A Guide to Adventure Travel in North Carolina's Outer Banks

By Clay Abney
Apr. 09, 2021

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a beach-edged chain of barrier islands running for over 100 miles, and it could easily earn the nickname Adventure Capital of the Atlantic. Across the OBX, wind shapes towering dunes, wild horses wander, rare birds and other wildlife shelter in inland forests, and people get around by kayak, kite, and paddle as naturally as by road.

The region is built from small, historic towns and villages, and with only 50,000-some residents across the OBX, the pace rarely feels hurried or packed. The adventure, though, can move as quickly as you want it to. When the ocean, sand, and sky start calling, here are the ways to answer.

Take to the water and catch the wind

In the Outer Banks, the ways to get out on the water are as varied as the landscapes themselves. From creeks and estuaries to surfside and soundside waters, visitors can launch a kayak, canoe, standup paddleboard (SUP), kiteboard, pontoon, catamaran, or sometimes simply jump in.

For travelers chasing speed, this is a prime place to test kiteboarding and windsurfing. Ocean currents meet here, and the breezes they create make excellent conditions for catching the wind and lifting off. The Wright Brothers had good reason to bring their flying machines to this stretch of coast.

Anyone unsure about lessons will find plenty of outfitters, many of them used to helping complete beginners. The annual OBX-Wind Competition can also provide motivation — or prove that watching from shore is the better fit. For a week in November, professionals come together on open water for freestyle, slalom, and races to the finish.

Paddle through the quieter side of the Outer Banks

For a slower rhythm, the Outer Banks offers a network of waterways worth exploring by paddle. A few places consistently rise to the top:

• Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge includes over 15 miles of paddling trails. The routes are color-coded on the map, making it simple to pick a path and set out. Watch closely for black bears, bald eagles, rare woodpeckers, and the ancient, leathery animals that inspired the refuge’s name.

• Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches from Bodie Island to Ocracoke, with put-ins found along the Roanoke and Pamlico sounds. Around Bodie Island, scattered islands and marshes protect abundant local flora and fauna.

• Kitty Hawk Woods is one of the most pristine stretches of maritime forest left in the country, if not the world. Paddling a SUP along the four-mile High Bridge Creek, marshes, and estuaries can feel like a self-guided wildlife tour, with turtles, salamanders, hawks, ospreys, grey foxes, and muskrats to look for along the way.

Visit some of the country’s standout lighthouses

Some of the most iconic lighthouses in the United States stand along the North Carolina coast, and the greatest concentration in the Outer Banks. If a classic lighthouse comes to mind, it may well look like one found here.

Begin with a favorite: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, marked by its black-and-white barber-pole spiral. It is not the oldest in North Carolina, but it is the tallest brick lighthouse — on the continent. Although its history reaches back to the 18th century, the lighthouse was relocated to its current site in 1999.

Bodie Island Lighthouse, just south of Nags Head, uses horizontal black-and-white bands — bold patterns that help mariners identify lights from a distance. Standing guard over the dangerous waters known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic, it sits amid marsh and pine, which gives it a distinctly OBX character.

Both lighthouses are open for seasonal climbs in many years, typically starting in April. Check the individual sites for opening details, and remember that even standing beneath these coastal sentinels can be an unforgettable experience.

Hang-glide from the dunes

To get a sense of what the Wright Brothers may have felt when they first left the ground, head to Jockey’s Ridge State Park and try hang-gliding from its massive sand dunes.

A lesson with Kitty Hawk Kites lasts around three hours. You begin strapped in with your knees in the sand, then work up to a running start while guides help you build speed and lift into the air. Not landing on your feet at first is completely normal — and the sand makes for a soft landing.

Watch rare and endangered birds at dawn and dusk

North Carolina may call itself First in Flight, but the original aviators are everywhere in this region. More than 400 species can be found here, from familiar backyard birds to rare and endangered species. Bring binoculars to these wild places:

• Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge draws thousands of greater snow geese and many other migratory waterfowl in winter. Across the year, Pea Island hosts most of the Outer Banks’ 400+ species. Keep watch for rarities such as the piping plover, peregrine falcon, American oystercatcher, and least tern.

• Nags Head Woods Preserve is one of the largest remaining tracts of maritime forests on the East Coast. Its high sand dunes support large oak, hickory, and beech trees, creating an uncommon ecosystem. Birders can spot 150+ species throughout the year; in summer, look for colorful migrants from Central and South America, including prothonotary warblers and blue grosbeaks.

• Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, just over the bridge on the mainland, offers habitat for 250+ bird species, among them rare and endangered woodpeckers, short-eared owls, bald eagles, and tundra swans. It also holds one of the largest concentrations of black bears in the southeastern United States.

• Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, on the north end of Roanoke Island, is a good place to walk among forests alive with cardinals, finches, and chickadees. The 1.25 mile Freedom Trail commemorates one of the first Freedman’s Colonies of African Americans, founded nearby in the early years of the American Civil War as a place where runaway and emancipated former slaves could live free. At the trailhead, the William B. Umstead bridge becomes the summer roost for millions of purple martins, a popular dusk viewing as they return for the night.

Ride horseback through forest and beach

You may have ridden a horse through mountains, meadows, or vineyards, but riding across open sand into salty wind feels different — wilder and freer. Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve and Cape Hatteras National Seashore — America’s first, by the way — combine dense maritime forest with beach riding, and local outfitters guide trips through both landscapes.

Most tours run around two hours. Many operators set age and weight limits for rider safety and horse health, but prior experience usually is not required. If someone in the group can ride while carrying a camera, all the better.

Hike from woods and dunes to marsh and shoreline

After all those dunes, maritime forests, wildlife refuges, marshes, estuaries, and rivers, it should be obvious that nature has plenty of room to roam on The Outer Banks of North Carolina. Hiking trails are widespread too, and these spots are worth exploring on foot:

• Nags Head Woods Preserve combines history, wildlife, sand dunes, ponds, and marshes. The two-mile Sweetgum Swamp Trail adds a solid cardio element.

• Cape Hatteras National Seashore gives you the option to walk the beach as long as your legs allow, but the 4.5-mile Open Ponds Trail adds variety with interdune ponds and maritime forest.

• Sea Breeze Trail through Hatteras Village Park and the Duck Boardwalk are friendly for kids and strollers, with playgrounds, marsh and forest views, shops, and donuts to keep younger travelers engaged.

Fish through the afternoon

Step onto the 1,000-foot-long Jennette’s Pier, and the strength of the angling scene becomes obvious fast. The action is not limited to piers, either. Options include fly fishing, brackish fishing, charter fishing offshore and inshore, sound fishing, surf fishing, and more.

For a simple starting point, piers often rent gear and are covered under a blanket license. The season begins in March, when sea bass, bluefish, tuna, and snapper are common catches. If you head out independently, you will need a fishing license.

The best location depends on the style of fishing you want, as well as wind and weather. Travelers bringing their own gear and license may still want to book time with a guide who can point out what lies below the surface. Expect the possibility of trout, sea bass, striped bass, bluefish, tuna, white marlin, blue marlin, wahoo, cobia, king mackerel, flounder, snapper, grouper, crab, shrimp, bay scallops, and oysters.

Tip: If scallops and oysters have you thinking about fresh seafood, Taste of the Beach is worth considering. The event lasts three April days, with plenty of cracking, slurping, and sampling from favorite restaurants around the area.

Bike through preserves, forests, and beach towns

From Duck to Hatteras Island, bike paths seem to stretch for as many miles as the beaches. Nearly every town or village includes multi-use paths, while quiet back roads through farm country and wildlife preserves naturally invite exploration on two wheels.

Except for a few bridges, the Outer Banks are flat and family-friendly. The ride itself changes constantly, moving from sand to sound, forest to backwater marsh, boardwalk to beach and back again. One companion, though, is likely to stay with you almost everywhere: the sea breeze.

Author

Clay Abney is a freelance writer based in the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia. He spends his time trail running, mountain biking, hiking, and working when the mood strikes. At 49 (the new 29), he still competes in multi-day adventure races, enjoys putting gear through abuse, and travels to remote off the grid locations around the world. His full article is on Matador Network.