Looking for a secluded beach getaway? The Outer Banks belong at the top of your travel bucket list. This chain of barrier islands runs for 200 miles along the coasts of both Virginia and North Carolina. Each island offers a little something different, from the history to be found on Roanoke Island to the unspoiled natural beauty of Ocracoke Island. 

There’s scenic beauty everywhere you look in the Outer Banks. And because Outer Banks’ No. 1 industry is tourism, there’s no surprise that you’ll find plenty of people and places that can help you find even the most hidden gems on the islands. 

With so much to do and see in the Outer Banks, it can be hard to know just where to start. So, we’ve compiled our list of the absolute must-do things in the Outer Banks for you – from seeing the famous wild horses to going on your own horseback riding adventure. Add these awesome attractions to your Outer Banks bucket list, and you’re bound to have an incredible time exploring this one-of-a-kind destination!

15 Fun and Unique Things to do in the Outer Banks

1. Look for Wild Horses on a Guided Tour

Accounts of Spanish exploration attempts in the early 1500s state that horses were imported to the Outer Banks. Though the colony they attempted to create failed, the horses remained. Today, in Carova, Corolla, and Ocracoke, wild horses, likely descended from the horses that were imported, are fixtures on the barrier islands. 

These beautiful creatures are one of the best sights in the Outer Banks. And Wild Horse Adventure Tours can help you see them. You’ll climb aboard an open-air Hummer, which will lead you through the Carova outback to explore three distinct ecosystems. 

It’s a magnificent way to do some Outer Banks sightseeing and a surefire way to see the wild Spanish Mustangs. Your highly-trained guide will share stories of local legends, the history of the animals, and the area’s ecology. You’ll venture past other sights you won’t want to miss on your Outer Banks vacation, too, like the Whalehead Club and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse. 

In addition to the horses, you’ll also likely see dolphins from the beaches. You may also see foxes, deer, and other stunning creatures on your two-hour tour!

2. Explore Roanoke Island Festival Park

Although Jamestown is considered the first successful English settlement in what would be the United States, another colony was built 23 years prior on the shores of Roanoke Island. And it remains one of the country’s greatest mysteries. 

Today, you can explore the history of this disappearing colony at Roanoke Island Festival Park, one of the best things to do in the Outer Banks. Costumed historical interpreters will help take you back to 1585 to see what life was like for those attempting to make their way in the new world. It’s a living museum that will make you feel like you’ve gone back in time to the dawn of a new nation.

Play Elizabethan games and get to know the townfolk at the Settlement Site. Play captain or help the sailors set the sails of the Elizabeth II, a recreation of one of the English merchant ships from the Roanoke Voyages. 

Explore Algonquian culture and learn their farming techniques at the American Indian Town. And discover even more chances for hands-on learning at the Adventure Museum. 

3. Cruise around Looking for Dolphins

There are tons of dolphin cruises around the Outer Banks, and that’s because there are tons of dolphins to see along these beautiful islands. Although bottlenose dolphins can be found in the waters of the Outer Banks year-round, you’ll find them in the sound, between mainland North Carolina and the Outer Banks, between May and October.

During those months, going on a dolphin cruise is one of the coolest things to do in the Outer Banks. When you take a tour with Kitty Hawk Kites, you’ll go on a search for wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphins with real researchers on your journey.

Biologists run these tours as a part of their research for the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research. While you take in the sights and sounds of the Outer Banks’ waters, you’ll see how these biologists conduct their research and learn about fascinating discoveries from their decades of studies. 

This two-hour tour on a 40-foot pontoon boat takes you around the Roanoke Sound, where bottlenose dolphins frequently appear during these months. In fact, some dolphins just can’t resist saying hello. You may just meet Rake, Scarlet, and Onion on your tour!

4. Take a Kayaking Tour

You could always rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard to explore the many beautiful bodies of water, but taking a kayaking tour is a great way to ensure you don’t miss anything. A kayaking tour is one of the best ways to see the sights of the Outer Banks. Outer Banks Kayaking Adventures offers many different tour options, whether you’re looking for scenic views or a heart-pounding adventure.

Kayak or stand-up paddleboard through Kitty Hawk’s maritime forest and marsh on a relaxing tour through the trees. There’s also a shortened version of this tour for children. Or go for something more thrilling by seeing where the alligators call home and kayak among them through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.

End the day by kayaking or stand-up paddleboarding around the marshes of the Roanoke Sound and Cape Hatteras National Seashore at sunset. Or paddle by the light of the full moon and the bioluminescence in the waters around the Outer Banks. You can also kayak or stand-up paddleboard around Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Roanoke Island, and the Oregon Inlet.

5. Visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial

Wilbur and Orville Wright may have called Ohio home, but it was in Kitty Hawk in the Outer Banks that the two first took flight. After four years of failed experiments, they had their first successful flight in the Outer Banks in 1903, forever changing the world with the invention of flight. 

Today, you can visit a memorial dedicated to the duo at the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks. This memorial offers a great learning opportunity for adults and children alike. 

Visit the First Flight Boulder & Flight Line to see where Orville and Wilbur first took off and where they landed. Check out the Reconstructed 1903 Camp Buildings, where you’ll find a rebuilt hangar and living quarters to see what life was like for the Wright Brothers during their experiments.

You’ll also find the Wright Brothers Monument, which commemorates their successful invention, as well as the December 17, 1903 Sculpture, an artistic representation of the moment their invention took flight. For more information on the Wright Brothers’ life and journey, the Wright Brothers Visitor Center, a National Historic Landmark, offers interactive exhibits that will bring their story to life for you. 

6. See ‘The Lost Colony’ at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Over at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, you’ll take a walk through history as you revisit the actual site of the doomed Lost Colony of Roanoke. But the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site takes you through history beyond the years of the Lost Colony. Here you’ll learn about the cultural heritage of the Native Americans, European Americans, and African Americans who lived on Roanoke Island. 

In the Lindsay Warren Visitor Center, you’ll find interactive exhibits on the Algonquian, the English, the Roanoke Island Freedmen’s Colony, the Civil War Battle of Roanoke Island, and radio inventor Reginald Fessenden. Throughout the historic site, you’ll also find a number of monuments to explore, like one commemorating the birth of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in North America.

There are multiple trails to take to explore the historic site. Take the Freedom Trail to enjoy scenic views and step through time in the areas where the Freedmen’s Colony and Civil War forts once stood. Or take the Thomas Hariot Trail for a shorter stroll through the maritime forest and learn about how the Algonquians gathered food.

One of the best things to do in the Outer Banks is at this historic site. Take in the country’s first and longest-running outdoor drama when you enjoy The Lost Colony at the Waterside Theatre. 

This impressive theater puts on a performance of this play nightly between Memorial Day and Labor Day. If you’re visiting outside of that time frame, you may still catch a show, as the theater often hosts a number of plays, musicals, and other performances throughout the year.

While you’re visiting the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, don’t forget to stop by the Elizabethan Gardens. Explore the wooded paths as you take in the charming sights, like the beloved sunken garden. Each season brings about a new natural display, so the Elizabethan Gardens always offer something new when you visit. You’ll also find workshops, working gardens, and camps here to help you and your little ones hone their gardening skills and learn more about the natural world.

7. Spend a Day at the Beach

Unlike many other areas of the US, you can swim in the waters around the Outer Banks long after summer comes to an end. Although you might not want to go jumping in during the middle of the winter, it’s not uncommon to see people in the water well into fall or early into spring. 

So, there’s a good chance you’ll have great weather for a beach day. And you have plenty of beaches to choose from!

Nags Head Beach is one of the most well-known beaches on the barrier islands. Here you’ll find tons of space for sunbathing while the water has perfect conditions for everything from swimming to jet skiing. 

Hatteras Island, a part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, is known for its 70-mile-long shoreline, offering you anything you could want. There are lively spots perfect for watersports, but there are also more secluded spots for intimate gatherings.

Corolla Beach often has few crowds, but the sand is a beautiful white, the water is calm, and you just might see some wild horses on your beach day. For an even lesser-known gem, stop by Coquina Beach, an undeveloped section of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It’s a great place to go snorkeling, surfing, fishing, and partake in other watersports.

8. Go Hang-Gliding off the Dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is where you’ll find the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic Coast. It’s also home to one of the most fun things to do in the Outer Banks! Hike up the sand dunes for a one-of-a-kind sunset or fly a kite in the breeze.

You can go hiking and enjoy some stunning views along the trails. Or head into the wetland area, where you can swim, paddle, kiteboard, or windsurf on the Roanoke Sound.

But one of the coolest things to do in the Outer Banks is going hang gliding off the dunes. Kitty Hawk Kites, which has a station inside the park, offers dune hang gliding lessons to anyone as young as four. A beginner class runs about three hours long. You’ll start with ground school, where you’ll learn the basics of hang gliding and the equipment you’ll use. 

Then you’ll head to the dunes, where a trained instructor will ready you for launch. When you’re ready, you’ll run into the wind and take to the sky. A basic lesson includes five flights for each participant. Soaring above the dunes is hands down one of the best ways to do some Outer Banks sightseeing!

9. Enjoy the Animals of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Located along Pea Island, the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is another one of the best Outer Banks attractions if you love getting outdoors and seeing local wildlife. This refuge was established in 1938 to provide a habitat for migratory birds, protect endangered species, and allow the community to enjoy all the wildlife the Outer Banks has to offer.

Wildlife watching is one of the biggest attractions at the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, but there’s much more to do in this protected area. You can go fishing in the ocean and sound, go boating in the sound, or go on a photo frenzy in this supremely photogenic place.

There are also multiple trails to explore, ranging from easy to moderate, so most hikers will find walking here to not be too difficult. And because this location is so great for bird-watching, you can go on a bird walk along the trails every Friday all year round. During the summer, the park typically also offers canoe tours, which are two-hour journeys through the marshes, islands, and creeks of Pamlico Sound. 

The park also has many educational programs throughout the year. Most are free, though some require advanced registration. Although the park is big on bird protection, it also protects a number of endangered species, like loggerhead sea turtles. 

During the park’s Turtle Talks, a trained guide will teach you all there is to know about turtles and how we can better protect them. These talks happen throughout the summer.

10. Go Horseback Riding on the Beach

You may be able to see wild horses in Corolla, but it’s over on Hatteras Island that you can go horseback riding yourself, which is easily one of the best Outer Banks activities. You’ll ride along the coast, taking in the salty sea air as you gallop across the sand!

Equine Adventures provides beach rides along the south end of Hatteras Island, allowing you to explore these breathtaking surroundings in an exciting way. You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the maritime forest of Frisco before you take to the beach, with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse off in the distance. 

Tours vary by comfort level. Your guide can help you take a leisurely pace by the water’s edge, or you can learn to canter and feel the wind rush past you. Rides are available for anyone over the age of 10 and under 200 pounds. You can go on either a morning or afternoon ride all year round.

11. Take a Ghost Tour of the Historic Whalehead Club

What’s the story of that beautiful yellow mansion on the Currituck Sound? Set on 39 acres, this building housed the Knight family in the 1920s. Mrs. Knight was unwelcome at the all-male hunting clubs. So, what did her husband do? He built his wife her own 21,000-square-foot mansion by the sea.

Today, the Whalehead Club mansion has become a museum. Throughout the year, you’re welcome to go inside on a tour, where you’ll see much of the antique decor that once surrounded the Knights. On select nights in November and December, you can take a candlelight tour through the house. 

But the coolest tour option and one of the most unique things to do in the Outer Banks is taking the Legends, Lore, and Ghost Tour. This tour is held Wednesday evenings and invites you into the Whalehead Club to see a different side of the estate. 

Numerous people have experienced unexplainable happenings here, from someone who felt his leg being grabbed on the second floor to people claiming to smell cigar smoke coming from Mr. Knight’s portrait.

But perhaps it’s not just the Knights in their old home. In the summer of 1933, just like any other year, the Knights came to the Whalehead in October for their winter retreat. Three weeks later, they left abruptly and never returned. Did something make them go? Perhaps you’ll uncover the secrets of this scenic escape.

12. Step Back in Time at the Island Farm

Want to see history come to life? Then, you’ll love visiting the Island Farm. Located just north of Manteo, the Island Farm is one of the coolest attractions in the Outer Banks and a bit of a hidden gem. 

It’s centered around a restored 1847 homeplace, recreating what life was like on Roanoke Island before the Civil War. On-site interpreters bring the Island Farm to life, allowing guests to engage with the past.

Daily programming brings visitors into the farm’s everyday events. Watch the blacksmith work, learn about traditional agriculture techniques, see how meals were made for the family, feed the animals, make your own wool, and much more. Events are happening all the time, from days meant to help homeschoolers learn to workshops teaching how to cook the crops grown on the land.

13. Stroll through the Outer Banks Arboretum & Teaching Garden

Speaking of hidden gems, you’ll love the tranquility of the Outer Banks Arboretum & Teaching Garden, one of the best Outer Banks attractions. This location flies pretty under the radar, but it’s a great place to visit during your visit.

It’s free and open every day of the year from sunrise to sunset. With accessible trails, a sensory garden, a composting demonstration area, native plants, and lawn test plots, there’s tons of beautiful nature to explore in this picturesque garden.

The Outer Banks Arboretum & Teaching Garden also features a stop on the Butterfly Highway, a statewide conservation restoration initiative that strives to restore natural pollinators to areas impacted by urbanization. 

Get up close with the butterflies and learn more about their role in the ecosystem. For even more learning opportunities, be sure to check out the Master Gardener volunteers’ Arboretum Garden Series.

14. Journey through the African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina

If you love soaking in history on your vacations, the African American Experience of Northeast North Carolina is one of the must-do things in the Outer Banks. This self-guided tour invites you to dive deeper into the contributions of the Black communities of North Carolina. 

Although the tour goes all around Northeast North Carolina, several stops are along the Outer Banks. Visit Miss Chrissy’s Oak and uncover the story of a woman who spent her life as the cook on the land that now holds the Island Farm.

See the Herbert Collins Boathouse at Collins Park, dedicated to the last Keeper of the Pea Island Lifesaving Station, the only all-Black US lifesaving station. Visit the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum to learn more about this incredible crew and how they lived.

15. Explore the Iconic Lighthouses

Visiting the lighthouses of the barrier islands is one of the most unique things to do in the Outer Banks. These picturesque landmarks are staples of the islands, and there are five to explore.

Over in Corolla, you’ll find the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, which looms high over the trees with its black top and brick-colored body soaring into the sky. This climbable lighthouse offers quite the view.

In Nags Head, the Bodie Island Lighthouse, sporting black and white horizontal stripes, peers high above the wetlands. It’s also open for climbing.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest Outer Banks lighthouse and the tallest brick lighthouse in the US. With black and white stripes, it sits atop a picturesque landscape of green. It’s an excellent place for photos, but for the best shots, you’ll want to climb to the top.

The white Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island is the second-oldest lighthouse still operating in the US. Its grounds are open to visitors, but it’s not climbable.

The smallest Outer Banks lighthouse is the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse in Manteo. This river lighthouse is no longer climbable, but you’ll find a visitor’s area inside the main building, offering interactive displays about the history of the area. 

There you have it! The 15 best things to do in the Outer Banks. What’s your favorite thing to do in the Outer Banks? Let us know in the comments!

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