Rooms With a View

• Home
• Amenities
• Photos
• Guest Book
• Things to Do
• Current Weather
• Rates & Availability
• Book Now

Go Windsurfing in the Calm Sound Waters Throughout the Outer Banks

There are several great sound side locations on the Outer Banks where you can go windsurfing. Canadian Hole, located between Avon and Buxton, is the most popular because of the wind and water conditions in the area. Nags Head sound side access at Milepost 16 and Jockey Ridge State Park's sound side access are popular spots to launch as well. If you don't know how to windsurf but would like to try it, you can take lessons at numerous places on the Outer Banks. If you are in the northern Outer Banks, you may want to try Kitty Hawk Watersports of Nags Head at (252) 441-2756. If you are on Hatteras Island, you can take lessons from Windsurfing Hatteras at (866) 995-6644 or Hatteras Island Sail Shop at (252) 987-2292.

Take a Red Wolf Howl Tour at Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

Located on the Dare County mainland west of Manteo on Highway 64, you will find the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge consists of 150,000 acres of wetlands, fields and swamps. A variety of animal species call the refuge home, including black bears, white-tailed deer, gray fox, bobcats, raccoons, mink, beaver, squirrels, opossum, river otter, alligators and red wolves. Though they are a threatened species, red wolves have made a comeback in this part of North Carolina, thanks to careful management since the 1980s. Night tours to hear the red wolves howl are given every Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the refuge from late June through mid-August. For more information, contact the refuge at (252) 473-1131, ext. 243.

Take a Flightseeing Tour with Coastal Helicopters

Coastal Helicopters offers flightseeing tours, photography and videography flights over the beautiful Outer Banks. You will enjoy panoramic views from the sky with an FAA Certified Commercial Helicopter Pilot when you take your air tour with Coastal Helicopters. The helicopter is a Robinson R-44 Raven II and offers a safe, smooth ride to accompany the unparalleled views. A few attractions that can be seen from the air include Wright Brothers National Monument, Jockey's Ridge State Park, Wild Banker Ponies, Oregon Inlet, Cape Hatteras National Sewashore, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Bodie Island Lighthouse, and more! Call Coastal Helicopters today at 252-475-4354 for more information.

Take a Free Wildlife Education Program

The knowledgeable employees of the Outer Banks Center for Wildlife Education in Corolla offer several education programs throughout the summer. Held in the covered public pavilion at Currituck Heritage Park, these free programs will teach you about local wildlife such as birding, animal tracking, sea turtles, fishing and the ecology of the ocean and the sound. Normally, these programs are about an hour long and are offered Monday to Friday. Programs are appropriate for all ages and reservations are suggested. For more information or to sign up for a program, call (252) 453-0221.

Spend the Afternoon at Jockey's Ridge State Park

Jockey's Ridge State Park is home to the East Coast's tallest sand dune that is 1.5 miles long, 100 feet high and consists of 420 acres and is a popular day time destination. Though the park doesn't have any overnight camping facilities, many visitors enjoy the park daily. Visitors come to this park to hike to the top of the dune and enjoy the panoramic ocean and sound views, which are even more beautiful during sunset. Sound side access in the park is a popular place for windsurfers to launch. People also enjoy hang gliding off the dune and flying their kites in this large, open park. For more information, contact the park at (252) 441-7132.

Tour the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island

Located on Roanoke Island, the North Carolina Aquarium is a 68,000 square-foot facility with a "Waters of the Outer Banks" theme. Visitors see a variety of marine communities including coastal freshwaters, wetlands, estuaries, roadside ditches and the Gulf Stream. A main attraction at the aquarium is the Graveyard of the Atlantic tank, which holds 285,000 gallons of saltwater and is home to sea turtles, sharks and almost 1,000 other sea creatures. The aquarium is open year-round from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily (except for Christmas and New Year's Day.) Prices are $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and active military personnel, $5 for children ages six to 17, and kids five and under are free. For more information, contact the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island at (252) 473-3494.

Take a Photography Adventure with Your Camera

Instead of purchasing postcards to take home with you as souvenirs of your Outer Banks vacation, take a photography adventure with your own camera. Whether you choose to photograph the various Outer Banks lighthouses, different species of birds, sunrises and sunsets, boats or any of the other many highlights of the Outer Banks, the natural beauty is sure to come through in your photographs. You can take your original photographs home and show them to all of your friends, or frame them and hang them in your house so you will always have a reminder of the Outer Banks!

View the Ocracoke Lighthouse

Located in the southwest corner of Ocracoke Village, many visitors view the Ocracoke Lighthouse each year. Built in 1823, the lighthouse is the second-oldest lighthouse in the nation and is 77.5 feet tall. Though the lighthouse is not open for tours or climbing, visitors can walk down a wooden boardwalk adjacent to the lighthouse to view and photograph the structure. To get to the Ocracoke Lighthouse, turn left off NC Highway 12 at the Island Inn. The lighthouse is about 800 yards down, on the right side of that street.

Visit Local Art Galleries and Shops To View Local Talent and Style

Because of the natural beauty of the ocean and its surroundings on the Outer Banks, many artists live in the area and express their love for the Outer Banks in their artwork. There are several art shows and events throughout the year and several art galleries located throughout the Outer Banks. If you are interested in art, you will love spending a day touring some galleries in the area. If the timing is right, you might also get to see an art show or attend an event! For more information, contact the Dare County Arts Council at (252) 473-5558.

Visit the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary

Ducks, geese, rabbits, deer, fox and many other animal species live in the 5,400-acre wildlife refuge known as the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, located between Duck and Corolla on the northern Outer Banks. Many trees and marsh grasses also grow in this secluded wetland area. A trailhead is located at the Sanderling Inn and gives access to a 2.5 mile clay trail that takes hikers, bikers and strollers through a part of the Sanctuary.