A Day Trip To North Carolina's Outer Banks

Located a little over an hour south of Virginia Beach lies North Carolina's Outer Banks. Made up of several small townships including Nags Head, Manteo, Corolla, Duck, Cordova, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island, the Outer Banks is geographically described as the chain of barrier islands that run from the Virginia/North Carolina border south 200 miles to Hatteras Island. To the East lies the Atlantic Ocean and to the West lies the Currituck Sound. The area provides visitors with a plethora of activities, so why not take a trip South for a day?

As you travel to the Outer Banks from Virginia Beach you will receive views of the Virginia and North Carolina backcountry. Along the way there are numerous farmers' markets that are overflowing with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, pies, and other homemade delicacies. Pick up some makings for a picnic and keep moving. Once you reach the sound you'll encounter the Wright Memorial Bridge. The bridge provides a view of the sound and is quite magnificent at either sunrise or sunset.

Once on the Outer Banks, the activities your family can partake in are endless. Since the outer banks runs a span of 200 miles, one can see that there are plenty of spots for beach activities. There is swimming, kite flying, sea-shell picking, body boarding, kayaking, fishing, sand castle building, and the area's biggest water sport, surfing. Surfing is an integral part of the Outer Banks as noted by the numerous surf shops lining Highway 12. Stop by any one of them and pick up your gear and head out to one of the many great spots for surfing, including Duck Pier, Avalon Pier, Kitty Hawk, First Street, and Rodanthe just to name a few. If you don't know how to surf, that's ok; many of the surf shops offer group and individual lessons so you can go with your whole family, or get some one-on-one instructions to become the next Kelly Slater.

At the Northern end of the outer Banks you'll encounter a 4-wheel drive beach where you can drive your 4x4 vehicle right on the beach for miles. This beach also serves as a wildlife refuge for herds of wild horses that have inhabited the Outer Banks since the Spanish explorers brought them to the region 500 years ago. If you don't have a 4 wheel drive vehicle you can sign up for an expedition with one of the safari outfits that specialize in wild horse tours.

For a more serene experience at the Outer Banks, head south to the Pea Island Natural Wildlife Preserve for a day of exploring the rolling dunes and wide expanses of beaches. Just south of the Oregon Inlet, the Pea Island Preserve is nearly 6,000 acres of land for you and your family to explore. Perfect for a picnic, wildlife watching, photography, bird watching, and fishing, the Preserve can fulfill your desire for a quiet day on the beach away from the crowds.

Kitty Hawk is known as the birthplace of flight and lies just a few miles South of Nags Head. It's given this description because the Wright Brothers of Ohio successfully flew the first powered aircraft from the dunes of Kill Devil Hills. For the history buffs out there, this is a great place to go and see the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

One of the most iconic attractions in the Outer Banks are the lighthouses that line the coast. There are 5 different lighthouses: Bodie Island Lighthouse, Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Ocracoke Lighthouse, and The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. These lighthouses are beautifully painted and maintained and offer tours to the top and provide a glimpse into the navigational methods before GPS. They also provide visitors an expansive view of the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound. They are a definite must see!

As you can see North Carolina's Outer banks provide plenty of activities for you and your family to partake in during a day trip from Virginia Beach, and some families even make the trip an annual event, visiting a new attraction each year!