Stringing along the North Carolina coastline for almost 160 kilometres, the barrier islands and peninsulas of the Outer Banks create a striking panorama of nature, history and culture stretching back to the days of Colonialism in America. Known colloquially as the OBX, the islands harbour tales of the pirate Blackbeard at Ocracoke and the famous Wright brothers taking flight at Kitty Hawk, changing transportation forever. From protected national seashores to beachfront tourist villages, dusty dunes and remote hunting grounds, the windswept enclaves of the Outer Banks comprise the centre of outdoor life in this curving coastal paradise.

Fishing boats and windsurfers bob and sway throughout the OBX waterways, and divers have a veritable underwater kingdom to explore, with more than 3,000 shipwrecks lurking beneath the surface. Bodie Island beckons beach lovers with kilometres of hidden coves, craggy cliffs and invigorating saltwater breezes, lined by fish stands, trinket shops and small cafes. Those wanting to embrace nature in its purest forms can wrangle a ride on the ferry out to Ocracoke Island for the indescribable thrill of viewing wild ponies running free and shucking oysters with local fishermen.

Though islands such as Ocracoke are accessible only by ferry, most have bridges spanning the waterways, linking to one another via Highway 12 and its offshoots. Public transportation is not available, but ferries provide short hops between the islands, including the Hatteras–Ocracoke car ferry and the Ocracoke-Cedar Island run. Shrimp trawlers and charter fishing boats offer excursions for hauling in mahi-mahi, wahoo, king mackerel and marlin while exploring the entire Outer Banks region.

One of the most pristine natural environments on the Eastern Seaboard, the protected Cape Hatteras National Seashore of Hatteras Island has a range of beautiful landscapes. Vast salt marshes, maritime forests, unbridled wildlife and sea turtle nesting grounds offer a glimpse of undisturbed environments punctuated by the lone Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and a smattering of kayakers, kite surfers and off-road vehicles traversing the sandy dunes. Locals are quite willing to spin tales of swashbuckling pirates, shipwrecks, stormy nights and Civil War battles fought on lonely shores.