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The Outer Banks of North Carolina ®


The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
Frequently Asked Questions.


Our family consists of all ages; will there be something for all of us to do?
Is there train or bus service to the Outer Banks?
How do we get to The Outer Banks if we fly in to Norfolk?
Where can we rent a vehicle on the Outer Banks?
How far from the airport?
Can we ride ATV's/Drive on the beach?
Can we have a bonfire on the beach?
Do we need permission to be married on the beach?
Can we see the horses?
Fishing - What's hot and when?
How may I get a fishing report?
Are fireworks allowed in Dare County?
When are the Lighthouses open for climbing?
What are average temperatures for each month?
What is considered in-season, off season?
We have children of all ages, what is there for them to do?
Where can I find vacancies?
Where is the best place to stay if we have children?
Lifeguards?
What are Rip Currents?
How did the towns get their names and what do their names represent?
What is the current Dare County Tax breakdown?

Q: Our family consists of all ages; will there be something for all of us to do?
A:
Yes, The Outer Banks is filled with exciting things to do for all age groups! Following are some examples of what is available in The Outer Banks:

Outer Banks Attractions
Outer Banks Activities
Outer Banks Dining
Outer Banks Events

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Q: Is there train or bus service to the Outer Banks?
A:
Currently there is no train service to the Outer Banks. You may want to check your local yellow pages for any bus services that may go to The Outer Banks or a destination nearby such as Elizabeth City or Norfolk Virginia.

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Q: How do we get to The Outer Banks if we fly in to Norfolk?
A:
Norfolk International Airport is the closest and most convenient airport serving North Carolina's Outer Banks. Listed are some of the charter flights/taxi/shuttle/rental services available from The Norfolk International airport to The Outer Banks:

Current Norfolk International Airport Route Map

Norfolk International Airport Statistics

Charter Flights
  • Barrier Island Aviation: (252) 473-4247
  • Outer Banks Air Charters: (252) 256-2322

    Limos/Shuttles/Tours
  • The Connection: (252) 449-2777
  • Hatteras Tours: (252) 475-4477
  • Island Hopper Shuttle: (252) 995-6771
  • Island Limousine: (252) 441-5466, (800) 828-5466
  • Karat Limo: (252) 473-9827
  • Sandy Beach Tours: (252) 441-9800

    Taxi Cabs
  • Bayside Cab: (252) 480-1300
  • Beach Cab: (252) 441-2500
  • Coastal Cab Company: (252) 449-8787
  • Connections: (252) 449-2777
  • Manteo Cab Company: (252) 473-6500
  • Outer Banks Taxi: (252) 207-2737

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  • ABCO Auto Rental: (252) 473-4508
  • B & R Rent-A-Car: (252) 473-2141
  • Enterprise Rent-A-Car: (252) 480-1838
  • Outer Banks Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep: (252) 441-1146


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    Q: How far from the airport?
    A:
    Norfolk International Airport (757) 857-3200
    Located in Norfolk, Virginia, approx. 90 miles north of the Outer Banks. Carriers: American, Continental, Delta, Independence Air, Northwest, Southwest, US Airways.

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    Q: Can we ride ATV's/Drive on the beach?
    A:
    Dare County - Click here for detailed information.

    Off Road rules, requirements, tips & tricks.

    Currituck County - Please contact the Currituck Chamber at (252) 453-9497 or visit currituckchamber.com

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    Q: Can we have a bonfire on the beach?
    A:
    Nags Head - Permits are required and are obtained from the Nags Head Fire Department located at 5314 Croatan Highway after 5:00pm on the specific day the fire is requested. Fires will not be permitted if winds are 10 knots or more. A picture ID, the address of applicant and the location for the requested fire are required. Fires cannot be built within 50 feet of any combustible material. In addition, the hollowed-out pit must be no larger than 3 feet in diameter and not less than 1 foot in depth. The fire must be attended by an adult and must be extinguished prior to leaving.

    Cape Hatteras National Seashore - Small ground fires are permitted on the beach below the high tide line and a minimum 100 feet from dune vegetation. Ground fires must be attended by an adult and be completely extinguished using water, not sand, before leaving. Permits are not required.

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    Q: Do we need permission to be married on the beach?
    A:
    Although there are no special permits for beach weddings, there are some things to keep in mind.
  • The National Park Service charges a fee of $100 for gatherings within its boundaries, including the beach. For information and rules, contact the National Park Service at (252) 473-2111.
  • Duck does not provide public parking areas for beach access. You may rent a home in The Town of Duck to use the beach there. Click Here for Policy Website
  • Some beach rental agencies have strict rules pertaining to weddings at rental homes, please be sure to check with the property manager at the agency you rent from.
  • You may also want to check with The Register of Deeds at (252) 475-5970, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for any additional information.
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    Q: Can we see the horses?
    A:
    Yes, please follow the provided links:
    Outer Banks Tours
    Corolla Outback ATV Adventures

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    Q: Fishing - What's hot and when?

    A:
    Fly Fishing
    Brackish Fishing
    Offshore and Inshore Charter Fishing
    Sound and Headboat Fishing
    Fishing Piers
    Public Boat Ramps
    Marinas and Boat Storage
    Fishing Information and Regulations

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    Q: How may I get a fishing report?
    A:
    Northern District Report (Dare, Hyde, Currituck, & Beaufort Counties)

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    Q: Are Fireworks allowed in Dare County?
    A:
    North Carolina prohibits the possession of any pyrotechnics which launch or propel into the air, or which explode making a sound or "report." Sparklers, fountains and ground displays are allowed only with adult supervision and when exercising extreme caution and fire prevention. Fireworks are illegal in Dare County, including all towns and villages. Please click on the individual town names to view these regulations.

    Duck Fireworks Regulations
    Southern Shores Fireworks Regulations
    Kitty Hawk Fireworks Regulations
    Kill Devil Hills Fireworks Regulations
    Nags Head Fireworks Regulations
    Hatteras Island Fireworks Regulations
    Roanoke Island Fireworks Regulations

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    Q: When are the Lighthouses open for climbing?
    A:
    Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
    The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse
    Currituck Beach Lighthouse
    Ocracoke Lighthouse
    Bodie Island Lighthouse

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    Q: What is considered in-season, off season?
    A:
    In-season and off-season vary according to each individual motel/hotel or property management company. The peak season typically runs between early March until Mid to Late October when temperatures tend to be comfortable. Off-Season usually falls after October until March of the following year. Please check with the property manager or hotel/motel manager for specific seasonal information.

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    Q: We have children of all ages, what is there for them to do?
    A:
    There are plenty of activities for children of all ages in The Outer Banks. From building sand castles to learning how to fly! Here are some of the wonderful things your kids can expect to to find in The Outer Banks:

    Go-Carts
    (252) 480-9144 - Colington Speedway (Kill Devil Hills)
    (252) 480-4639 - Nags Head Raceway (Nags Head)
    (252) 987-2213 - Waterfall Park go-carts (Rodanthe)
    (252) 453-9144 - Corolla Raceway (Corolla)

    Miniature Golf Courses
    (252) 261-4900 - The Promenade (Kitty Hawk)
    (252) 441-7626 - The Grass Course (Kitty Hawk)
    (252) 480-0142 - Lost Treasure Golf (Kill Devil Hills)
    (252) 441-6841 - Jurassic Putt (Nags Head)
    (252) 480-6606 - Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf (Nags Head)
    (252) 995-5480 - Avon Golf (Avon)
    (252) 995-6366 - Cool Wave Ice Cream Shop & Mini Golf (Buxton)


    Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station Historic Site
    The Lost Colony
    Kayaking and Canoeing
    Crabbing
    Pier Fishing
    Shelling
    Fly a Kite
    Bicycling
    Surfing Lessons
    Guided Nature & Eco-Tours
    Sight-Seeing Outer Banks Tours
    Airplane Tours
    Hang Gliding Lessons
    Jet Boat Dolphin Tours
    Parasailing
    Wright Brothers Memorial for Kids
    Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
    Red Wolf Howling Safari
    Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
    Fort Raleigh
    Wild Horse Safari
    Jockey's Ridge State Park Programs
    Climb a lighthouse
    Watch a Movie

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    Q: Where can I find vacancies?

    Click here

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    Q: Where is the best place to stay if we have children?
    A:
    Any place in The Outer Banks is suitable for children, since most of the activities and attractions are within walking distance or a short drive. Many rental homes and motels/hotels in The Outer Banks offer great amenities, such as game rooms, pools to keep you cool and hot tubs for relaxation. Just remember to monitor your little-ones closely around any water or on high decks.
    Outer Banks Accommodations

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    Q: Lifeguards?
    A:
    Please click here for lifeguard information.

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    Q: What are Rip Currents? Adobe Acrobat Reader Required
    A:
    Please click here to learn about Rip Currents.

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    Q: How did the towns get their names and what do their names represent?
    A:

    Kitty Hawk - Kitty Hawk appears in 18th century records as Chickahauk. John White's sketch maps of the 1580s show Etacrewac, which may denote ever-greens, in the vicinity of modern Nags Head. Connecting these two names requires a stretch, but other suggested etymologies are far less plausible.

    Kill Devil Hills - Kill Devil Hill, now covered with vegetation and topped by the Wright Brothers Monument, was bare sand in 1903 when the Wrights flew nearby. They DID NOT launch their flyer off the hill; their signal accomplishment was to leave and return to level ground under power. Kill Devil Hills (plural) is the town, incorporated in 1953, containing the hill.

    Nags Head - Nags Head may have to do with horses, which were ubiquitous until free range was ended in the 1930s, or may be a corruption of St. Agnes Head. In England, a town, two landmarks and numerous pubs carry the name, which also turns up St. Kitts, in the Leeward Islands.

    Hatteras - Hatteras probably from an Algorkian term for sparse vegetation, signified to the Raleigh colonists either are inlet or tract of land north of present-day Rodanthe. Later settlers applied the name to a cape, an island, two other inlets, a village and a small Indian tribe that disappeared in the 1700s. Hatteras yachts are built in High Point more than 200 miles to the west.

    Chicamacomico - Chicamacomico was abolished by the Post Office Department in 1874 as too hard to spell, but rescued by another federal agency, the Lifesaving Station Service which opened a station here the same year. It probably shares its derivation from Algonkian for sinking sand or wild turkeys - with Chicamacomico Creek, in eastern Maryland.

    Ginguite - Ginguite Creek which joins Currituck Sound at Martins Point, probably takes its name from an Algonkian term for "inlet" or "passage" as does Chincoteague, the name of an island off the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Some sources, including current NOAA charts, spell Ginguite as if it were French: Jean Guite.

    Ocracoke - Ocracoke probably comes from an Algonkian term for stronghold and may have been the site of a village abandoned before European contact. In any case, the 1590 White-De Bry map shows one at the south end of present-day Ocracoke, even though Raleigh's first mission had found the island uninhabited. The Raleigh colonists used Wokokon not only for this island, comprising the southern two-thirds of modern Ocracoke, but also for an inlet near, or identical with, Ocracoke Inlet.


    Q: What is the current Dare County Tax breakdown?
    A:
    5.25% State Sales Tax
    2.50% County Occupancy Tax
    The total is 11.75% charged on a paid accommodation.

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    Q: What are average temperatures for each month?
    A:

    Month
    Maximum Temperature
    Minimum Temperature
    Water Temperature
    Precipitation
    Wind
    January
    51°F
    36°F
    49°F
    4.7 in
    14 mph
    February
    54°F
    37°F
    46°F
    3.2 in
    15 mph
    March
    60°F
    43°F
    42°F
    4.6 in
    15 mph
    April
    69°F
    51°F
    59°F
    3.1 in
    14 mph
    May
    76°F
    60°F
    68°F
    4.2 in
    13 mph
    June
    83°F
    68°F
    74°F
    4.8 in
    12 mph
    July
    86°F
    72°F
    78°F
    5.3 in
    11 mph
    August
    85°F
    72°F
    80°F
    5.6 in
    12 mph
    September
    81°F
    67°F
    77°F
    4.9 in
    14 mph
    October
    71°F
    57°F
    70°F
    4.1 in
    14 mph
    November
    63°F
    48°F
    58°F
    3.4 in
    14 mph
    December
    55°F
    40°F
    55°F
    3.7 in
    15 mph







    The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau, a public authority, is the lead marketing and promotional agency for The Outer Banks of North Carolina® and is funded by 1% occupancy and 1% prepared meals tax, collected in Dare County. ©1998-2010 Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.