Outer Banks 3-Day Itinerary

It’s not often you come across a destination that has three National Parks in one county, especially along 130 miles of barrier islands on the northern coast of North Carolina.

Come experience our National Park sites that shaped America’s history and discover why they continue to enlighten and inspire visitors today. Check out our sample Outer Banks National Park itinerary below.

Outer Banks Day-to-Day Itinerary

Day One of Things To Do in the Outer Banks

Wright Brothers National Memorial: Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Kitty Hawk, North Carolin, where, after four years of scientific experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flights on December 17, 1903.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park: See the East Coast’s tallest sand dune and one of the Outer Banks’ most phenomenal natural attractions.

Town of Duck: Local restaurants offer open-air dining, and most of the Town’s unique and funky shops and restaurants are connected by the Duck Trail that runs the entire length of the town parallel to Highway 12 or by the soundside boardwalk, which offers premium views of the Currituck Sound.

Currituck Beach Light: Built in 1874, visit the only lighthouse in North Carolina that is still housed in its original structure.

Whalehead Club: A 1925 restored art nouveau historic style house museum built as a private residence by wealthy Philadelphia industrialist Edward Collings-Knight, Jr., for he and his wife, who were both avid waterfowl hunters.

North Carolina Wine Tasting: End the day with an NC wine tasting and sunset view meal at the Village Table and Tavern in Duck.

Day Two of Outer Banks Attractions

Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Established in 1937, the nation’s first national seashore was formed to preserve significant segments of unspoiled barrier islands along North Carolina’s stretch of the Atlantic Coast. Make sure to visit these points of interest while visiting the seashore.

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum: A unique museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting the rich maritime history of the Outer Banks and the more than 2,000 known shipwrecks that rest on our coast.

Cape Hatteras Light: See the tallest brick beacon on the American coast with its black and white stripes; it stands at 208 feet high. Learn the marvelous history, which includes its half-mile move in 2000 away from the ocean. Open seasonally for climbing.

Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station: A predecessor to the United States Coast Guard, Chicamacomico is one of the most complete US Lifesaving Station sites in the nation. Hear the history of daring ocean rescues by brave men who dedicated their lives to the sea.

Bodie Island Light: Standing 150 feet high and completed in 1872 on the north side of Oregon Inlet, the familiar black and white horizontal striped structure was partly built of materials leftover from the construction of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

Day Three of Activities in Outer Banks

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: See the site of the first attempted English Colony, where Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers and later colonists established settlements in 1585 & 1587; it would later become known as “The Lost Colony”, after 116 settlers disappeared.

Elizabeth Gardens: Stroll through the majestic Gardens, which were designed as a living memorial to Queen Elizabeth and the Lost Colony.

Island Farm: Home to two rescued Corolla Wild Horses, the Farm’s Banker Pony program expounds on the history of this esteemed equine lineage and its ties to the early settlers of the Outer Banks in the mid-1800s.

Roanoke Island Festival Park: Visit the Elizabeth II, a 69-foot sailing vessel representative of those sailed to the New World in 1585.

Outer Banks Rum Tasting: The Outer Banks Distillery makes small-batch rum from the Graveyard of the Atlantic and local ingredients. Taste their award-winning Kill Devil Rum and tour their facility.