North Carolina Outer Banks OBX

The North Carolina Outer Banks which are also known as OBX are a 200 mile long chain of barrier islands just offshore of the state of North Carolina. The Outer Banks of North Carolina start at the southeastern corner of the state of Virginia near Virginia Beach and continue south along the coast of North Carolina.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a major tourist destination and their are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are on the Outer Banks. You will find that the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has four campgrounds where you can go camping.

Kill Devil Hills on the North Carolina Outer Banks is where the Wright Brothers first flew a heavier than air craft and that took place on the dunes near the town of Kill Devil Hills on December 17 1903. Today you'll find a monument to that first flight located there. It is called , The Wright Brothers National Monument.

On Roanoke Island is where the Lost Colony vanished from back in 1587. It was also the location where the first English child born in America was born. Her name was Virginia Dare and she was born in the colony before it vanished. The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama Play is the longest running outdoor drama play in the United States and people come from all over the world to view the play. The outdoor drama play has been running since 1937.

The treacherous seas and shifting sand bars have caused many ship wrecks down through out the years in the outer banks area and it has given this area the name, Graveyard of the Atlantic. You will find the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum near the Ferry Boat landing in Hatteras Village. The state owned ferry boat ride from the end of Hatteras Island over to Ocracoke Island and back is free and is one of the best free attractions in North Carolina. You can take your vehicle over to Ocracoke Island and drive 13 miles south to the Village of Ocracoke. In winter or summer the scenery is beautiful but in the summer months you'll find a lot to do in Ocracoke village. And like I said the Ferry Boat ride for you and your vehicle is free. Once the Ferry Boat leaves and is under way in either direction you can get out of your vehicle and wonder around the Ferry Boat. You can get some wonderful pictures during this time.

Ocracoke Island was also one of the favorite places of Edward Teach much better known to everyone as Black Beard the Pirate. Govenor Spotswood of Virginia sent a sloop commanded by a Lieutenant Maynard to intercept and kill the pirate Black Beard. Maynard found the pirates ship, The Queen Anne's Revenge on the inner side of Ocracoke Island on the 21 of November 1718. After a short but hard fought battle Maynard and his men were victorious and they cut Black Beards head off and hung it from the bowsprit of Maynard's ship. They threw Black Beards body over board and its always been reported that the body swam around Maynard's boat three times before it vanished under the waters of the Atlantic ocean. There is a legend in the area that in a few days the pirates body washed ashore where it was buried on Ocracoke Island minus the head. There have always been claims on the southern end of Ocracoke village that people see the headless ghost of Black Beard wandering about looking for his missing head. Many people down through out the hundreds of years since Black Beads death have searched for the missing treasure of Black Beard but if it was ever found no one ever reported it.

The Outer Banks of North Carolina was first settled by English settlers and some of their descendents still live on the North Carolina Outer Banks today. It was not until the 1930's that bridges were built connecting the Outer Banks with the mainland of North Carolina. Before that the only way to get to the Outer Banks was by boat.

The Outer Banks today are home to huge herds of Feral Horses and on Ocracoke Island you can still see them to this day. As you drive south down towards the village of Ocracoke watch for the horse pasture and a public parking area on the right where you can stop and check the horses out. Local legend says that the wild horses on Ocracoke Island today are descendents of Spanish Mustangs that were abandoned by the Spanish hundreds of years ago. You will also find a large herd of wild feral horses near Corolla North Carolina. The horses in both locations are protected but you can view either herd. The herd on Ocracoke can most often bee seen in the late afternoon when they are fed daily.

Some of the locations along the Outer Banks of North Carolina that you will want to be sure to visit include.

1. Bodie Island

2. Roanoke Island

3. Hatteras Island

4. Ocracoke Island

5. Cape Lookout National Seashore

You will want to be sure that you visit the towns or villages of Avon, Hatteras, Ocracoke, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills. All are places I would strongly suggest everyone visit while they are in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I like to visit the Outer Banks during the winter months but you won't find a lot to do during the winter months. In the summer you will find all the local attractions open and plenty for everyone to do. If you like visiting beaches you'll find some of the most beautiful beaches on earth along the outer banks of North Carolina.