Our First Trip to the Outer Banks

Manteo

I wasn’t quite sure where to go and where to stay when visiting the Outer Banks. I knew we wanted to drive the entire length of the Outer Banks and decided we’d stay somewhere in the northern part and somewhere further south. I had points from Chase so I booked the first place in Manteo. It was approximately a 3-1/2 hour drive from Raleigh. On our way we stopped in Plymouth to see the Roanoke River Lighthouse.

Our hotel in Manteo was nothing to write home about. The only thing I can say is I didn’t pay for it. It was a bit shabby and needed a lot of TLC. It was conveniently located near The Lost Colony site. Unfortunately the play was canceled this season due to Covid but we learned a lot about the Lost Colony in the museum. We ate some seafood at a little restaurant in a marina. It was very empty.

Roanoke Island

The little village of Manteo was typical of any beach town with shops and restaurants. We walked across the bridge to the island but the museum with the Elizabethan II was closed on Mondays. So we walked along the boardwalk next to the inlet.

As we walked along the boardwalk we came upon the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. This one was built very similar to the Roanoke River Lighthouse.

Wright Brothers Museum

We crossed the Inlet on the Virginia Dare Bridge and headed up the coast through Nags Head to Kitty Hawk. We visited the Wright Brothers Museum and walked the path up to the monument.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Our next stop was the Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla. We wanted to do a wild horse tour but they were booked until Wednesday. Maybe next time!

On our way back to Manteo we ate at a lovely restaurant in Duck called Aqua. We watched the sunset and shared a tuna dinner.

It was a gorgeous sunset!

Roanoke Festival Park

Our next full day we visited the Roanoke Festival Park again and this time climbed aboard the Elizabeth II. This is not to be confused with Cunard’s QEII – but a small sailing vessel that carried 50 sailors.

Also in the park we saw examples of American Indian villages. It was a small area but filled with a lot of information. There was also an inside museum which highlighted the Lost Colony and Sir Walter Raleigh.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

The Bodie Island Lighthouse was a very typical lighthouse with the white and black stripes. Unfortunately due to Covid it wasn’t open to climb. Nevertheless it was well worth a stop to see it. We also walked along the marsh where we saw a few birds and quite a few birders.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge State Park was well worth a visit. It has the tallest sand dunes on the east coast and some kids brought boogie boards to try and sled down the sandy slopes. Unfortunately it didn’t go too well. Here’s also a hang gliding school here and we were able to watch a few take off.

Alligator River Wildlife Refuge

I read about the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge where 40 species of mammals live including the black bear. From what I read, the best time to see a bear is early morning or close to dusk. We headed over there and drove miles of trails through the refuge. I really didn’t expect to see a bear when a big one came lumbering out of the dense foliage on one side of the road and crossed in front of us. The skeptic I was, my camera sat idly on the car floor not at the ready for the shot. So I missed my opportunity. However, I did see a very large copperhead and a small snake.