Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Outer Banks

As the audio guides play commentary based on your gps location, you can create your own itinerary along the tour route to match your interests and schedule.

In terms of structure, Bodie is a twin to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse at the far northern end of the Outer Banks. The Bodie Island Light Station has a distinct paint job: horizontal black and white stripes. That helped mariners back in the day know which lighthouse they were looking at - and it also helps us take really great photos! One of the most awesome things to do here or at any lighthouse is to climb it. There’s a season for climbing, but lucky for us, it coincides with visitor season. The view from the top is epic, to say the least.

As well as being the tallest brick lighthouse in the country, the Cape Hatteras Light Station is painted with a memorable, black and white candystripe design. If available, it's fun to climb the lighthouse. Also see where the building was relocated from and tidelines keep rising. You may even recognize the lighthouse as a location often first-battered by hurricanes threatening to make landfall along the coastline. Also in the area, be sure to check out the towns of Hatteras and Buxton, and the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is worth a few fascinating hours.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a stretch of approximately 70 miles south of Nag's Head. Much of it is natural, and sometimes a little wild, but it's a beautiful drive to explore. Though we will enjoy some longer sections of zero development, there are seven small towns heading that way including Rodanthe, Avon, Buxton and Hatteras Village. We have a couple of very cool lighthouses at Bodie Island and Cape Hatteras itself. Driving this way is a great day out, with lots of space on open beaches and it's definitely less crowded feeling than the towns to the north. If you enjoy beachcombing for shells - that's the way to go.

This is the end of the road driving as far north as we can on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Beyond seeing where the pavement meets the sand, there are several cool things to see including the Currituck Lighthouse and associated historic buildings like the lightkeeper's residence. From a more gilded time - the Whalebone Club was once a somewhat decadent seeming duck hunting lodge. And the protected waters of the Currituck Sound are well worth enjoying - the Whalebone Club is a good place to do that.

Of the towns north of Kitty Hawk, Duck enjoys a true town center-feeling unlike the others. It's well worth exploring and taking some time to walk the waterfront boardwalk - that extends into the water in many places.

Way back in the 1580s, an English colony was established at the north end of Roanoke Island. It only lasted a few years before the colonists disappeared without a trace, and to this day, we really don't 100% know what became of them. You can visit the site where their fort stood, learn about their lives and disappearance, then watch The Lost Colony, the longest-running outdoor drama in America, which tells a dramatic interpretation of the events surrounding the mystery of the failed colony.

There are 3 excellent piers that jut out into the Atlantic Ocean along the Outer Banks. Jennette's might be the most famous and is located at Nag's Head. Having been rebuilt 3 times - the last time in concrete - the pier is lovely for a short stroll, or for a slightly higher activity level - a popular place to fish from. Fishing equipment and bait are available right at the pier. You'll also find a small aquarium at the location too. For a taste of local flavor, opposite the Pier is Sam and Omie's - a tavern/diner that is an OBX favorite for its decor, food and tradition. It started out as the place the fishermen would take their breakfast before heading off to work.

Sand dunes and their specialized environment are unexpectedly fascinating, and Jockey's Ridge has 2 places to explore. The Visitor Center is accessed right from the Croatan Highway and features a boardwork through the low dunes - but you should also get your toes into the sand. Also be sure to visit the Jockey's Ridge Sound Access location. This gives you the best of both worlds - explore the dune environment, but also access some lovely sound-side beach areas where you can cool off. If you go a little further, you'll find you might have more space all to yourself.

there are many other things to enjoy on Roanoke Island, which is on the sound-side of Nag's Head. Manteo is quite the lovely waterside town with a charming, historic feeling and loads of galleries, stores and dining options to explore. Enjoy the boardwalk too - you'll see that the town becomes like a magnet for folks who want a relaxing end to their day. Further along the island is the highly experiential North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island - an excellent outing at any time, but a fantastic option on a rainy day. Other great experiences to seek out on the island include the historically restored Island Farm, the gorgeous Elizabeth Gardens over by Fort Raleigh, and calling in to the National Wildlife Refuges Visitor Center to plan your own little adventure. And finally - there's the Mothervine, a plant you may have never imagined. You'll be tempted to make this 5 minute detour as we tour - no spoilers.

Located in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Rodanthe is most recognizable of the 3 intermingled towns, including Waves and Salvo, and Avon further to the south. It's a uniquely beautiful drive just to get there. We'll cross some very long and impressive bridges on the way and don't be surprised if the beach sand is trying to reclaim the road. The area is popular for regular surfers and kiter-boarders, and the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station is a celebration of the brave souls who risk hazardous seas to save those on ships in distress.

On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, the Wright Brothers successfully launched four powered flights that day, making history as they proved mankind could break the bonds of gravity and fly. You can stand on that very ground at the memorial - or even better, you can walk the exact flightpath from the day that changed the world forever. The memorial and visitor experience is a not-to-be-missed highlight for your visit to the Outer Banks.