How To Spend A Weekend In Nags Head, NC
Welcome to our How to Spend a Weekend series! The more we travel & adventure, the more details we’ll bring YOU about short stays in cool places.
Enjoyable activities, good eating, and interesting finds are how we roll. Let’s get to it!
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Starting summer break with travel is becoming our thing. Last year, we headed to Charleston, SC with family. This time, just us girls said a big “Hello” to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Nags Head to be exact.
It was our first visit to the area & my goodness… we had the best time. We are so grateful to Outer Banks Tourism for hosting our stay. Let’s talk about what we did so you can plan your trip, too.
Arrival- Thursday evening
Departure - Sunday morning
(All travel vlogs for this trip are posted at the end of this article.)
Thursday
HOTEL - HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS NAGS HEAD OCEANFRONT
We arrived late Thursday evening. After checking in, walking out to the beach, and looking around, we headed to the grocery store. Food Lion is about a 2-minute drive. There’s also a Dollar Tree and other stores in this shopping center. We grabbed necessities and a few items to keep in our hotel fridge.
This hotel is refreshingly convenient to everything. The farthest we had to drive was around 20 minutes.
Check-in is at 4pm. Check out is at 11am.
Other aspects we loved about this hotel:
-Friendly & helpful staff
-There’s a small kitchen area in the room (microwave, small fridge, cabinets, Keurig, no silverware)
-Full hot/cold breakfast bar daily (2nd floor)
-Indoor heated pool and a sun deck
-It’s oceanfront with private access to the beach
Address —> 4701 South Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head, NC 27959 1-888-465-4329
Friday
Let the adventuring begin! Three destinations were on our list.
We arrived shortly after its 9am opening to the public. At this time, parking was easy & plentiful. There is a visitors’ center, but it was closed the day of our visit. Handicap accessible restrooms are also on the premises.
The lighthouse stands 156 feet tall with 219 stairs. Climbing them to the top is by same-day reservation only. Tickets can be purchased online and go on sale at 7am sharp. They are limited & go QUICKLY. Be ready to grab yours! We chose to explore the grounds but are determined to climb next time.
There is a handicap accessible (raised) boardwalk leading out to an overlook of the marshlands. You’re encouraged to stay on it for your protection & that of plants & wildlife. Snakes are in the area, but we didn’t see any. The walk is relatively short. The overlook is open but covered and has some seating.
Four additional lighthouses are on the Outer Banks Barrier Islands. Seeing each of them is one of our goals.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Address —> 8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Rd, Nags Head, NC 27959 252-473-2111
WRIGHT’S BROTHERS NATIONAL MEMORIAL
The very place where Orville & Wilbur Wright conquered flight & changed transportation forever. This was a really cool experience for us- especially for the girls to visit a place they’ve so often heard about in school.
There is a fee to enter this National Park per adult & per child. After parking, we headed into the museum to see the replica of the flyer and learn a little more about the Wright brothers’ story. This is also where the restrooms and gift shop are located.
Outdoors, we followed the paved walkway to cabin remakes of Orville and Wilbur’s lodgings. We saw the markers commemorating where the first flights took place. From there, we walked up the historic hill to the monument. A beautiful view awaits you at the top.
You can easily spend 2-3 hours here reading all of the information & there’s quite a bit of walking. Plan accordingly. There are no trees to provide shade in this area. The sun and heat were forces to reckon with. We had a lot of fun, but I want you to be prepared.
Address —> US-158, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252-473-2111
After a few hours of sun exposure and excitement, we stopped here for milkshakes. I didn’t get photos of them, but they were creamy & very tasty. There’s a bit of seating out front. No inside seating area. They have a full menu with selections that are great for a quick lunch stop.
Address —> 1002 S Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
This is a 25-acre park that gives you an interactive look at the lifestyle of the first English settlers. You’ll venture through American Indian Town, the Settlement Site, the Adventure Museum, and board the Elizabeth II. Costumed settlers welcome you onto the ship and explain what life was like onboard for them. You’ll see more of these settlers throughout the park.
After visiting all of the exhibits, we walked the well-kept and picturesque grounds overlooking the bay. There are quite a few shops and places to eat right across the bridge (Manteo).
Address —> 1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC 27954 252-423-5200
SATURDAY
The adventures continue!
This was the day of the 2023 Rogallo Kite Festival and our reason for being at the park. Attending a kite festival was a new & exuberant experience for us. More on that in an upcoming WRAL article. I’ve shared a couple of photos below.
There are many fun ways to spend time at Jockey’s Ridge. Fascinatingly, it is 427 acres and has the tallest sand dunes in the Eastern United States! They are gorgeous but take precautions in regard to sun exposure. We were there on a cooler sunny day, but the dunes can get really hot. Wear sun protection and bring plenty of water.
A few other park activities include:
-hiking trails
-paddling
-sandboarding
-hang gliding
Visit the website for more detailed information.
Address —> 300 Carolista Dr, Nags Head, NC 27959 252-441-7132
A late lunch stop before our evening activity. Hot dogs were my daughters’ craving of the day. Tucked away in a small lot a few miles down the street, was the perfect restaurant. Our beef dogs were prepared just as we liked them. They have quite a selection to choose from. I highly suggest giving them a try!
Address —> 710 South Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina 27948 252-715-4534
Francis D'Ambra is a tour guide like no other. He is Manteo’s retired police chief and probably knows the place like no one else! I was extremely impressed with his vast knowledge of the area’s history. I also enjoyed his delivery as he is entertaining and interactive with guests throughout the tour.
There is a $28 fee to participate. Children 14 and under are free. The starting point is downtown. You’ll walk by candlelight and end the tour at the Manteo waterfront. Make time for this activity if possible. Be on the lookout for a future article about this on WRAL.
Address —> 101 Budleigh Street, Manteo, NC 252-489-7793
SUNDAY
Hotel check-out was simple and then we loaded up our car to drive home. If you’d like to do a bit of shopping before you go, there’s an outlet mall & smaller beach shops nearby. There are plenty of convenience stores to fill up with gas as well.
Our Outer Banks getaway far exceeded expectations. There are many, many things to do and see. We’re already planning our next visit! Feel free to use this OBX itinerary as a guide. If you have other recommendations, be sure to leave a comment or email me at thrillermomlove@gmail.com.
You can always stop by or contact The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau for more ideas and information:
1 Visitors Center Cir, Manteo, NC 27954
(877) 629-4386
Watch this fun Instagram reel!
See these posts for more of our travel itineraries:
How To Spend 36 Hours With Kids In Newport News, Virginia