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Take a Photography Adventure with Your Camera

Instead of purchasing postcards to take home with you as souvenirs of your Outer Banks vacation, take a photography adventure with your own camera. Whether you choose to photograph the various Outer Banks lighthouses, different species of birds, sunrises and sunsets, boats or any of the other many highlights of the Outer Banks, the natural beauty is sure to come through in your photographs. You can take your original photographs home and show them to all of your friends, or frame them and hang them in your house so you will always have a reminder of the Outer Banks!

Feed the Birds on the Beach

There are many species of sea birds that call the shores of the Outer Banks home. They normally eat fish, sea kelp and other interesting things that may wash onshore. One afternoon, buy a couple loaves of bread and head to the beach. There may be only a few birds in sight when you arrive, but throw some bread out to them and watch as the birds multiply in front of your eyes. If you are afraid of birds, you may not want to try this, because they LOVE food and aren't afraid to get too close to you!

Play or Watch Others Play in the Waters at Canadian Hole

Canadian Hole is a public area located 1.5 miles south of Avon on Hatteras Island. Windsurfers and kiteboarders who travel to the Outer Banks from around the world spend most of their vacation playing in the Pamlico Sound waters at Canadian Hole. If you are driving by this location on a windy day, pull into the public parking area and take some time to relax and watch the surfers and boarders. Many of them are very talented at their sports and are fun to watch. If you can catch this area near sunset, it is a great photo opportunity with the sails in the sky and the sunset in the background.

Watch the Diamond Shoals Band at the Frisco Jubilee

In the small theater at Red Drum Pottery in Frisco, the Diamond Shoals Band plays their music on Thursday nights from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. from the end of May through Labor Day each year. The Diamond Shoals Band began in 1990 and their music is a blend of folk and bluegrass. The theater seats about 72 people and ticket prices are $12. For more information, contact the band at (252) 995-5757.

Have a Great Dinner at Windmill Point Restaurant

If you want a great meal and an elegant atmosphere, Windmill Point Restaurant is the place for you! Located on the south side of Nags Head at Milepost 16.5 on US Highway 158, Windmill Point offers great views of the sound at sunset. If you are a history buff, you will love the various memorabilia from the 1950s ocean liner SS United States and the upstairs lounge that is modeled after the one on the ship. For a dining experience to remember, visit Windmill Point Restaurant! For reservations, call (252) 441-1535.

Tour the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island

Located on Roanoke Island, the North Carolina Aquarium is a 68,000 square-foot facility with a "Waters of the Outer Banks" theme. Visitors see a variety of marine communities including coastal freshwaters, wetlands, estuaries, roadside ditches and the Gulf Stream. A main attraction at the aquarium is the Graveyard of the Atlantic tank, which holds 285,000 gallons of saltwater and is home to sea turtles, sharks and almost 1,000 other sea creatures. The aquarium is open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily (except for Christmas and New Year's Day.) Prices are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and active military personnel, $5 for children ages six to 17, and kids five and under are free. For more information, contact the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at (252) 473-3494.

Visit the Deserted Portsmouth Island

Portsmouth Island is a small, deserted island just south of Ocracoke Island. Though it was once inhabited, now Portsmouth Island has no residents and is accessible only by boat. There is a 2-mile trail that leads from the village to the beach. Wilderness camping is allowed, but don't forget your insect repellent! For more information on the Island, contact Cape Lookout National Seashore at (252) 728-2250. If you would rather have a guided tour, Portsmouth Island ATV Excursions allows you to ride the shores of this island and visit its attractions. Two trips are offered each day and cost $75 per person. For more information, contact (252) 928-4484.

Visit Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth II

Visible from Historic Downtown Manteo's waterfront, the Roanoke Island Festival Park and the Elizabeth II ship is one of the largest attractions on the Outer Banks. The Park opened in 1998 as an educational, historical and cultural arts complex and teaches visitors about the evolution of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Elizabeth II ship was built in 1983 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first English settlement in America. The park is open year-round and admission is $8 for adults, $5 for students and free for children under five. For more information, contact the Park at (252) 475-1500.

Try Your Luck at Crabbing

Crabs can be caught in local sound waters from late spring into early fall, but the best months for crabbing are May, June and July. Crabbing can be a fun activity for both adults and children and is relatively simple. You need a length of cord with suitable bait tied to one end. Chicken necks or fish heads work well for enticing the crabs onto your line. Throw the bait into the water, wait a few minutes, then pull gently on the line to see if you have a crab nibbling on the other end. Some more experienced crabbers prefer to use circular crab nets and collapsible crab traps. When you are done, boil your catch, and enjoy! If you prefer not to eat your catch, it is also fun to catch and release them back into the water.

Go Boating in the Atlantic Ocean or One of the Local Sounds

There are several docks and marinas located throughout the Outer Banks to accommodate a range of boat sizes, from small skiffs to large pleasure boats. Space is limited during the summer months, especially on the weekends, so be sure to call ahead for slip reservations. Thousands of visitors bring their boats to the Outer Banks each year, but if you don't have your own boat, some area businesses do offer powerboat rentals. For information on marinas and dock space, a few options are the Dock of the Bay in Kitty Hawk at (252) 255-5578, Oregon Inlet Fishing Center at (252) 441-6301, Frisco Cove Marina at (252) 995-4242 or Teach's Lair Marina in Hatteras at (252) 986-2460. For boat rentals, contact The Promenade Watersports in Kitty Hawk at (252) 261-4400 or The Waterworks in Nags Head at (252) 441-8875.