“New World settlements from the 1500s”
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site protects and preserves known portions of England's first New World settlements from 1584 to 1590. This site also preserves the cultural heritage of the Native Americans, European Americans and African Americans who have lived on Roanoke Island.
When I visited, trails were closed because of Dorian, so I didn't get to see the earthworks, which was a huge bum. It's still a lovely place and the museum is small but very thorough. Basically shares a parking lot with the Elizabethan Gardens, which I regret not visiting, and the Lost Colony show, which I also didn't see.
We were excited to start our American history road trip here - with the Lost Colony. The visitor center may look dated on the outside but there’s a beautiful interactive exhibit room about Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth. They offer a short informative video which was good for getting the details of what happened on the site, but it had some violent scenes that might disturb little ones. They also exhibit some of the archaeological finds.
The site itself was small, but there were trails to explore which we skipped. The biggest surprise for us was the large amphitheater on the water. Beautiful view, and I wish we had purchased tickets to the evening performance there.
We went to the historic site right as they opened, then headed into Manteo for lunch. Manteo is a great spot for more exploration.
Be the first to add a review to the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip
- 85 Places
- 36:11
- 1,293 mi
The top things to do on an I-40 road trip
- 35 Places
- 49:44
- 2,851 mi
The top things to do on an I-95 road trip
- 50 Places
- 41:46
- 1,983 mi
The top things to do on an East Coast road trip
- 32 Places
- 48:54
- 2,584 mi