Recreation | Insiders' Guide® North Carolina's Outer Banks, 26th Edition

		Airplane Tours Even people who have lived on the Outer Banks for years are awestruck when they first view this stretch of islands from the air. Small planes offer tours daily most of the year from Corolla through Ocracoke. Pilots are always pleased to dip their passengers over a school of dolphins frolicking in the Atlantic, circle one of the four lighthouses beaming from these beaches, or cruise around the Wright Brothers National Monument, where Wilbur and Orville flew the world's first successful heavier-than-air craft. Bring your camera, for these adventures provide great photo opportunities of both sea and sound shores and otherwise inaccessible wetlands. Reservations are strongly recommended at least a day in advance of takeoff. All flights depend on the wind and weather. For information on charter flights to Norfolk and other destinations off the Outer Banks, please refer to the air service section in our Getting Here, Getting Around chapter. Several services offer flight instruction to obtain a pilot's license and certification. Roanoke Island Kitty Hawk Aero Tours Main Terminal Airport Road, Roanoke Island (252) 441-4460, (877) 274-2461 Based at the Manteo Airport, these air tours fly half-hour trips in Cessna aircraft year-round. Flights take you soaring south over Oregon Inlet, flying above the waves to see shipwrecks, over Jockey's Ridge and Roanoke Island, and back to circle the Wright Brothers monument. It costs $48 per person for parties of two and $39 per person for three- or four-person parties. Tours are offered from 10:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M. in the off-season, and from 9:00 A.M. to sunset during summer. If you're up for more high-flying excitement, try a trip in a 1941 Waco biplane, with its open cockpit. Twenty- minute trips take two passengers around the central Outer Banks for $88 per person. Leather helmets and old-fashioned Red Baron-style goggles are included in the price. Biplane tours are offered May through September from 9:00 A.M. until sunset. Reservations are preferred for both types of flights. Outer Banks Seaplanes Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park Wanchese (252) 475-1007 This company offers air tours via seaplane, taking off and landing on Roanoke Sound. Board the Cessna seaplane at the dock at the Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park, then take a half-hour tour above Jockey's Ridge, the Wright Brothers Memorial, Roanoke Island, the beach, and Oregon Inlet. Two passengers can fly at a time. To get to the industrial park, take North Carolina Highway 345 off U.S. Highway 64/264 on the south end of Roanoke Island. Once you're in Wanchese, a brown state sign will direct you to the park. Hatteras Island Burris Flying Service Frisco Shopping Center, NC 12, Frisco (252) 986-2679 Burris Flying Service offers sightseeing tours of Hatteras Island and the surrounding areas. The short tour, about 30 minutes, takes you around Cape Hatteras and the lighthouse, while the longer tour, about an hour, can go either north to Rodanthe or south to Ocracoke Island. Both short and long tours fly two or three passengers. Additional trips are available, including a summer sunset tour. This is unparalleled opportunity for aerial photography. Tours are offered daily from May 1 through October 31. Advance reservations are recommended. Ocracoke Island Pelican Airways Ocracoke Airstrip, Ocracoke (252) 928-1661 Half-hour trips above Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands are available any time of year in this Aero-Commander plane. Trips can be tailored to suit individual interests or narrated to explain interesting aspects of the southern Outer Banks area. A trip carries two or three people. Flight instruction is offered by appointment. Charter service is also available-see our Getting Here, Getting Around chapter.
		All-Terrain Vehicle, 4WD, and Horse Tours Whether you're cruising along the beach or chasing a sunset up the marshy sounds on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), you're limited to 15 mph, and you can't ride on the dunes. These tours are available only on the northern Outer Banks north of Corolla. Corolla Corolla Outback Adventures Wee Winks Shopping Center NC 12, Corolla (252) 453-4484 www.corollaoutback.com This outpost on the northernmost area of the Outer Banks has been operating for more than 20 years and conducts guided tours with ATVs. Customers are transported by truck north of where the pavement ends to the four-wheel-drive area, where a Corolla Outback guide takes you by ATV along the beaches and through protected wildlife refuges. Even though the area is becoming more populated, you can still catch a glimpse of wild horses, rare waterfowl, wild boars, and feral hogs. During summer season, two-hour guided tours cost $125 a vehicle; the ATVs seat two people. Off-season rates are available. Backcountry Outfitters and Guides Corolla Light Town Center, Corolla (252) 453-0877 www.outerbankstours.com Backcountry Outfitters and Guides offers Wild Horse Safari Tours that head to Carova, near the North Carolina border, looking for the famous wild horses-and they find them. Two-hour tours are led in Chevy Suburbans that hold up to 10 people. After the 15-mile drive up the beach to the horses' stomping grounds, passengers unload from the vehicle and take a few photos, while the guide educates everyone about the horses. This tour costs $46 for adults and is half-price for kids ages 4 to 11. Children age 3 and younger lap-sit for free. Along the tour you'll see other wildlife, plus the elements of the Outer Banks ecosystem. These tours take place year-round. Corolla Outback Adventures also offers four-wheel-drive/kayak expeditions. All tours and rentals are weather-dependent. Corolla Adventure Tours NC 12, Corolla (252) 453-6899 Corolla Adventure Tours offers ATV and four-wheel-drive truck tours on the beaches north of Corolla, plus ocean and sound kayak tours (see our Water Sportschapter for information). ATV tours cover about 20 miles of territory and last about two hours. Truck tours (in Chevy Suburbans) are about the same length, covering the entire stretch of beach north of Corolla up to the Virginia line, where there are no paved roads. You may glimpse the wild horses. Corolla Adventure Tours operates March through January. Ocracoke Island Portsmouth Island ATV Excursions NC 12, Ocracoke Village (252) 928-4484 www.portsmouthislandatvs.com A Portsmouth Island ATV Excursion allows you to ride the shoreline of one of the most beautiful and remote beaches in the world on an island famous for its shorebirds, sea turtles, and seashells. Excursions begin with a 20-minute boat ride from Silver Lake Harbor in Ocracoke Village. Once on the island, you will discover the historic deserted village of Portsmouth, a settlement that in 1860 was a thriving port town with more than 685 residents. Now owned by the National Park Service, Portsmouth Island is home to the only ghost town on the East Coast (see our Day Trips and Attractions chapters for more details). As part of the tour, you will be guided through the village's U.S. Lifesaving Station, the Methodist church, the post office and general store, and the village visitor center. Two trips a day are offered, from 8:00 A.M.to noon, and from 2:00 to 6:00 P.M., weather permitting. The season runs from April 1 through November 30. The cost is $75 per person, with a six-person maximum. Reservations are required.
		Athletic Clubs Despite all the outdoor activities the Outer Banks has to offer, many locals and visitors still crave vigorous indoor workouts at traditional gyms and health clubs. During the heat of the summer and the cold winds of winter, they're a good choice for strenuous exercise. These fitness centers are open year-round and include locker room and shower facilities. They are open to the public for annual, monthly, weekly, and walk-in daily membership rates. Sanderling The Spa at The Sanderling Inn NC 12, Sanderling (252) 261-4111, ext. SPA (772) www.thesanderling.com The Spa is an integral part of The Sanderling Inn Resort and Conference Center, a 12-acre luxury resort located 5 miles north of Duck. The Spa includes a complete fitness center with state-of-the-art exercise equipment and the latest in cardiovascular training machines. Steam rooms, sports showers, a whirlpool, a heated lap pool, and other hydrotherapy options are also offered. Walk-in charges are $15 a day and $60 a week. Kitty Hawk Barrier Island Fitness Center US 158, MP 1, Kitty Hawk (252) 261-0100 Barrier Island Fitness Center (located behind Wal-Mart) is a complete, full- service health club. It has a full line of free weights, circuit-training equipment, and an assortment of cardiovascular equipment, including elliptical trainers, treadmills, stair-steppers, recumbent cycles, and Airdynes. Certified aerobics classes, including aquafit, are offered. The staff includes fitness instructors, two personal trainers, and two massage therapists. Other amenities at the center include tennis courts, saunas, steam rooms, tanning beds, and an indoor pool. Parents rejoice: There is on-site babysitting and a cybercade with computer games for the kids. The cybercade is complete with high- speed Internet and e-mail access. The facility is open to the public (ages 18 and older) Monday through Friday from 6:00 A.M.to 9:00 P.M.; Saturday, 9:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., and Sunday, 9:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M.The pool is open until 10:00 P.M. daily. Drop-in rates are $15 a day or $45 a week. Nags Head Outer Banks Family YMCA US 158, MP 11, Nags Head (252) 449-8897 www.obxymca.org This facility, opened in December 2001, includes a fitness room with weight and cardiovascular equipment. A wood- floored exercise room is available for activities like aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and karate. The 7,000-square-foot gymnasium is marked for both basketball and volleyball and can be used for indoor soccer. An 8,000-square-foot indoor pool, 25 meters long with six lanes, is one highlight of the YMCA. Swim lessons, water aerobics, and lap times are available. A hot tub can accommodate up to 10 people. Another highlight is the outdoor skate park that opened in the spring of 2003. With more than 14,000 square feet of quarter pipes, bank ramps, pyramids, and a "tot lot" for little tikes, this is a challenging state-of-the-art skate park. A concrete bowl section with a snake run completes the park. Day passes and week passes are available for the skate park. The Y also has an outdoor water park that features two swimming pools. The upper pool is known as the deep well pool, with a depth of 12 feet and a 1-meter platform diving board. An area in this 150-gallon pool is designated for water sports like water polo and volleyball. The lower pool is known as the family pool and has a zero-grade entry. Two 25-yard lap lanes are available for recreational swimming. There's also a hydrotherapy area, as well as a very fun 20-foot waterslide. Wellness programs and family programs, such as Parents Night Out, are available, as is a nursery where children are actively stimulated while parents work out. Children and youth sports leagues include soccer, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and wrestling, and there are adult basketball and volleyball leagues. Call for membership rates. No day passes are issued for most of the facility, except to members of other YMCAs who have a membership card with them. Other YMCA members are charged a fee, and access is limited in summer. The one area of the Y to which passes are sold to the general public is the skate park. A day pass is $15; a one- month pass is $103. Roanoke Island Nautics Hall Health & Fitness Complex US 64, Manteo (252) 473-1191 A competition-size, indoor heated pool is the centerpiece of this health club at the Elizabethan Inn, where water aerobics, swimming lessons, and lap times are offered throughout the year. There's also a workout room with Nautilus and Paramount equipment, free weights, Stair- masters, treadmills, and an aerobicycle. Low-impact and step aerobics instruction is available daily. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, a hot tub, a racquetball court, sun- decks, a sauna, and massage therapy on the premises. Nautics Hall is open from 6:30 A.M.to 9:00 P.M., Monday through Friday, and from 9:00 A.M.to 9:00 P.M.on summer weekends. On Sundays during the off-season, hours are 9:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M. Monthly memberships cost $50 per person.
		Biking and Skating The flat terrain on these barrier islands is quite a treat for cyclists. But be forewarned that North Carolina Highway 12 is well-trafficked with fast-moving vehicles. Cyclists need to be skilled enough to ride without swerving and to anticipate the actions of car drivers, who, as many bikers know, often don't even see bicycles on the road or yield any sort of right-of-way to cyclists. It is unwise to allow children to ride their bikes on NC 12 and especially on US 158, where drivers often swerve out of their lanes as they're scoping the sights or looking for a business. It's best to restrict children to side streets or to the designated bicycle paths. These side streets and paths are also the best places to in- line skate. All roadways are either dusted or covered with sand. Corolla: extended shoulder along NC 12 on the Currituck Outer Banks, some separate paths in private developments Duck: separate bike path along NC 12, from Martins Point to Sanderling Southern Shores: separate bike path along NC 12 from Town Hall to Duck Kitty Hawk: separate bike path starting at Kitty Hawk Elementary School on US 158 south to Kitty Hawk Road Kill Devil Hills: separate bike path from the end of West First Street, along Colington Road, ending at NC 12 Nags Head: separate bike path along NC 12 from MP 11 1/2 to MP 21 Roanoke Island: separate bike path running the entire length of the island along US 64/264 from the base of the Washington Baum Bridge at Pirate's Cove to the Manns Harbor Bridge Hatteras Island: extended shoulder along NC 12 Ocracoke Island: extended shoulder along NC 12 While there is little crime on the Outer Banks, bicycles do disappear. Lock up carefully, and never leave your bike parked overnight in a front yard or in an easily accessed spot. If your bike is stolen, call the local police. Sometimes bikes are taken on nocturnal "joy rides" and later found by police, so call them before you panic. It's also a good idea to record your bike's serial number for identification purposes. Since vehicular traffic is very heavy during summer months, and many of the drivers are unaccustomed to the roads, arm yourself with the following safety tips. If you have children who will be biking, make sure that they understand the rules of the road before they leave the driveway. Use designated bike paths when available. Wear safety helmets. Ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic. Always maintain a single file. Obey all traffic rules. Cross US 158 at a stoplight whenever possible. Use hand signals for stops and turns. Don't double up unless the bike is designed for more than one rider. Keep your hands on the handlebars. Observe pedestrians' right-of-way on walks, paths, and streets. Be alert for off-road areas with tire- puncturing cacti and sandspurs. Look out for soft sand that can cause a wipeout. Use a front-lighted white lamp and a rear red reflector when riding at night.
		Corolla and Duck Ocean Atlantic Rentals Corolla Light Town Center NC 12, Corolla (252) 453-2440 NC 12, Duck (252) 261-4346 NC 12, MP 10, Nags Head (252) 441-7823 NC 12, Avon (252) 995-5868 www.oceanatlanticrentals.com Bicycles, kiddie carts, and pull-behind bikes (for kids) can be rented by the day or week from each location of Ocean Atlantic Rentals. These rental outfits also lease kayaks, baby equipment, videos, DVDs, and various recreational equipment. Surf lessons are available for surfers and wannabes of any level. Most Ocean Atlantic outposts are open seven days a week year-round, from 10:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M. in the off-season (call ahead for the Avon location) and 9:00 A.M.to 9:00 P.M. throughout the summer. Delivery is available from Corolla through Hatteras Island. Kitty Hawk Moneysworth Beach Home Equipment Rentals 947 West Kitty Hawk Road, Kitty Hawk (252) 261-6999, (800) 833-5233 www.mworth.com Moneysworth offers free delivery and pickup of all types of beach and sports rental equipment, including adults' and children's bikes, baby seats, bicycle helmets, volleyball and horseshoe game sets, and beach utility carts. Delivery is from Corolla to Ocracoke. Kill Devil Hills The Bike Barn 1312 Wrightsville Boulevard, MP 9 1/2 Kill Devil Hills (252) 441-3786 The locally owned and operated Bike Barn sells top-of-the-line bikes and biking accessories and is trusted by locals for bicycle repairs on various makes and models. The shop rents bikes (hybrids and Beach Cruisers) for $40 a week or $15 a day, helmets and locks included. Kiddie carts and strollers are available as well. The Bike Barn gives free maps of the area to all renters, and the helpful staff assists with touring information. The Bike Barn is located directly behind Taco Bell. KDH Cycle 203 NC 12, MP 8 1/2, Kill Devil Hills (252) 480-3399 Open year-round, this full-service bicycle shop rents excellent equipment at competitive prices. The rental fleet includes cruisers, hybrids, road bikes, and mountain bikes. A 24-speed Trek with suspension rents for $15 per day or $50 per week. Cruisers rent for $10 per day or $35 per week. All safety equipment is included in the rental cost. KDH Cycle offers full- service repair on all makes and models of bicycles and sells parts, clothing, and bicycles, including Trek, Cannondale, and Specialized. KDH Cycle is open daily from 8:00 A.M.to 8:00 P.M. in summer and 9:00 A.M.to 6:00 P.M. in the off-season. Nags Head Ocean Atlantic Rentals NC 12, MP 10, Nags Head (252) 441-7823 www.oceanatlanticrentals.com See the complete listing of items available from Ocean Atlantic Rentals under the Corolla and Duck section above. Hatteras Island Island Cycles NC 12, Avon (252) 995-4336, (800) 229-7810 This all-encompassing bicycle shop is in the Food Lion Shopping Center between ACE Hardware and East Carolina Bank. Sales, repairs, advice, and bicycle rentals are offered. Mopeds and scooters are also available for sale or rent. Cyclists lease seven-speed beach cruisers, single-speed beach cruisers, mountain bikes, and road bikes or higher-end bikes, recumbent bicycles, and tandems. Group and offseason rates are available. Island Cycle is open year-round. Summer hours are 9:00 A.M.to 6:00 P.M.Off-season hours vary, so call ahead. Hatteras Island Boardsports NC 12, Avon (252) 995-6160, (866) HIB-WAVE www.hiboardsports.com Opened in 2002 by two guys who worked in the recreational retail business on Hatteras Island for several years, this shop has beach bikes to rent in addition to kayaks and other equipment for the many water sports practiced here. Rent for part of the day, the whole day, even an entire week. HIB is open every day in season. Custom surfboards are a recent addition to all they offer. Lee Robinson's General Store NC 12, Hatteras Village (252) 986-2381 This store rents beach cruisers, some with baby seats, seven days a week in season for cycling tours around the southern end of Hatteras Island. Lee Robinson's is open until 11:00 P.M. in the summer, with abbreviated hours during the off-season. Ocracoke Island Slushie Stand NC 12, Ocracoke (252) 928-1878 Take a breather and rock a spell in a chair on the wraparound porch before renting a two-wheeler. You can't miss the bike racks spread out in front of this juniper-sided building across from Silver Lake Harbor. Traditional coaster and kids' bikes rent by the hour, day, or week from April through November. Daily rates are $15, and weekly rates are $40. Special tandem bicycles and tricycles also can be leased. Call for rental rates. After a long ride through Ocracoke Island, be sure to sample a hand-dipped ice-cream cone or an old-fashioned slushy at the snack bar. Island Rentals Silver Lake Road, Ocracoke (252) 928-5480 This Ocracoke Island outpost rents adult bicycles for $10 a day. It's next to the Ocracoke Harbor Inn and is open Easter through Thanksgiving. Beach Outfitters NC 12, Ocracoke (252) 928-6261, (252) 928-7411 Beach Outfitters, in the Ocracoke Island Realty office, is open all year and accepts reservations. You can rent bikes for $15 a day or $40 a week. See our Weekly and Long-Term Cottage Rentals chapter for more information.

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