The Outer Banks is one of our favorite places in the world. We have loved going there for close to 20 years. Whenever we are in the mood to go to the beach, we opt to head past the end of Highway 64 East even though there are a bunch of other beaches that are closer. We do that because the Outer Banks are different than most other beaches. There is a different feel there. To us, they are a lot more relaxed.

Even though some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are at the Outer Banks, we often go there for the other things that these barrier islands have to offer. On our last trip, we wanted to focus on checking out the three locations managed by the National Parks System around the Outer Banks. Along with trying to hit up all of the North Carolina State Parks, we have begun to check off the 419 locations operated by the U.S. National Park Service. Luckily for us, the OBX has three great locations to visit. Here is a quick rundown of the three locations and what you need to know before you go.

Wright Brothers National Memorial

The Wright Brothers National Memorial is one of the Outer Banks National Parks. It is located in Kill Devil Hills on the Outer Banks. It is where Orville and Wilbur Wright became the first people to fly. Think about that for a second. People had been trying to figure this out for hundreds and even thousands of years and this is where it happened. It really is crazy to think about. On December 17, 1903 the brothers made four successful flights. The first one was 12 seconds and went 120 feet, the fourth was 59 seconds and went 859 feet. After the fourth flight, the wind picked up and destroyed their flyer beyond repair. They were so excited they sent a telegraph that simply said, “Success, four flights”. Over a hundred years later you can enjoy the spot where the first flight happened.

There is a ton to do at this awesome National Memorial. The first thing we do when going to a National or State Park is to check into the visitor’s center. It is always good to get that park stamp and junior ranger workbook. The one at Wright Brothers is awesome. It is incredibly modern and does a fantastic job of telling the life story of the Wright’s. We learned that their parents and siblings played a huge role in instilling curiosity in their lives. We hope by going on our family travels we are doing that for Silas. It is awesome what a family can do together.

The visitor center has a lot of interactive activities for all ages. We loved looking at the pieces of the original flyer that the first astronauts took to the moon. There is a replica of the flyer in the visitor center (the original is in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in D.C.). They also have a great gift shop with merch for everyone.

Around the Grounds

Once outside, you can see the spot where the first four flights happened. It is cool to see the distances that were flown. It really doesn’t look that far (because it wasn’t) but it was so monumental (pardon the pun). There are four rock markers showing the distance of each flight. Silas loved being timed running to them to see if he was faster than that first flight (he was by 5 seconds).

The actual memorial is at the top of a grass covered dune about a four minute walk from the visitors center. It was a nice walk for us because we went on an overcast day. If you are going during the summer, try and go on a rainy day. The memorial is worth the walk up the dune. You have great views of the whole park and the ocean. Do not miss this experience.

There is a fee for visiting the site. Tickets are $10 per person. Children 15 and younger are free. This is covered in the America the Beautiful National Parks Annual Pass. If you are planning multiple park trips in a year – this is definitely worth the $80.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

If you like mysteries and history then you need to check out Fort Raleigh. This park is located in the town of Manteo on Roanoke Island just a short drive from Wright Brothers. Fort Raleigh is the home of England’s first attempts at colonization in America. This was the place where Virginia Dare was born. She was the first English born baby in the New World. It is also the home of the Lost Colony.

There are a lot of theories about what happened to the Lost Colony. Some people think that they met up with a local Native American tribe and assimilated to life with them. Others think they were wiped out by a hurricane. Still others believe that they were killed because they were not welcome. This story is part of the fun of this park. It really does fill your mind with wonder as you think through what could have happened. We think they went to the Croatoan Indians on Hatteras Island a few miles away. The world will never know what happened to these men, women, and children but we can guess.

We had a great time exploring the grounds and walking down the trails. The highlight through to us was just walking through the visitors center, talking with the park rangers, and learning about the colony and hearing their theories.

Fort Raleigh is also the home of the Lost Colony play. This is a great experience for the whole family. The play is one of the best things to do during the summer on the Outer Banks. This award winning play tells the story of the Colony.

Lunch in Manteo

Because we hit up all three of these Outer Banks National Parks in one day, we stopped for lunch in Manteo. Manteo is an incredible small town on the Pamlico Sound. There are a ton of historic buildings and fun little shops to walk around in. They also have a great waterfront with a beautiful lighthouse at the end of their main pier. This is a great place to have a seat on the bench and check out the sound, very relaxing.

We ate lunch at The Hungry Pelican. This is the place that the locals go to and it was really good. The ingredients were all extremely fresh and they have a ton of choices. They are a family owned deli with great service.

We got the Italian sandwich (The Godfather) and the chicken salad sandwich (Smokin’ Nutty Chick). We liked them a lot! Go check this place out and have some fun walking around town.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

As a whole, we believe that the best of the Outer Banks National Parks is this one. There is so much to do on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. There are so many great little towns to visit, lighthouses to check out, beaches to play on, and one of the most beautiful drives you will ever go on. The seashore runs down Highway 12 from Kitty Hawk to Ocracoke Island. We have loved coming to this area for years. Because there is so much to do, we are just going to give you our top three things to enjoy.

1. Visit Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Our favorite place to visit along the shoreline is the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. There is a small welcome center across the street from the beach and bathroom facilities. Besides that, there are no buildings for miles along this beach which makes for an incredibly peaceful time. Because of the isolation, this makes for a great place to go hunting for shells. We love the walks on this beach, some of the most special times we have had as a family. If you are there later in the day, you will get a great view of the sunset on the sound side boardwalk.

2. Check Out The Lighthouses

There are three historic lighthouses on Cape Hatteras National Seashore – Hatteras, Bodie Island, and Ocracoke. All three of these are awesome areas to explore and learn about the history. You can get your stamp at any of these sites. Hatteras in particular has a pretty interesting story, including being moved further inland to protect it from the moving island. You can climb the Hatteras and Bodie Island lighthouses. Both of these provide spectacular views of the seashore. There is a fee to climb. Hatteras is $8 for adults and $4 for seniors 62+. Bodie Island is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors 62+. Children 11 and younger are free for both lighthouses. These are considered extras and are not covered by the National Parks Annual Pass.

3. Go For a Drive

We love to drive. We love the conversation, the views, the music, and sometimes the silence. It is part of the very fiber of America – the road trip. There are not too many roads in the nation that are more beautiful than Highway 12. If you haven’t been to the Outer Banks you are missing out. Many of sections of the Outer Banks are not too much wider than a couple of hundred yards. Because of that, you are driving on a small strip of land with views of the ocean on one side and the sound on the other. It feels almost like you are driving on the water. There are a couple of bridges that connect some of the islands that you have to drive on to believe. It is an experience in itself. If you love a good road trip, you have to check out Highway 12.

We had a great day collecting three new stamps at these Outer Banks National Parks for our National Parks Passport book. We got to get back to a place we love, learn some history, and enjoy nature. After this trip, we only have two more National Parks to visit in our state. What are some of your favorite National Parks sites in your state? Which ones have you not visited yet?

For some of our other National Parks visits, check out our trip to Booker T. Washington or our Greensboro day trip.