Along this incredible road trip down North Carolina's coastal Outer Banks Scenic Byway, you'll explore everything from wildlife to beaches to shipwrecks to lighthouses to the very location where the Wright brothers changed history with their first flight. Get ready for loads of seaside charm as you road trip along the Outer Banks!
Manteo, NC, US
Nags Head, North Carolina, United States
Next you'll come to the Inn at Rodanthe. When the house, which was nicknamed "Serendipity," was first built, there were more than 400 feet between it and the ocean. Those 400 feet kept the Serendipity safe from the crashing waves, rocks, erosion, and anything else that could possibly threaten to topple it into the ocean. Unable to rent it out, the owners tried for years to sell the house. But it wasn’t until it appeared in the movie "Nights in Rodanthe," that someone paid attention to the water-logged mansion. In 2010, a married couple (who just happened to be fans of the film) bought the house and gave it a second life. How? They decided to pick the whole thing up and move it to a safer location just 30 minutes down the beach. This was obviously no small feat, considering it’s a 45-foot-tall, 83,000 pound house. Today the house has been relocated, restored, redecorated, and renamed the “Inn at Rodanthe,” after the popular romance novel. The best part? It’s still a vacation rental, with an amazing view of the Atlantic.
The Outer Banks has also achieved worldwide renown for its breathtaking scenery. Those miles and miles of sandy beaches and marshland are just spectacular. Whether you’re interested in dipping your toes in the ocean or spotting some wildlife at some of the refuges like Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge or Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, you’ll walk away from your trip down the Outer Banks Scenic Byway feeling one with nature.
Nags Head has had a lighthouse on it since 1847, but the first was abandoned due to a bad foundation and the second was blown up by Confederate troops as they retreated in 1861. The Bodie Island Lighthouse you see today was finished in 1872 and is now open for you to explore for the very first time ever in its 140+ year history.
The Outer Banks Scenic Byway has tons of lighthouses that have been helping ships navigate the tricky nautical area around OBX. Start at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head and enjoy a leisurely cruise down the coastal road.
Most shops and restaurants along the Outer Banks open after Easter, just as temperatures start to rise to the mid-60s and early 70s. Then in summer the crowds flock to the Outer Banks. This is when vacation homes and hotels are at their busiest and thus rates are higher. Thousands of people visit during the summer months and the weather averages in the low 80s. However, locals say the best time to visit is when fall comes around. Most travelers with families are back in school and back to work, but the weather stays mild until the end of December. Winter is pretty quiet in the Outer Banks, but lots of restaurants and shops are closed during this season. However, on the plus side you'll pretty much have the beaches to yourself.