Sightseeing
History BuffBodie Island Lighthouse
FreeSee the black-and-white banded 1872 lighthouse over the marsh, and climb its 200-plus steps in season.
Nags Head, NC
Area guide · North Carolina, USA
Things to do in Outer Banks
Barrier island beaches, lighthouses and the site of the Wright brothers' first flight
- Sightseeing
- Sport & Outdoor
- Nearest airport: ORF, about 83 miles
Start here
Three to see first in Outer Banks
Sightseeing
IconicCape Hatteras Lighthouse
FreeSee the black-and-white spiral-striped brick lighthouse that was moved 2,900 feet inland in 1999.
Buxton, NC
Sport & Outdoor
IconicCape Hatteras National Seashore
FreeWalk miles of open Atlantic beach, visit three historic lighthouses and camp or fish along the Outer Banks barrier islands.
Buxton, NC
Every place
Everything in Outer Banks, on the map
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Sightseeing
History BuffBodie Island Lighthouse
FreeSee the black-and-white banded 1872 lighthouse over the marsh, and climb its 200-plus steps in season.
Sightseeing
IconicCape Hatteras Lighthouse
FreeSee the black-and-white spiral-striped brick lighthouse that was moved 2,900 feet inland in 1999.
Sport & Outdoor
IconicCape Hatteras National Seashore
FreeWalk miles of open Atlantic beach, visit three historic lighthouses and camp or fish along the Outer Banks barrier islands.
Sightseeing
History BuffCurrituck Beach Lighthouse
Under $25Climb 220 steps inside an unpainted red brick lighthouse for views of Currituck Sound and the Atlantic.
Sport & Outdoor
Outdoor AdventureJockey's Ridge State Park
FreeClimb the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic coast, fly a kite, try hang gliding or watch the sun set over Roanoke Sound.
Sightseeing
IconicWright Brothers National Memorial
Under $25Stand where the Wright brothers first flew in 1903, walk the flight line and climb to the granite monument.
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Nearby
More of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina Piedmont
The middle of North Carolina, from the Triangle and Greensboro to the Sandhills
North Carolina
Western North Carolina
Blue Ridge Mountain drives, a mile-high bridge and a steam train ride
North Carolina
More of North Carolina
A World War II battleship in Wilmington and the wild islands of Cape Lookout
About
About Outer Banks
The Outer Banks are North Carolina's barrier islands, with more than 100 miles of shoreline and villages such as Corolla, Duck, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Manteo and Buxton on Hatteras Island. Cape Hatteras National Seashore covers more than 70 miles of beaches and includes the black-and-white Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, one of the tallest in the United States. Visitors also find Bodie Island Lighthouse and Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head, the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, and the red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, lit since 1875.