The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a 130 mile stretch of barrier islands, beginning at the Virginia border and extended about halfway down North Carolina’s coast.  The northern beaches, including Carova, Corolla, Duck, and Southern Shores, as well as the historic towns of Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills offer a variety of accommodations, museums, restaurants, and shops.  

To the south of Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head has been a leading resort area along the Outer Banks for decades.  With beautiful vacation rentals and pristine beaches, Nags Head is a favorite destination for those seeking a relaxing vacation, as well as the more adventurous.  Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head is home to the east coast’s largest natural sand dunes and is also the ideal place to try hang gliding.  While there are no campgrounds in Nags Head, there are plenty of bed and breakfast inns, cottages, and hotels, including some oceanfront accommodations. 

Nags Head is the southern most town on Bodie Island, which make up the northern portion of the Outer Banks.  The Cape Hatteras National Seashore begins just south of Nags Head, including another famous Outer Banks lighthouse, the Bodie Island Lighthouse.  This lighthouse is not open for entry, but there is a nature trail, gift shop, and a museum in the caretaker’s house.  The first National Park Service campground along the Outer Banks is also located nearby.  The Oregon Inlet Campground offers 120 beach camping sites for both tents and RVs.   

The entire expanse of Hatteras Island is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore so it is the least developed of the Outer Banks islands and possibly the most beautiful.  No more than a mile wide, this natural island is made up of 7 unique villages and begins with the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, a popular resting spot for more than 300 species of migrating birds. 

There are several campgrounds on Hatteras Island.  Whether you’re looking for a peaceful tent site on the beach or a family campground with a swimming pool, each of Hatteras Island’s 7 villages has something to offer.  There are National Park Service campgrounds located near Frisco, as well as by the Hatteras Lighthouse, and numerous private camping facilities with a variety of amenities.  If you plan to tent camp on the Outer Banks, you may want to bring a Coleman mosquito net to protect yourself from the large summer mosquito population on the islands.

Hatteras Island of the Outer Banks also features a variety of hotels, inns, and cottages, as well as condo and vacation home rentals.  The beautiful shores are the main attraction of this portion of the Outer Banks.  Visitors can enjoy all sorts of water activities on the peaceful sounds, as well as the crashing waves of the ocean.  Kayaking, canoeing, parasailing, and jet skiing are all popular choices or you may just want to search for shells and enjoy the beach.