Drive North Carolina's Outer Banks from the Corolla wild horses to Ocracoke village, with the Wright Brothers Memorial, Jockey's Ridge, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the free island ferry. A full 10-day OBX itinerary with practical advice.
North Carolina's Outer Banks, known to regulars as the OBX, is a thin ribbon of barrier islands curving out into the Atlantic, linked by a single scenic highway and a free state ferry. It is one of the great American coastal drives: wild horses on the northern sand, the dunes where powered flight began, the tallest lighthouse in the country, and a final island village reached only by boat.
This Outer Banks road trip itinerary runs the length of the chain from north to south, from Corolla to Ocracoke, over ten unhurried days. The driving is gentle and flat, the distances short, and the pleasure is in slowing down: long beach mornings, lighthouse climbs, fresh seafood, and the salt-marsh quiet between towns.
The route follows NC-12 and US-158 south down the islands. None of the legs is long, so most days are free for the beach and the sights. The one fixed piece of logistics is the free Hatteras to Ocracoke car ferry near the end, which takes about an hour across Hatteras Inlet.
Begin at the wild northern tip, where the paved road simply ends and the sand takes over. Beyond it roam the Corolla wild horses, free-living descendants of Spanish mustangs that have been here for centuries. The only sensible way to find them is a guided 4WD tour up the beach; keep at least 50 feet back, as they are genuinely wild animals.
Back in town, climb the red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse for the first long view down the islands, and walk the grounds of the Whalehead historic estate. One relaxed night here sets the tone.
Drive south to the central beach towns and the Wright Brothers National Memorial. This is where Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered, controlled flight in December 1903. You can walk the marked flight line, stand on the exact spots where the first four flights touched down, and climb Big Kill Devil Hill to the granite monument that crowns the dune.
The visitor centre holds full-scale replicas of the 1903 Flyer and the glider that came before it. The surrounding towns of Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills are the practical heart of the OBX, with easy swimming beaches, fishing piers, and casual seafood shacks.
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Nags Head earns two nights. Its headline sight is Jockey's Ridge State Park, the tallest living sand dune system on the US East Coast, rising straight off the highway. Climb it 90 minutes before sunset for the best light, watch the kite-flyers, or take a beginner hang-gliding lesson on the slopes, a long-running OBX tradition.
Spend the rest of your time on the wide Atlantic beaches, the historic fishing piers, and the shaded trails of Nags Head Woods Preserve. This is the right base for unwinding before the wilder south.
Cross the causeway west to Roanoke Island for a complete change of pace. Manteo is a walkable waterfront town and the historic heart of the Outer Banks. At Fort Raleigh National Historic Site you stand on the ground of the Lost Colony, the English settlement that vanished without trace between 1587 and 1590, leaving only a single carved word behind.
Next door, the Elizabethan Gardens make a peaceful wander, and on summer evenings The Lost Colony outdoor drama tells the story on stage. The North Carolina Aquarium, with its huge Graveyard of the Atlantic shipwreck tank, is a good rainy-afternoon or family option.
Rejoin NC-12 at Whalebone Junction and drive south the length of Hatteras Island, deep into Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The island narrows until there is little more than dune, road, and open ocean on both sides. The drive itself is part of the reward.
The landmark is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at Buxton, the tallest in the United States, wrapped in its famous black-and-white spiral. Climbing season runs roughly mid-April to mid-October; the view from the top takes in the seashore and the treacherous offshore shoals that earned this coast the name Graveyard of the Atlantic. Two nights gives time to surf, fish, kiteboard at Canadian Hole, and slow down. Fuel and groceries thin out down here, so stock up in Avon or Buxton.
The grand finale is reached only by water. Drive to the southern tip of Hatteras Island and roll onto the free state car ferry across Hatteras Inlet, a roughly one-hour crossing with pelicans and dolphins for company. There are no bridges to Ocracoke; the ferry is the road.
Ocracoke village wraps around the sheltered Silver Lake harbour. The squat, white 1823 Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest still operating in North Carolina. Walk the Springer's Point nature trail through ancient live oaks to Teach's Hole, the cove where the pirate Blackbeard kept his favourite anchorage and met his end in 1718. Beyond the village, the National Seashore beaches are among the widest and emptiest on the East Coast. Rent a bike, eat well, and let the trip wind down before you take the ferry back to the mainland.
Late spring (April to early June) and early autumn (September to October) are the sweet spots: warm water, fewer crowds, and lower rates than peak summer. The lighthouse climbing seasons fall within this window.
Summer (July and August) is warmest and busiest, with the liveliest beach scene but heavier traffic and higher prices; book accommodation and the popular tours well ahead.
Winter is quiet and atmospheric, and the wild horses are often easiest to spot, but many attractions and ferries run reduced schedules.
The ferry: The Hatteras to Ocracoke car ferry is free and takes about an hour. In summer, arrive early to avoid a wait. If you plan to leave Ocracoke for the mainland, reserve the longer Cedar Island or Swan Quarter ferries in advance.
Wild horses: Do not drive the Corolla sand yourself unless you have genuine 4WD and experience. A guided tour is safer and finds the horses more reliably. Always stay 50 feet back.
Fuel and supplies: Top up and stock groceries in the northern towns and again at Avon or Buxton before the quieter south.
Lighthouse climbs: Cape Hatteras and Currituck Beach lighthouses are climbable in season only; check current hours before you go. Ocracoke Lighthouse is not open for climbing.
Storms and overwash: NC-12 is exposed and can flood or close in storms. Check road conditions on the NCDOT app, especially on Hatteras Island, before driving south.
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A relaxed 10-day drive down North Carolina's Outer Banks, from the Corolla wild horses to Ocracoke village, taking in the Wright Brothers Memorial, Jockey's Ridge dunes, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the free island ferry.
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