History & Culture

Who was Blackbeard and what does he have to do with the Outer Banks?
Keep reading for a swashbuckling journey back to the 1700s and the Golden Age of Piracy.

For visitors to the Outer Banks who have traveled along Highway 158 through Nags Head, Jockey’s Ridge—the massive mound of sand that sits along the sound side of the island—is virtually impossible to miss. Towering 100 feet tall and extending across an area of more than 420 acres, Jockey’s Ridge State Park has been a popular destination for tourists and Outer Banks locals for decades.

One of the most spectacular areas on the Outer Banks is Carova Beach, an undeveloped set of beaches only accessible by vehicles with 4-Wheel Drive. Visit the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge, which can only be reached by 4WD or boat, where you can see 13 acres of untouched beach, maritime forest, and brackish marsh, making it the perfect place for photographers, hikers, and anyone who wants to enjoy the untouched beauty of the northern Outer Banks.

Read on to learn more about the old Bonner Bridge, the new Marc Basnight Bridge, and what the bridge’s completion means for your vacation.

The Glenmere beach access in Kill Devil Hills is home to the Little Red Mailbox. There, you can find a notebook with letters of hope and inspiration.

If you’ve ever been driving down US Hwy 158, noticed a remarkable granite structure towering among the dunes and thought to yourself, “Wow, that’s incredible,” you’re not alone. Most visitors to the Outer Banks know that it is an area rich in some of our...

Many people recognize the Outer Banks as a premier beach vacation destination on the East Coast. But did you know that the ocean along the Outer Banks has long been known as a very treacherous and dangerous area for ships? In fact, you may have...

Whether you come to the Outer Banks to eat all the seafood you can get your hands on, visit local attractions, or simply get away from it all, part of what makes this place so appealing is that it's made up of several islands that each...

If you’re a regular Outer Banks visitor, you’re probably used to hearing the various town names like “Kitty Hawk,” “Nags Head,” and “Kill Devil Hills." You have to admit, though, that the names are pretty unique. Have you ever thought about where those names actually...