Nationally Recognized Attractions in the Outer Banks

Discover nationally recognized places across the Outer Banks, including Wright Brothers National Memorial and Cape Hatteras, the country's tallest brick lighthouse.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is frequently honored on Best Beach lists and Top 10 roundups. The recognition is well earned: these shifting barrier islands are dramatic, memorable, and remarkable to experience.

Beyond its coastal scenery, the Outer Banks carries several nationally significant distinctions through its attractions. Within a fairly compact area, visitors can experience three National Park Service sites, including the site of man’s first powered flight (Wright Brothers National Memorial), the country’s first National Seashore (Cape Hatteras National Seashore), the country’s tallest brick lighthouse (Cape Hatteras), the first attempted colonization by the English in what would become the New World (Fort Raleigh Historic Site), and home to the first English-born child (Virginia Dare). Those are only some of the national and international distinctions connected to the Outer Banks. The area is also home to two National Wildlife Refuges, one of the few remaining original U.S. Lifesaving Stations, a Weather Bureau Station, and five lighthouses to see, with three open for climbing during certain times of the year.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a place of firsts, where people have pushed imagination and possibility for hundreds of years. Your trip may require less effort, but it can still leave you feeling inspired.

Featured nationally recognized sites

• Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
• Bodie Island Lighthouse — 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse — 46368 Lighthouse Rd
• Cape Hatteras National Seashore — Extends 75 miles from South Nags Head to Ocracoke
• Fort Raleigh National Historic Site — 1401 National Park Drive
• Outer Banks Scenic Byway — P.O. Box 147
• Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge — Between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe. Refuge Visitor's Center is located five miles south of the inlet.
• Wright Brothers National Memorial — 1000 N Croatan Hwy.

Listed attractions

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