If you’ve ever seen one of those oval-shaped car decals with the letters “OBX” and wondered what they stand for, it’s the Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands along the upper coastline of North Carolina.
Those decals originally contained different country codes and, in many respects, the Outer Banks might as well be a foreign land. Natives pronounce words differently than visitors do. Perhaps that’s because until the mid-20th century, the Outer Banks was accessible only by boat. Some islands still are reachable only by ferry.
Once the bridges came to the northern islands, so did the tourists — slowly at first, later in droves. Unlike most barrier islands which hug the shoreline, the Outer Banks are far from the mainland in some spots. The often treacherous waters off these narrow, weather-beaten spits of land have been called “the graveyard of the Atlantic” due to the number of shipwrecks and lives lost at sea since the earliest colonists first landed on these shores.
Don’t Miss
Historic lighthouses
Between Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the town of Corolla are the “famous four” lighthouses that have helped provide safe passage for ships since the antebellum era. Each is worthy of a visit, if only for a photo op. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, erected in 1870 to replace the 1794 tower damaged in the Civil War, is the tallest lighthouse in North America, according to the National Park Service. Visitors can climb to the top between late April and Columbus Day. The Ocracoke Island light is the second oldest operating lighthouse in America. Bodie Island Lighthouse (pronounced “body”) is similar in design to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, except the thick black and white stripes on the Bodie tower are horizontal rather than barber-pole diagonal. The unpainted, red brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse is the northernmost light station on the Outer Banks, with steps to the observation platform open between the week before Easter and Thanksgiving weekend.
Wild horses
These Colonial Spanish mustangs used to roam freely throughout the Outer Banks — most recently in Corolla (pronounced “Cor-ah-la”) — before the herd was relocated farther north, away from car traffic that has killed at least 20 of the animals. The horses now reside in a nature preserve on the expansive and remote northern beaches that are accessible only by off-road vehicle. Several companies in Corolla offer tours to see these wild creatures up close, but it is illegal to come within 50 feet of them. Wild mustangs frolicking in the sand is a sight most people will never see, and this is one of few places on the continent that offers such an experience. If you’d like to help contribute to the effort to keep the herd safe, you can take the “Trip of a Lifetime” tour with the official herd manager through the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, a nonprofit organization that has worked on behalf of the horses since 1989. The tour is offered with a membership, (prices start at $250), but you’ll be guided by the foremost expert on the horses and helping out a worthwhile cause to boot. www.corollawildhorses.com
The Lost Colony at Waterside Theater
In the late 16th century, the first British colonists arrived in the New World and settled on Roanoke Island and then mysteriously disappeared. An outdoor play at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, where the original settlement was located, has been re-imagining the colonists’ story since the late 1930s to great acclaim. It’s a full-on production, complete with musical numbers, multiple set changes and high-caliber talent. Even the locals come back year after year to experience the pageantry. 252-473-3414; www.thelostcolony.org
Wright Brothers National Memorial
The Outer Banks have witnessed many firsts, but this one made it onto the license plate: “First in Flight.” The dune in Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk where the famous flight took off in 1903 is still there, but it has shifted a few hundred feet since then due to constant winds. Vegetation was planted to keep the dune stable, and it’s now capped by a monument. There’s a museum filled with displays that tell the whole story — and then some — concerning the importance of what happened at this site. 252-441-7430, www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm
If you go
Take I-85 North to I-40 into Raleigh, N.C. From Raleigh take U.S. 64 to the Outer Banks. It is about 600 miles from downtown Atlanta.
Where to stay
● Sanderling Inn Resort. Stylish, old-school Outer Banks resort on 12 acres of oceanfront property offering rooms in three different inns as well as guest houses. The Sanderling also features a robust collection of Granger McKoy sculptures. Rates start at $149, houses at $600. 1461 Duck Road, Duck. 800-701-4111, www.thesanderling.com
● Scarborough Inn. Affordable, small, family-run inn in the town of Manteo on Roanoke Island. Each room is furnished with antiques and also offers private baths and microwaves. Rates start at $45 in the off-season, $85 in-season. 524 Highway 64, Manteo. 252-473-3979, www.scarborough-inn.com
Where to eat
● The Lifesaving Station. Located in a historic house that was once a rescue station for the U.S. Life-Saving Service (precursor to the U.S. Coast Guard), this nautical themed restaurant is on the grounds of the Sanderling Resort and open to the public. Entrees $9-$25. 1461 Duck Road, Duck. 1-800-701-4111, Ext. 127, www.thesanderling.com /dining / lifesaving-station/
● The Blue Point. Gourmet Southern fare and seafood served in classic diner-style environs on Currituck Sound near the lighthouse. Entrees $8-$33. 1240 Duck Road, Duck. 252-261-8090, www.goodfoodgoodwine.com
Tourism information
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. 252-473-2138, www.outerbanks.org
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