10 Activities to Add to Your Outer Banks Summer Bucket List

Need something to do in the Outer Banks this summer? We've got you covered. Be sure to check these locals' favorites off your bucket list!

1. Jockey’s Ridge - Perch yourself high atop the East Coast's highest sand dune, and watch a one-of-a-kind sunset at Jockey's Ridge. This 426-acre park has the largest natural living sand dune on the East Coast. Two self-guided trails and nature programs available year-round. Hang gliding, kite flying, hiking, visitor's center, small gift shop, museum, picnic facilities, and restrooms.
    
2. Wright Brother’s National Memorial - Enjoy the newly remodeled visitor center and the interactive activities and exhibits on aviation, historic preservation, and STEAM-based activities (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) provided by local and regional partners. Once inside the newly renovated visitor center, visitors will embark on a journey through the lives of Orville and Wilbur Wright, exploring their characters, diving into problems they solved and the methods they used that ultimately led to their first flight on December 17, 1903. Inside the Flight Room, visitors will once again be able to view the reproduction 1903 Wright Flyer - the flyer that made history during the first flight - along with a brand new 16-screen video wall!
    
3. OBX Lighthouses - The lighthouses that grace the shores of the Outer Banks are some of the most iconic and historic lighthouses in the United States. Used to help guide ships through the treacherous and dangerous waters of the Atlantic Ocean, these lighthouses dot the shoreline. There is never a bad time to visit the Outer Banks lighthouses!
    
4. Roanoke Island Maritime Museum - At the Museum, a NC Shad boat and early commercial fishing exhibit features the 1883 Shad boat Ella View, as well as exhibits on regional boat building. Education programs focus on the use, construction and celebration of traditional watercraft and related maritime activities.
    
5. Visit Locally Owned Restaurants - Outer Banks is known for our independent and locally-owned restaurants, so be prepared to try something new and delicious. From seafood specialties to steak, pizza to beach barbecue, every tasty meal has its place here.
    
6. Reel in your own catch at Jennette's Pier or hop a charter boat for the Gulf Stream and go after world-class game fish. Now, after years of planning and twenty-four months of construction, Jennette's has reemerged in 2011 as a one-of-a-kind educational ocean pier. The Aquarium-operated complex will feature educational classrooms and programs, alternative energy demonstrations, live animal exhibits, meeting facilities, a snack bar and tackle shop, and a host of other displays and features for good family fun with great fishing too! 
    
7. Outer Banks golf courses - If the ocean breezes and beautiful landscape weren't enough, you can enjoy year-round golfing at the fairways in the Outer Banks region. Play around at one of seven coastal golf courses gracing the OBX and admire maritime forest and the Atlantic as you putt your way around the area.
    
8. The Elizabethan Gardens - Located within Fort Raleigh National Historic Site next to The Lost Colony’s Waterside Theatre, The Elizabethan Gardens encompasses ten acres of botanical and sculptural delights.
    
9. The wild horses of the Outer Banks are a wonderful sight and an amazing thing to experience when visiting our area. The Outer Banks is one of the few places in the United States where wild mustangs roaming free. Enjoy the scenery and admire these majestic horses as they wander the sand dunes.
    
10. Duck Boardwalk - While in the beautiful Outer Banks, make sure you visit the Duck Boardwalk. From beautiful sights to fun shops, you’ll enjoy your day spent at this fantastic Outer Banks boardwalk. A visit to the Duck Boardwalk is definitely one of the best things to do in Duck, North Carolina!

For more trip ideas, visit: https://www.outerbanks.org/things-to-do/