About the Outer Banks of North Carolina
Also commonly known as, "OBX", the Outer Banks of North Carolina are a nearly 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands. These North Carolina beaches attract millions of tourists each year. The islands cover approximately half the northern North Carolina coastline, and are comprised of intricate eco-systems ranging from salt marshes and estuaries to desert-like areas of shifting sands.
Many consider the Outer Banks the “quintessential beach towns” and find allure in the unspoiled natural terrain and wide sandy beaches. Still, the miles of uncrowded, pristine beach is not the only thing brings vacationers back year after year. From friendly local restaurants, gallery shopping, world-class fishing and boating, jet-skiing, and surfing -there is something here for everyone! Also, the Outer Banks is a bike rider’s and runner's dream come true--beautiful scenery, relatively flat with miles after mile of interconnecting paved bike paths. It is possible to ride or run from the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla to Bodie Island Light in South Nags Head, and except for some short stretches, never be on the main road!
The lighthouses that line the shoreline of the Outer Banks are another part of the fascination of the area--for this is a place that is rich in history. The lighthouses are the most visible evidence of that, yet there are stories dating back to the first European settlers (The Lost Colony), and archeological digs are unearthing even earlier stories. Even more recently, there are the 20th century tales of the Wright Brothers, the explosive growth of the Hunt Clubs along the Outer Banks sounds and Cape Hatteras National Seashore which was established in 1953.
It’s a place where pirates once roamed and wild ponies still play, where adventure is still possible and romance thrives. All in all, a pretty complex place, yet for all of that, life on the Outer Banks seems to move to a slightly slower beat. Come find out for yourself at one of our Outer Banks, North Carolina beach rentals!
Learn More About the Outer Banks:
- Off Road Vehicle Use - Cap Hatteras National Seashore
Outer Banks Communities at a glance:
COROLLA
- Nestled in beautiful Currituck County
- Sparsely populated community, predominantly vacation homes (Enjoy isolated stretches of beach in the off-season)
- Home to wild horses, miles of pristine beaches, and upscale shopping and dining complexes
- Plenty of luxurious vacation rentals: perfect for the whole family, or even multiple families, since most of the homes are larger with multiple bedrooms and plenty of oceanfront to go around
- Nearby: Historic Currituck Lighthouse, Whalehead Club at Currituck Heritage Park, Currituck Club Golf Course
- Head North to Carova (off the main highway only reachable by 4-wheel drive) and find a region full of preserved wetlands, woods, raw wildlife and beautiful natural beaches to explore.
DUCK
- Town named for the many water-loving birds in the area
- No public access beaches means miles of the amazing, uncrowned coast (Duck beaches have been ranked among the top in the nation)
- Community of friendly neighbors and fellow vacationers
- Seven-mile long, multi-use path for Pedestrians, bicyclists, and in-line skaters
- Quiet & charming- Famous for its unique boutiques, specialty stores, and day spas (including some of the top food and wine destinations on the Outer Banks)
- Watersports are big at the beach and Currituck Sound on the west side of the island -perfect for jet skiing, parasailing, or any other water sport. Plenty of outfitters to rent gear from
KITTY HAWK & KILL DEVIL HILLS
- Plenty of public beach access on the Atlantic
- Great boating and fishing in Kitty Hawk Bay
- Kayak and multi-use trails in one of the last intact maritime forests of coastal North Carolina in the Kitty Hawk Coastal Preserve
- For the golfers: Duck Woods Country Club or the Sea Scape Golf Course
- Kill Devil Hills is famous for being the birthplace of flight (Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, made their historic first flight in 1903). Now site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial
- Take a stroll on the Avalon Pier for some fishing and family fun
- Lots of local & chain restaurants, shopping plazas, go-cart riding, miniature golf courses. Lots of action for the whole family to enjoy
Kitty Hawk Vacation Rentals AND Kill Devil Hills Vacation Rentals
NAGS HEAD
- Access to miles of public beaches
- Jockey's Ridge State Park (the tallest natural sand dune system in the Eastern United States): try hang gliding, take a stroll through a park or a wooded trail to soundside beach
- Rentals from large luxury homes to simple old nags head style waterside cottages
- Swimming, surfing, sunning, beachcombing, snorkeling to see the famous shipwrecks, taking a bike ride through the town bike path.
- Shopping: Tanger Outlet mall, Gallery Row, Surf shops
- Jennette’s Pier, 1000-foot long fishing pier uses state-of-the-art ‘green’ technology with power producing wind turbines. Houses live aquarium exhibits
- Houses in South Nags Head back up to Cape Hatteras National Park, with the famous Bodie Island Lighthouse a short drive south
- Across the Sound is historic Roanoke Island with live performances of the oldest outdoor drama, The Lost Colony
