Stretching off the coast of North Carolina, the Outer Banks is a string of barrier islands and spits in the Atlantic Ocean. The area is renowned for its stunning beaches, historic lighthouses and submerged shipwrecks that have seen the surrounding waters nicknamed the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”.
In Jockey’s Ridge State Park, you’ll find one of the tallest sand dunes on the United States Atlantic coastline, from where you can experience the thrill of hang gliding. A short drive south is the black-and-white striped Bodie Island Lighthouse, which has been guiding ships along the Outer Banks since 1848.
At Roanoke Island Festival Park, you can journey back to the 16th century to learn about the settlement of the Outer Banks and the lifestyle of the Algonquin people. Want to learn about the Wright Brothers’ associations with the Outer Banks? Visit the 18-metre monument of an airplane tail that celebrates their first flight here in 1903.
Getting there
Norfolk International Airport is around 1.5 hours’ drive from the Outer Banks and has flights to destinations across the United States. Renting a car is the most convenient way of getting to the Outer Banks and exploring the islands.