Outer Banks History, Mystery & Lighthouses Itinerary

Take in the Outer Banks from every angle with this 4-day route: history, an enduring unsolved mystery, a close look at maritime life then and now, plus shopping, views, local flavor and unexpected Outer Banks moments.

Day One

NA — Late afternoon arrival to the Outer Banks of North Carolina
Settle in at your Rental Property or Hotel. For dinner, pick from the area’s locally owned restaurants serving North Carolina seafood.

Day Two

8:00am — Breakfast
Eat at your hotel or rental home, or head to one of the local family restaurants for a classic southern breakfast.

9:30am — Elizabethan Gardens tour (1 hour)
Wander the grand gardens created as a living tribute to Queen Elizabeth and the Lost Colony. One standout feature is the impressive antique statuary collection. Afterward, your next stop is just next door.

10:45am — Fort Raleigh National Historic Site/Lost Colony Backstage Tour (1 hour)
At the north end of Roanoke Island, Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers and colonists tried to establish settlements in 1585. The site also includes the Roanoke Island Freedman’s Colony, recognized as an historic National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site. The Waterside Theatre is located here as well, and it is where the backstage tour of The Lost Colony, a symphonic outdoor drama, begins. Backstage tours must be arranged ahead of time.

12:00pm — Lunch and shopping on your own in Downtown Historic Manteo (2 hours)
Following lunch and shopping, gather at Roanoke Island Marshes Light and the George Washington Creek working Boat shop. The replica 1850s screw-pile light, which once protected nearby Croatan Sound, gives visitors a distinctive look into Roanoke Island maritime history and the lightkeepers who lived at the station. The working boat shop offers a look at the Ella View, an authentic shad fishing boat built from native Outer Banks trees and an example of the historic boat type developed more than a century ago on Roanoke Island. Both stops are free.

2:00pm — Roanoke Island Festival Park in Downtown Historic Manteo (1 hour)
See the Elizabeth II, a 69-foot sailing vessel representing the ships that crossed to the New World in 1585. The visit also includes the Roanoke Island Adventure Museum and Settlement Site, where the story of early explorers arriving on Roanoke Island comes to life.

3:30pm — Christmas Shop and Island Gallery in Manteo
Since 1967, travelers from nearby and far away have found the special charm of The Christmas Shop and Island Gallery and its 36 rooms of holiday fun. It remains an Outer Banks favorite.

4:30pm — Outlets Nags Head in Nags Head, NC
Browse more than 25 brand name manufacturer and designer outlet stores and shop direct.

5:30pm — Dinner
Select one of the locally owned restaurants featuring North Carolina seafood.

Evening — The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama at the Waterfront Theatre
Arrive for the evening performance, which begins at 7:30pm and runs approximately 2 hours. Experience Paul Green’s Pulitzer Prize winning symphonic outdoor drama, the longest in the country, telling the story of Sir Walter Raleigh’s 1587 expedition of three ships carrying English men, women and children attempting the first English settlement in the New World. Please note: The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama held during the summer months of June through August.

10:45pm — Return
Drive back to your hotel or rental home.

Day Three

Please note this will be a long day.

7:00am — Breakfast
Have breakfast at your hotel or rental home, or visit a local family restaurant for a good ole southern breakfast. The day’s route follows Cape Hatteras National Seashore, with highlights including Bodie Island Lighthouse, Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station, Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum.

8:30am — Bodie Island Lighthouse (45 minutes)
This 156-foot beacon entered service in 1872 and is marked with black and white horizontal bans. No-cost interpretive talks may be arranged through the National Park Service, and the grounds are also no-cost.

9:45am — Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
Stop at the Welcome Center. Located on the northernmost section of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, this 6,000-acre refuge is a one of the prime birding areas on the East Coast. More than 265 species of birds can be found here, including Canadian geese, snow geese and 25 species of duck during winter. Bird walks and additional programs may be scheduled in advance.

10:30am — Chicamacomico Life Saving Station (1 hour)
Explore the historic building and boathouse that served the organization that came before the United States Coast Guard. Learn about courageous ocean rescues carried out by men who devoted their lives to the sea.

12:30pm — Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (1 hour)
See the tallest brick beacon on the American coast, standing 208 feet high with its black and white stripes. Discover its remarkable story, including the half-mile move in 2000 that carried it farther from the ocean. The grounds have no admission charge. If time allows, visit the Old Gray House in Buxton on Light Plant Road, owned by locals and featuring local artists and crafters. The house has stood since the turn of the century and comes with plenty of neat stories. It is located before the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse entrance. Free gifts are available for group tour patrons.

1:45pm — Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry Terminal
Before lining up, make a quick stop at Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. Located by the ferry docks, the museum displays artifacts from historic shipwrecks, unusual beach finds and locally carved ship models. It is also a good bathroom stop before the ferry ride to Ocracoke Island.

2:00pm — Ferry to Ocracoke Island
Take the 45-minute free ferry to historic Ocracoke Island. This is where the famous pirate Blackbeard plundered many ships and was later beheaded by a British naval captain in 1718 in a slough off the island. Reservations are recommended but not required for this free ferry.

Lunch — Ocracoke
Have lunch on your own at a local restaurant such as Howard’s Pub.

5:00pm — Free Ocracoke/Hatteras Ferry back to Hatteras Village
If the earlier schedule did not allow time for Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, stop there on the return trip.

Dinner
Choose from one of the locally owned restaurants serving North Carolina seafood.

Day Four

7:00am — Breakfast
Eat at your hotel or rental home, or stop into one of the local family restaurants for a good ole southern breakfast.

8:45am — Jockey’s Ridge State Park (1 hour)
Visit the East Coast’s tallest sand dune and one of the Outer Bank’s most phenomenal natural attractions. Watch flight as it is still practiced on the Outer Banks with a hang gliding demonstration from Kitty Hawk Kites.

10:00am — Wright Brothers National Memorial (1 hour, 30 minutes)
Stand where, on a cold December day in 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright changed history as their powered airplane, the Wright Flyer, skimmed across Outer Banks sand for 12 seconds before touching down. Tour the new flight museum, which still includes exhibits from the First Flight Centennial Celebration.

12:30pm — Lunch and shopping in Duck

2:00pm — Currituck Beach Lighthouse at Currituck Heritage Park (1 hour)
Visit the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, described as the only lighthouse in North Carolina that is still housed in its original structure. Built in 1874, it rises 158 feet.

3:00pm — Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park (1 hour)
Tour a 1925 restored historic house museum that was built as a private residence by wealthy Philadelphia industrialist Edward Collings-Knight, Jr. Mr. Knight created this art nouveau styled home for himself and his wife, both avid waterfowl hunters.

4:30pm — Return
Head back to the hotel or rental home for rest and relaxation.

5:45pm — Dinner
For the evening meal, select one of the locally owned restaurants featuring North Carolina seafood.

Day Five

Depart the Outer Banks for your home port.