Watch the Charter Boats Come in with Their "Catch of the Day"Both Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Inlet have fleets of charter boats that take excited fishermen into the gulf stream to catch the fish of their dreams. Can't afford to go on a charter boat? Don't have sea legs and don't want to experience life on the water? Try going to the docks in the afternoon when the charters come in. You will see tired, sunburned (and happy) fishermen, whistling mates and captains and hundreds of pounds of the tuna, wahoo, mackerel, dolphin and other choice catches of the day. See the people who caught them and watch the mates clean them in the fish cleaning stations. Experience a small part of the charter fishing experience without spending a dime! For daily information on times of charter returns, contact the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at (800) 272-5199, Oden's Dock (Hatteras Inlet) at (252) 986-2555 or Teach's Lair Marina (Hatteras Inlet) at (252) 986-2460. Take Your Kids To a Local Educational CampBecause of the various educational opportunities for children on the Outer Banks, several local organizations offer partial-day and full-day camps, most of which last five days. Organizations that have kids' camps are as follows: The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at (252) 473-3493, The KDH Cooperative Gallery at (252) 441-9888, The Kitty Hawk Sports Kids Kayak Clinic at (252) 441-6800, The Outer Banks Family YMCA at (252) 449-8897, Dare County Parks and Recreation at (252) 473-1101, ext. 313, Dare County Cooperative Extension at (252) 473-1101, ext. 442, Ocean Atlantic Rentals Surf School at (800) 635-9559 and Club Hatteras Kids at (252) 995-4600. These programs will be fun for the kids while they learn about various aspects of the Outer Banks. Go Swimming in the OceanA favorite pastime on the Outer Banks is going swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. Many people like to feel the wet sand between their toes, dive into the waves or even ride boogie boards on the waves as they go onshore. If you aren't a strong swimmer and aren't familiar with tides, don't go out too far because the ocean can be very dangerous. If you have children, make them wear life jackets and keep your eyes on them. Some of the Outer Banks beaches are protected by lifeguards, but many of them are not. Also watch for sea creatures like stingrays, jellyfish and sharks. Use caution and stay safe! Take an Adventure Tour To See the Corolla Wild HorsesThe very northern tip of Corolla is home to about 60 wild horses that freely roam the 15,000 acres between this northern edge of Corolla and the Virginia State Line. No one knows for sure how the horses arrived on the Outer Banks, but many believe they came to the area with early European explorers. Adventure tours are available to see the horses either via suburban or via all terrain vehicles (ATVs). To experience the tour in a suburban, contact Wild Horse Safari at (252) 453-0877 or Bob's Off Road Wild Horse Adventure Tours at (252) 453-8602. If you are the more adventurous type and would rather view the horses from your own ATV, contact Corolla Outback Adventures at (252) 453-4484 or Back Country Outfitters & Guides at (252) 453-0877. However you decide to view the horses, remember they are wild, and you should stay at least 500 feet away, and do not feed or touch them. Visit the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station in CorollaThe Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station was originally built in Kill Devil Hills in 1878 when lifesaving stations were located every 7 miles along the Outer Banks. This station was visited by the Wright Brothers during their many trips to the Outer Banks. Many of the original workers of the Kill Devil Hills Lifesaving Station assisted the Wright Brothers with their early flight experiments, and some were lucky enough to be there to view the world's first powered airplane fly through the sky. The station was moved to Corolla in 1986, where it was restored and is the current home of the local shop, Outer Banks Style. Take time to stop and visit this unique structure of Outer Banks history! Go Beachcombing For ShellsBeachcombing for shells, also called shelling, on the beaches of the Outer Banks is an activity enjoyed by all. The best times to look for shells are after a high tide, after a storm, in the morning and during the winter months. When picking up shells from the sand, make sure you check first to make sure nothing is still alive inside the shell. If the shell you choose is the home to a live sea creature, set him back in the sand and keep searching. After you are done with your beachcombing, don't forget to soak the shells in bleach water or another cleaning agent. Even if the shells you choose are empty now, they had something living in them at one time and need to be cleaned before you pack them in your suitcase. Take a Flightseeing Tour with Coastal HelicoptersCoastal Helicopters offers flightseeing tours, photography and videography flights over the beautiful Outer Banks. You will enjoy panoramic views from the sky with an FAA Certified Commercial Helicopter Pilot when you take your air tour with Coastal Helicopters. The helicopter is a Robinson R-44 Raven II and offers a safe, smooth ride to accompany the unparalleled views. A few attractions that can be seen from the air include Wright Brothers National Monument, Jockey's Ridge State Park, Wild Banker Ponies, Oregon Inlet, Cape Hatteras National Sewashore, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Bodie Island Lighthouse, and more! Call Coastal Helicopters today at 252-928-8074 for more information. Ride Go-Karts with Your Friends and FamilyWhile you are on the Outer Banks, take the kids (or the adults!) for some go-kart riding. There are a few tracks to choose from and any of them are sure to provide lots of fun and laughter. The Colington Speedway in Kill Devil Hills has three tracks to choose from and can be reached at (252) 480-9144. Dowdy's Amusement Park is located in Nags Head and can be reached at (252) 441-5122. Finally, on Hatteras Island, Frisco Mini Golf & Go-Karts also offers a track for your enjoyment and can be reached at (252) 995-6325. Visit the Wright Brothers National MemorialOn December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright (otherwise known as the Wright Brothers) soared in their homemade flying machine for more than 852 feet, staying in the air for 59 seconds. They were the first to get a powered airplane to fly in the sky. In 1932, a granite monument was built in their memory on a steep hill in the center of Kill Devil Hills, which is the same monument thousands of visitors visit each year. The site is managed by the National Park Service and there is also a visitor center, gift shop and museum. Tours and summer programs are available. Admission is $4 for adults and free for children 15 and under. For more information, contact the Wright Brothers National Memorial at (252) 441-7430. Take a Red Wolf Howl Tour at Alligator River National Wildlife RefugeLocated on the Dare County mainland west of Manteo on Highway 64, you will find the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of 150,000 acres of wetlands, fields and swamps. A variety of animal species call the refuge home, including black bears, white-tailed deer, gray fox, bobcats, raccoons, mink, beaver, squirrels, opossum, river otter, alligators and red wolves. Though they are a threatened species, red wolves have made a comeback in this part of North Carolina, thanks to careful management since the 1980s. Night tours to hear the red wolves howl are given every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the refuge from late June through mid-August. For more information, contact the refuge at (252) 473-1131, ext. 243. | Kill Devil Hills RestaurantsGoombays Grill & Raw Bar1608 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Mako Mike's 1630 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Pearl Oceanfront Fine Dining 1731 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Little Caesar's Pizza 1704 N Croatan Highway Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Subway Sandwiches & Salads 1704 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 New York Bagels 1708 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Good Life Gourmet 1712 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Cold Stone Creamery 1716 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27949 Subway Sandwiches & Salads 1726 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 China King 1728 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Jolly Roger Restaurant & Bar of Kill Devil Hills 1836 N Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC Stop-N-Shop Beach Shop, Deli & Wine Shop 100 S Virginia Dare Trail Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Kill Devil Hills ShoppingNorth Carolina Books1500 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Fashion Bug 1700 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Sheperd's Pets & Grooming 1700 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Sports Locker 1706 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 The Good Life Gourmet 1712 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Food Lion 1720 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Pilpel Beach Shop 1724 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Staples 1720 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Dollar Tree 1730 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Hairoics 1736 N Croatan Highway The Dare Centre Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Atlantic Dance Studio & Boutique 1742 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Great Cakes! of the Outer Banks 1401 Harpoon Court Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks AttractionsAvalon Fishing Pier2111 N Virginia Dare Trail Milepost 6 Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Wright Brothers National Memorial 800 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Woods Preserve & The Nature Conservancy 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 North Carolina Coastal Land Trust 701 W Ocean Acres Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Nags Head Fishing Pier 3309 S Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959 Dock of the Bay Marina 4200 Bob Perry Road Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 The North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve 983 W Kitty Hawk Road Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 Jockey's Ridge State Park 300 W Carolista Drive Nags Head, NC 27959 Oregon Inlet Fishing Center 98 NC Highway 12 Nags Head, NC 27959 The Kitty Hawk Pier 5353 N Virginia Dare Trail Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 The Lost Colony 1409 National Park Drive Manteo, NC 27954 North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island 374 Airport Road Manteo, NC 27954 Outer Banks ActivitiesProfessor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf1600 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Atlantic Dance Studio & Boutique 1742 N Croatan Highway The Dare Center Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 R/C Theatres of the Outer Banks 1803 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Junior Lifeguard Program 2052 New Bern Street Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Garden of Beadin' 2200 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Glazin Go-Nuts Paint Your Own Pottery 2200 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Daredevils 100 Veterans Drive Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Destination Fun 1217 S Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Outer Banks Fishing Charters 200 Quail Lane Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Colington Speedway 1064 Colington Road Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Paradise Golf & Arcade 3300 N Croatan Highway Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 Coastal Helicopters, LLC PO Box 715 Nags Head, NC 27959 |