Thank you for taking a closer look at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We’re a family of small seaside towns and tiny villages sharing four islands with a front row seat to mother nature’s splendor at the edge of the continent. At some places, our 200 km island chain swings about 50 km out into the Atlantic Ocean, and seen from space, some Canadian fans imagine it looks like a giant hockey stick off the coast. The air and water temperatures average in the high to mid-20’s C late summer through fall. Often called the OBX by repeat visitors, a few things separate our beach destination apart from anywhere else between us and Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal. At about 3 km wide or less, our islands are very narrow, yet are home to one of the largest stretches of undeveloped beaches in the US at the 100 km long Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Visitors love our pristine coast preserved for playing among nature. We have a reputation for being one of the best places to kiteboard in the world, surf on the Atlantic Coast and birdwatch in the Americas. There’s also a giant sand mountain called Jockey’s Ridge State Park where you can hang glide or enjoy a sunset from the tallest natural landform on the OBX. There’s always a breeze, which is why Orville and Wilbur first flew here near Kitty Hawk, NC in 1903 as you can discover at Wright Brothers National Memorial, and why the English first sailed into these waters in 1584 for their first attempt at colonizing the new world at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. Along with Alligator River and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuges, nature in its purest form is our calling card. Being such narrow islands, you’ll always be close to the water either oceanfront or on the western edge of the islands facing the sounds. Click on the Canadian Specials links below to check out our amazing holiday selection of vacation rental homes, hotels, campgrounds, inns and cottage courts to call home for awhile, and a proud community of independent businesses who are ready to help you discover your new favorite place on the Outer Banks.
