We love our home on Roanoke Island. We feel that Roanoke Island and its villages of Manteo and Wanchese are hidden gems on the Outer Banks and that we are very lucky to live here.
Our part of the Outer Banks includes Corolla, Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island all surrounded by both the Atlantic Ocean with its Gulf Stream and Labrador Currents, and five Sounds (the Currituck Sound, the Roanoke Sound, the Croatan Sound, and the big Pamilco Sound).
Also included is Roanoke Island and its two villages – Manteo and Wanchese. Roanoke Island is situated between the Outer Banks Islands (at Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills) and the North Carolina mainland (at Manns Harbor). Roanoke Island has the Roanoke Sound on its east side and the Croatan Sound on its west side.
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Corolla is noted for the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Whalehead Club historic house museum, and the wild horses that roam the area. Between Corolla and Nags Head lies Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills.
Duck is a high end family vacation village with great shopping and restaurants.
Southern Shores is a mix of a local residential community of year-round residents and high end vacation rental homes. This creates a more laid-back and peaceful environment.
Kitty Hawk is famous for its significant role in aviation history, as it was the site of the Wright Brothers’ first controlled powered airplane flight on December 17, 1903. It feels like the quintessential Beach Vacation village.
Kill Devil Hills is another village involved in the Wright Brothers’ endeavor. The Wright Brothers’ National Memorial is located here. Kill Devil Hills is also mostly a vacation rental community and contains a large selection of the restaurants and eateries. Kill Devil Hills is also the gateway to Colington Island which is where a large portion of Dare County Residents live.
When people speak of the Outer Banks, Nags Head usually comes to mind. It is the home to beautiful beaches, the Bodie Island Lighthouse, Jockey’s Ridge State Park which has the tallest sand dune on the east coast. and Jennette’s Pier which is operated by the North Carolina Aquariums and it serves as an educational facility that offers a range of programs and exhibits related to marine life, conservation, and sustainability. Visitors can learn about local ecosystems, marine animals, and the importance of protecting the oceans. Jennette’s Pier is also a very popular recreational fishing pier. Nags Head is also known for its beautiful beaches and is a very popular tourist destination. The southern end of Nags Head abuts Bodie Island which is on the northern side of Oregon Inlet. Bodie Island Lighthouse and the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center and Marina are located here.
Hatteras Island is a barrier island and tourist mecca located off the coast of North Carolina. It is part of the Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands that stretches along the North Carolina coast. Hatteras Island is known for its beautiful beaches, fishing, and boating. It is also home to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and “The Point” which is the beach off which the northern Labrador Current and the southern Gulf Stream Current collide and create the “Diamond Shoals” also known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic”. “The Point” is considered one of the best Surf Fishing spots on the Atlantic Coast.
The villages of Hatteras Island are Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras.
Things to do on Hatteras Island include visiting the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, surf fishing the beaches or chartering a deep-sea fishing trip to the Gulf Stream, driving the beaches that are open to driving, taking a ferry to Ocracoke Island, swimming in the ocean or Pamilico Sound, or just sitting on the beach watching the waves.
Ocracoke is the southernmost island on the northern Outer Banks accessible by road and Ferry (the ferry from Hatteras Village to the northern coast of Ocracoke and from Ocracoke Harbor to the mainland at Ceder Island is still considered Highway 12). Ocracoke is known for its unspoiled beaches, relaxed atmosphere, and vibrant maritime history. Ocracoke Island has a rich maritime history that dates back to the 16th century. The island was once a major stopover for pirates and privateers, and it was also home to a thriving whaling industry. Ocracoke Island has 16 miles of pristine beaches that are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and shelling. The harbor in Ocracoke Village is called Silver Lake. Passenger Ferries from Hatteras Village and the mainland at Ceder Island and Swan Quarter arrive and depart from Silver Lake.
Roanoke Island is home to the Lost Colony, one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in American history. In addition to its history and natural beauty, Roanoke Island is also home to several fascinating attractions, including Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, the Elizabethan Gardens, the Coastal North Carolina Refuges Gateway Visitor Center, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island and the Island Farm.
Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: This is the site of the first English settlement in North America, the Lost Colony. Visitors can learn about the history of the Lost Colony and see reconstructed parts of the fort.
Elizabethan Gardens: These gardens are inspired by the gardens of Queen Elizabeth I’s palaces. They are home to a variety of flowers, trees, and plants, as well as a number of sculptures. It is especially noted for its Azalea blooming display in the spring.
Coastal North Carolina Refuges Gateway Visitor Center: This center provides information about the eleven national wildlife refuges in the area. Visitors can learn about the plants and animals that live in the refuges and see exhibits about the history of the Outer Banks.
North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island: The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island opened in 1981. It is home to over 2,500 animals representing over 350 species from the Atlantic Ocean and the Albemarle Sound. It is one of three aquariums operated by the North Carolina Aquariums division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. This center rescues and rehabilitates sea turtles that are injured or sick. Visitors can learn about sea turtle conservation and watch sea turtles being cared for by the staff.
Island Farm: This is a living history museum on Roanoke Island. It interprets the life of a typical Outer Banks family in the mid-1800s. Visitors can see the farm’s buildings, animals, and crops, and learn about the daily activities of the family who lived there.
Manteo (pronounced Man-eo) is the county seat of Dare County and has a population of about 2,000 people. Manteo is a popular tourist destination, known for its history, its waterfront location, and its natural beauty. Manteo’s waterfront and Marina is located on Shallowbag Bay. Across Shallowbag Bay is the Roanoke Island Festival Park which has a recreated village showing the way that American Indians lived on Roanoke Island in the 16th century. Festival Park also has a replica of the Elizabeth II, the ship that brought the first English Colonist to Roanoke Island.
Wanchese is a village located on the southern end of Roanoke Island. It was named after Wanchese, the last known ruler of the Roanoke Native American tribe encountered by English colonists in the sixteenth century. Wanchese is a charming fishing village that retains its old-world charm and sense of identity. Although there are a few vacation homes here it is mainly a local residential village with a well known and established boat building and commercial fishing industry.
