A vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina can be one of the best ways to spend your summer. Whether you have an interest in history, need to keep the kiddies entertained, or need a romantic getaway vacation, the spacious beaches, restaurants, and lovely vacation rentals available the Outer Banks will be sure to satisfy you. Look for some rentals near the beach and prepare yourself for one of these amazing activities.
For the History Buff
The Outer Banks is rich in American folklore. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is the tallest brick lighthouse in America and deserves a look. Nearby Kitty Hawk is the site of the first successful airplane flights by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903. Ocracoke Island is one of the few places in the United States that is actually officially British soil. British sailors died when the HMS Bedfordshire was wrecked nearby during World War II, and their bodies washed up on this island. The island’s citizens voted to donate the land for the graves and give it to Great Britain. They continue to tend it in honor of the dead. You can also visit Roanoke County, site of the mysterious disappearance of the Lost Colony. Sometime between 1587 and 1590, 128 British settlers sponsored by Sir Walter Raleigh disappeared from this colony. You can also learn about Edward Teach, or Blackbeard the pirate, the Outer Banks’ most famous resident.
For the Naturalist
The Outer Banks are still home to many wild ponies. These ponies are the descendants of Spanish Mustangs. The Mustangs survived shipwrecks as long ago was the 1500s, and have been roaming and reproducing in this area ever since. The Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island is also home to over 400 species of birds, and the sand dunes of Jockey’s Ridge State Park are the highest on the East Coast, with peaks that rise to 90 feet. If you want to enjoy the natural environment, a vacation to Outer Banks is for you.
For the Caster
The fishing available at the Outer Banks is second to none. There are over 70 miles of national seashore at Cape Hatteras and surf fishing can be practiced there by both the novice and experienced. Migrating game fish can be casted for at any time of the year. In the fall, surf fishing is particularly good if you’re interested in flounder, see mullets, black drum, and other fish. In the summer the Spanish mackerels, cobias, amberjacks, and other fish can be found throughout the area. For a fee, the fishing piers on Hatteras Island offer an even better experience, wonderful ocean views, and quite a few amenities. You can get rental equipment there and all the food you need to spend the day fishing. If you have family with you, Avon Pier is the perfect spot, as it is close to dining and restaurant as well as an 18-hole mini golf course with real grass, and plenty of refreshments.
For The Sportsmen (and Sportswomen!)
Watersports abound at Cape Hatteras, as do wind sports. In fact, it was winds that drew the Wright brothers to Kitty Hawk in the first place. Kite boarding, windsurfing, kayaking, and surfing vacations are a great way to spend your time in the Outer Banks. Rent a kayak to see all the natural beauty of the surrounding flora and fauna or to explore some of the waterways that enter the ocean here. The kite boarding at Pamlico Sound is some of the best, and most people can drive their gear and equipment straight up to the beach to experience some of the finest conditions anywhere on the East Coast. Windsurfing in the wide canals attracts windsurfers from all over the globe. The average annual wind speed is 20 mph, and Pamlico sound offers 30 square miles of space.
Whatever you prefer to do, the Outer Banks almost certainly has something for you. Come for yourself and see why the Outer Banks of North Carolina is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the United States.
