Outer Banks fishing is legendary. The barrier islands stick so far out into the Atlantic that the Gulf Stream is very close to the shore. The sea and the sound mix here, allowing anglers to land both saltwater and freshwater species. You have to be a very unlucky fisher person to go home empty handed on the Outer Banks.

While headboats or private charters can leave you with an experience you’ll long remember, pier fishing is the way to go if you have children or newbies in your group. No sea sickness, no slippery decks, restrooms instead of heads and you can leave when they’ve had enough.

In the area around Nags Head, NC. there are five of these fun family fishing venues, with the 750 foot long Nags Head Fishing Pier being a long time favorite. During the summer months, you can try to catch spanish mackeral, small blues, croaker, cobia, flounder, spot and pompano. Enjoy the entire day and night on the pier for just $10. They’re open 24 hours a day and the night fishing can be both relaxing and productive. There’s a full service bait and tackle shop and a restaurant right on the pier to keep you well-provisioned. You may rent gear if you didn’t bring your own.

Imagine catching a king mackeral or a cobia that’s so big you have to drag it down the pier into the restaurant to have it cooked? Yes, You Hook ‘Em - We Cook ‘Em is the motto of the famous Nags Head Pier Restaurant. That’s right, catch a fish or two and the cooks will transform them into a scrumptious Carolina style meal by frying, broiling, grilling or blackening it - fisherman’s choice - and serving it up with the traditional seacoast sides of cole slaw, french fries and hushpuppies. What a kick for the kids!

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Jockey’s Ridge, adjacent to the town of Nag’s Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is the tallest natural sand dune on the East Coast. Continually shifting, it moves an average of 3-6 feet each year and now sits 1500 feet southwest of where it did 25 years ago. The height of its 3 peaks also changes. The tallest was 110 feet in 1974 and shrunk to 87 feet in 1995. To preserve this phenomenon for all of us to enjoy, it became Jockey’s Ridge State Park in 1975.

A big sand dune, you say. Ho-hum. NOT! It’s the equivalent of a mountain at the beach and you can do a lot of things here that typically are done on mountains, like hang gliding and sandboarding, which is very much like snowboarding only in sand, of course.

There are also plenty of opportunities to explore the ecosystem of these golden sand dunes, with self-guided hiking trails and ranger-led bird walks, crabbing expeditions, nature hikes and a daily Sunset on the Ridge program - all free and all sure to be a hit with the kids.

from Bethany L King

Americans have been vacationing at Nags Head North Carolina since the 1830’s and with very good reason - the beach! The barrier islands that make up the Outer Banks, of which Nags Head is a part, have some of the best beaches in the country.

While walking beside the ocean, you get the feeling that the thin strand of sand goes on forever. (It really stretches 100 miles.) There’s the soothing rhythm of breaking waves on one side and tall sand dunes dotted with sea oats on the other.

The beaches are generally uncrowded and, unlike some coastal areas, they are very accessible as well. As an added bonus, this is one of the few shore communities I’ve visited where you can actually enjoy a bonfire on the beach. (You do need a permit, though.) All in all, the Outer Banks promise a classic beach experience and a family vacation that all ages will enjoy.

There aren’t many hotels in the area, but most folks prefer to enjoy a Nags Head vacation rental , anyway. A beach house or cottage will let the family spread out, enjoy all the comforts and feel at quite at home. While many resorts demand week long rentals, it’s also possible to rent a place in Nags Head for a shorter getaway. The southern end of town, aptly called South Nags Head, tends to be quieter and less dense than the northern Kill Devil Hills area, where most of the action can be found.

Check out these Outer Banks webcams to see what’s in store for your vacation in Nags Head.

Cape Hatteras has a huge variety of land, sea, and air fun in the sun that is sure to keep the whole family engaged, entertained and exhausted while vacationing in the Outer Banks?

The on-island towns and villages offer so much to see and do - a week or two almost isn’t enough time to see it all. Try one, two or all of the following:

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I’ve always wanted to try surfing.  It cant be that different from snowboarding - and if you remove what i HATE about snowboarding (being COLD!) then surfing sounds like a logical choice.  There are some osbtacles though - one being I look HORRIBLE in a bathing suit another being - that and the whole “sharks live in the ocean” thing…..

from alaspoorwho

I was researching Cape Hatteras and found some great details and information on surfing in the area.  I thought I’d share as it’s nice to have lots of information pulled into one spot - makes it easier on the next guy (or gal.)

Apparently there is a “season” for surfing in OBX.  Summer is good - but apparently the locals love fall for surf season.  Crowds have tinned out and swells crank up.  A wetsuit is a must when you get into October.  Hurricanes also can make surfing amazing - not my idea of a good time, bu tthe diehards apparently love suring right before or after a hurricane.  I imagine things like houses and dead cows floating around in the waves.  And when the sea is angry for some reason I keep flashing back to the “jaws” movie.  I knew watching that was a bad idea.

 There are quite a few places to take surf lessons along the Outer Banks.  Give the folks at Whalebone or Corolla a call and let them know you’re a noob and want to try your hand at surfing.