Something for everyone

Nags Head is home to a wide range of attractions that highlight the natural beauty and history of the area.

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So Many Fun
Things to Do

Just off the North Carolina coast, there’s a trio of sliver-thin barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. Nags Head is perched on the southern end of the northernmost of the three islands, sandwiched between the towns of Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills to the north, and Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a 70-mile stretch of protected shoreline, to the south. The tiny beach town, which is home to fewer than 3,000 full-time residents, makes an ideal base camp for Outer Banks visitors. It’s a 10-minute drive from historic Roanoke Island (home to the Lost Colony) and is the closest of the northern Outer Banks towns to the freewheeling, laid-back Hatteras Island just south.

Only minutes from Manteo and other historic sights, Nags Head offers a little something for everyone. From stunning natural wonders to historic attractions, watersports to theatres and restaurants, you’ll always find something to do.

The Basics

THE HISTORY

NATURE

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DINING

VACATION YOUR WAY

The Beaches

One of the main attractions of the island town is its nearly 12 miles of sandy shores. With more than 30 public beach access points (12 of which have lifeguards), there's plenty of room to chill out and enjoy Nags Head's natural beauty. Beaches here are dog-friendly (as long as they're leashed), and stocked coolers are always welcome (just leave the glass at home).

Jennette's Pier

Come experience the longest public pier in North Carolina. At 1,000-feet long, Jennette’s offers anglers the opportunity to land various types of fish. From pig fish to flounder, blues to dolphin, Jennette’s has it all. The 16,000-square-foot pier house shops offer refreshments, tackle and gifts.

Jockey’s Ridge Sand Dunes

More than a million hikers, hang gliders and sightseers visit Jockey’s Ridge each year, the East Coast’s tallest sand dune.

The History

Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station

This well-known landmark, the first U.S. Lifesaving Station in North Carolina, was built in 1874 and is being restored; the 1911 Station is fully restored. Displays at the 1911 Station recount the station crews’ daring rescues. The Museum Shop is also on-site. The site is open April - December, Tuesday- Saturday 9am-5pm. Programs such as storytelling for all ages, crafts, knot-tying and more are offered daily.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

This 513-acre site gives visitors an understanding of England’s first attempt to establish a colony in the New World. There are reconstructions of the first colonists’ earthen fort and an Elizabethan-era room, exhibits, a short film and ranger-led program interpretations. Interpretive activities throughout the summer.

Wright Brothers National Monument

Exhibits and programs, a full-size replica of the Wright Brothers’ glider and 1903 airplane, and reproductions of their camp, workshop and hangar are the highlights of this National Park Service site.

Lost Colony Outdoor Drama

In 1587, 117 men, women and children sailed from Plymouth, England to begin a new life in a strange land, then disappeared, leaving a mystery that has never been solved. The Lost Colony is their story, told summer nights in a spectacle of song, dance and drama.

Roanoke Island Festival Park

Home of the Elizabeth II ship. History & Arts center celebrates the area’s heritage as the birthplace of English-speaking America. Enjoy ship tours, films, interactive exhibits, living history programs, arts shows, drama, dance and musical concerts. Open year-round; hours vary.

Elizabethan Gardens

Created as a living memorial to the Roanoke colonists, Elizabethan Gardens features 10 acres of spectacular gardens to wander and enjoy, .

Frisco Native American Museum

Exhibits and artifacts of Native Americans from across the US and Canada are packed into this educational and entertaining exhibit. Self-guided outdoor maritime trails, also for the visually impaired. Open daily, 11am-5pm, except Mondays.

Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum

Located in a restored 1900s-era house, the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum is a non-profit organization that works to preserve the island’s unique history and rich culture. Here, you can find permanent and rotating, indoor and outdoor exhibitions depicting life in earlier times on the island. The museum is also home to a research library that houses a vast book and photo collection as well as a gift shop.

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum

The long history or ships and shipwrecks in the area is captured in this museum, which features a fresh exhibit each year.

Bodie Island Light Station

The Bodie Island Lighthouse was first lit on October 1st, 1872. Tucked away between tall pine trees and freshwater marshland, the Bodie Island Light presents anything but a typical lighthouse setting. Though not as well-known as its neighbors, this functional lighthouse remains an important part of local history and a favorite spot for visitors.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse began service in 1875. The 158-ft. tower is open to the public. You can climb the tower (214 steps)! Children allowed. Admission fee used for restoration work. $6 anyone 8 or above, children 7 and under are free. Located off NC Route 12 in Corolla. Open daily 10am-6pm from Easter through Thanksgiving.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

Ocracoke is one of the oldest lighthouses on the East Coast. It was built in 1823 to mark the inlet at Silver Lake in Ocracoke Village. Grounds are open all year, but the lighthouse is not open for touring. No admission. Off NC Hwy. 12 on Lighthouse Rd. in Ocracoke Village.

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Watersports

Parasailing, surfing, jet ski rentals & tours, pontoon boats and tubing are a few of the water activities to enjoy here. Surfboards, skimboards and boogie boards as well as wetsuits are available.

Kayak & Standup Paddleboard Tours

Experience the beauty of Nags Head by water. Book a kayak or paddleboard tour with Outer Banks Kayak Adventures for a morning or moonlight paddle through the marshes of the Roanoke Sound and Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The outfitter also offers rentals if you want to explore the area's waterways on your own.

First Flight Adventure Park

Located at MP 16 in Nags Head, First Flight Adventure Park is designed for ages 6 and up and thrill seekers of varying levels. Enjoy the adventure of a lifetime by testing your mental and physical limits on 42 different obstacles and 6 ziplines up to 50 feet in the air.

Dolphin & Scenic Tours

There's no shortage of ways to explore the area's waterways. Dolphin watching is a popular activity, from the shore or in a guided dolphin tour.

Golf

Nags Head Golf Links keeps with true Scottish links tradition. The Bob Moore-designed course blends the Outer Banks natural windswept environment into a shot maker’s paradise. Coastal winds add to the challenge, prompting Golf Digest to call the Nags Head Golf Links “the longest 6,126 yards you’ll ever play.” Golf Digest went on to say the holes along the Roanoke Sound are “among the most beautiful in the Eastern U.S.”

Fishing

In Nags Head, anglers have their choice of public pedestrian beaches, 4WD beaches, three fishing piers, and the Albemarle and Roanoke Sound waters, as well as fishing charters. The combination of options has contributed to the town's legacy as a historically popular destination for anglers from all across the East Coast.

NATURAL WONDERS

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

In all its 75-mile, 30,000-acre glory, Cape Hatteras National Seashore extends from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island. The beaches are pristine and uncrowded, perfect for strolling, shelling, fishing and surfing. Birding and wildlife watching are year-round activities. Interpretive programs held by National Park Service rangers include evening campfires, beach walks, snorkeling and more. No admission fee.

Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve

Established by The Nature Conservancy to protect one of the last and most diverse maritime forests on the barrier islands. Walking trails provide access to the preserve’s 1,200 acres for the entire family. No admission fee to the preserve, but donations welcome. West Ocean Acres Drive off US Route 158, Kill Devil Hills.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

“Tracks in the Sand” nature trail highlights the area’s unique animals and plants. Guided hikes, lectures and activity programs for all ages.

North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island

The Aquarium features a daily dive show in the state’s largest tank complete with sharks and scale model of U.S.S. Monitor at 10:30am. See river otters, alligators or fishes being fed each day at 3pm. Stroke a stingray or learn about coastal storms. Open daily 9am to 5pm (closes at 6pm). Located on Airport Road, north end of Roanoke Island. Soundside picnic area, snack shack (summer only).

Wild Horse Tours in Corolla

Experience a truly remarkable encounter with the area's oldest and most beloved residents, the Wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs. Stranded on the Outer Banks for centuries, but still enjoying the laid-back beach lifestyle, these feral and wild creatures are tolerant of the visitors who visit their beaches for the warm sun, cool waves, and miles of space. Keep in mind, it is illegal (and dangerous) to approach within 50 feet of the horses.

Alligator River Wildlife Refuge

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has marked 13 miles of canoe and kayak trails and two half-mile nature trails in its 150,000-acre refuge off US Route 64 on the Dare County mainland. The refuge is a wetland habitat for a variety of waterfowl, alligators, black bears and red wolves. Public Red Wolf “howlings” done regularly throughout the year. Call for schedules, 473-1131. Maps available at refuge office in Manteo. Guided canoe tours available May-Oct.

Something for everyone

So Many Fun Things to Do

VACATION YOUR WAY

The History

GET ACTIVE

NATURAL WONDERS

Dining

There's no shortage of great food in Nags Head. These are a few of the restaurants we recommend.

So Many Fun
Things to Do