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Enjoy the view from the Frisco Pier at Hatteras Island.
Surf’s up at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Every evening is better when experienced around a campfire.
Laughing gulls fill the air with their calls.
If you’re lucky, you’ll see white-tailed deer.
open-air Waterside Theater. The celebrated show written by Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Green has run longer than any other such performance in the U.S. The depiction of Roanoke Island’s lost settlers—complete with original music, elaborate sets, and costumes—captivates audiences throughout each summer season (late May through late August). If you are planning to attend a Lost Colony performance, reserving tickets in advance is recommended. Also at the Fort Raleigh site, the Elizabethan Gardens serve as another colorful tribute to the first 16th century English colonists who dared to brave the perils of the NewWorld. If you like strolling on shady paths surrounded by magnolias, camellias, yellow daffodils, and pansies, the Elizabethan Gardens is an all-season botanic treasure for your must visit list. Antique statues of Queen Elizabeth I and Virginia Dare stand regally among rhododendrons, fragrant roses and gnarled oak trees. There are even special hideaways for hummingbirds and butterflies. CapeHatteras National Seashore An hour south of the gardens, the town of Buxton is the home of America’s first oceanside preserve—Cape Hatteras National Seashore. You can expect to see peeling waves, sun-kissed beaches, maritime forests, and starry nights at Hatteras. Piping plovers, sea turtles (in summer), white- tailed deer, and harbor seals (in winter) cohabit at the park. Fish are plentiful in the sound, off the beach and down under the deep blue sea—in the “Billfish Capital of the World.” Be sure to plan for other outdoor pastimes like surfing, paddling, sailing, windsurfing, hang-gliding, and hiking. There’s upbeat underwater news for scuba enthusiasts, too. Carolina’s coast is called “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” because of more than 2,000 ships lost at sea off the battered shores of Hatteras. Scuba divers stream to the area to explore shipwrecked remains on the ocean floor.
At the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (circa 1870), hikers can go vertical on a 268-step spiral staircase that twists all the way to the top. The reward for your walk up-up-up the stairs of the famed black and white sentinel is an awesome seabird’s perspective of the luminous shoreline and deep green forests of the Outer Banks. A two-story museum housed in the historic lightkeeper’s wood-framed quarters features photographic exhibits of shipwrecks on deadly Diamond Shoals and tall tales of Blackbeard, the most infamous local pirate. Catch a Ferry to Ocracoke To explore the quieter side of the Outer Banks, you can board a ferry that makes 40-minute runs from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island. The complimentary ferry operates on a first-come, first-served basis. When you debark at the peaceful village of Ocracoke, you can explore some of the Outer Banks’ most unspoiled beaches. Take time to observe a herd of shaggy wild ponies that live protected within Ocracoke National Seashore’s boundaries. Other nominally-priced ferry connections tie various Outer Banks islands with the mainland. Reservations are advised for these routes. Legally roadworthy RVs of any length or combination are permitted on all the ferries, provided adequate parking space is available. At the end of a long day of sun, surf, and sightseeing in this vacation paradise, nothing tops a delicious meal. The Outer Banks offers one of the greatest varieties of restaurants in the Carolinas. Whether you’re craving fresh-caught seafood, authentic Southern barbecue, sizzling steaks, or fresh- baked veggie pizza, you won’t be disappointed. Likewise, shopping enthusiasts visiting the Outer Banks can choose from a dizzying array of specialty stores, souvenir shops, and boutiques that match every style and budget. Anytime is a great time of year to visit NC’s Outer Banks!
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