences, local businesses, history, food, and outdoor activities. Here are 20 ways to spend time in Manteo, NC.

#1 — Explore the Aquarium

374 Airport Rd, Manteo, NC 27954

Roanoke Island is home to one of the four North Carolina Aquariums. In addition to indoor aquatic exhibits, visitors can explore the pollinator habitat garden, rain garden, carnivorous plant garden, maritime forest restoration area, soundside pier, and other outdoor displays. Aquarium residents include alligators, otters, sharks, jellyfish, sea turtles, stingrays, hermit crabs, sea urchins, and seahorses. Tickets must be purchased online in advance.

#2 — Visit Fort Raleigh

1401 National Park Dr, Manteo, NC 27954

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site marks the location of the very first known English colony in the New World from 1584-1590. The site preserves Roanoke Island’s cultural heritage. At the Visitor’s Center, learn about the Lost Colony, Native Americans, Battle of Roanoke Island, Freedmen’s Colony, and Fesseden’s Radio Experiment. Historic trails offer another way to experience the area’s past. Fort Raleigh does not require any fees or daily passes.

#3 — Spend Time at Elizabethan Gardens

1411 National Park Dr, Manteo, NC 27954

Elizabethan Gardens features botanical landscapes, a butterfly garden, a kids nature play area, and statues of Queen Elizabeth I and Virginia Dare. Explore 1320 square feet of gardens while enjoying the surrounding natural setting. Tickets are recommended in advance, though admission is also available at the door.

#4 — Play Ace Run Disc Golf Course

North End Park, U.S. 64, Manteo, NC

Ace Run gets its name from the short length of its holes. Some players have completed multiple Aces during a single pass through the nine hole course. The layout makes an enjoyable, quick outdoor competition for friends and family.

#5 — Stop at the Wildlife Refuge Center

100 Conservation Way, Manteo, NC 27954

The Visitor Center grew from a long-time dream shared by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, refuge supporters, and wildlife advocates throughout the Outer Banks and eastern North Carolina. It represents eleven national wildlife refuges and one national fish hatchery, encouraging visitors to discover each of them.

#6 — Experience Roanoke Island Festival Park

1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC 27954

Roanoke Island Festival Park includes hiking trails, shows, concerts, and other events. Tour a replica of the Elizabeth II Ship, the vessel used by the first colonists to sail to the New World, and learn how those early settlers lived. A waterside hiking trail continues to the amphitheater, where concerts and many other events take place. Festival park’s website provides current dates, events, and admission ticket information.

#7 — See Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

End of the pier on the Manteo Waterfront, Manteo, NC 27954

Also called Marshes Light, Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse stands in the middle of downtown Manteo. Walk along the boardwalk to the lighthouse and discover its history. The interior is open Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.

#8 — Visit the Maritime Museum

The Maritime Museum presents a NC Shad boat and early commercial fishing exhibit featuring the 1883 Shad boat Ella View. Additional displays explore regional boat building. Educational programs cover the use, construction, and celebration of traditional watercraft along with related maritime activities.

#9 — Enjoy a Local Meal

Downtown Manteo has many locally owned restaurants within easy walking distance. Visitors can find places for a snack, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with plenty of local food to choose from.

#10 — Shop with Local Businesses

Locally owned shops line the streets of Manteo. Browse the General Store, Coastal Outfitters, Downtown Books, and a variety of other small boutiques.

#11 — See a Film at The Pioneer Theatre

113 Budleigh Street, Manteo, NC 27954

The Pioneer Theatre opened in 1918 and remains a historic part of the Manteo community. Showtimes and tickets are available through its website, and tickets can also be purchased at the door.

#12 — Rent a Kayak from Kitty Hawk Kites

307 Queen Elizabeth Ave, Manteo, NC 27954

Kitty Hawk Kites & Adventures offers activities throughout The Outer Banks. With 11 different locations, including Manteo, it provides options for individual adventures or outings with the entire family.

#13 — Take a Dolphin Tour

400 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo, NC 27954

A dolphin tour boat operates from the downtown Manteo marina. Take a trip across the Albemarle Sound for the chance to see dolphins in the wild.

#14 — Join a Walking Tour

Choose a Ghost, History, Rum, or Self Guided Walking Tour through historic downtown Manteo. The walks share the stories and events that have shaped the town.

#15 — Have Fun at Jump Master’s Trampoline Park

728 US HWY 64Manteo, NC 27954

Jump Master’s features open jump trampolines, a foam pit, and a ninja obstacle course. Visitors who prefer a different challenge can try the newest attraction, Urban Axe Throwing.

#16 — Explore the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum

622 Sir Walter Raleigh St, Manteo, NC 27954

The Pea Island Cookhouse Museum interprets the history of America's only all African-American U.S. Coast Guard station, the Pea Island Lifesaving Station. A commemorative statue honors Richard Etheridge, the nation's first black officer in charge of a Lifesaving Station. From 1880 until the station was decommissioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in 1947, its crew risked their lives to rescue victims and cargo along the Outer Banks. Memorabilia, artifacts, relics, and photographs illustrate life in the Lifesaving Service.

#17 — Visit Island Farm

1140 US-64, Manteo, NC 27954

Island Farm is a living history site that interprets everyday life on Roanoke Island in the mid-1800s.

#18 — Tour the Dare County Regional Airport Museum

410 Airport Road, Manteo, NC 27954

The Outer Banks is known for being the first in flight. At the local airport museum, learn more about the area’s aviation history. Aerial tours also provide views of Jockey's Ridge, The Wright Brothers Memorial, and the iconic Bodie Island Lighthouse.

#19 — Attend Festivals & Events

Manteo’s calendar includes a range of community festivities. Some of the town’s distinctive events include:

#20 — Discover Downtown Manteo on Foot or by Bike

Manteo offers many paths, avenues, boardwalks, and roads to explore by bike or on walking trails.

Visit the Manteo NC Things To Do | One-Day Travel Guide page →