For postcard-perfect long weekends, or full week stays that have exceptional access to indoor and outdoor pools, restaurants, and amenities, there's nothing quite like the convenience of a stay at a local hotel or motel. A number of area hotels have been welcoming guests for decades, and as a result, vacationers have come back year after year for the fantastic service and the million-dollar views.

Nags Head real estate tends to be both pricier and in higher demand than other regions of the central Outer and Inner Banks, thanks to the town's limited area, miles of beaches, and longstanding notoriety as one of the best beach destinations along the coast.

Swimming is a local sport that never goes out of style on the Outer Banks, and with literally miles of ocean and sound waters to paddle around, there's no shortage of refreshing locales to enjoy a dip. Vacationers will find they have their choice of swimming destinations, from the fun and challenging ocean waves, to the shallow splashing waters of the sound, to the assortment of public and community pools found all along the islands.

We love to highlight some of the best and most interesting Outer Banks restaurants, shops, attractions and activities. Read on to discover some of our favorites!

With 150 miles of pristine coastline, and some of the East Coast's largest swaths of undisturbed maritime forest, the Outer Banks is a popular destination for nature lovers. As an important spot on America's "Flyway," which is the route that migrating birds take on their northern and southern treks across the country, the Outer Banks is the temporary home to hundreds of species of birds. Combine this with the number of deer, foxes, waterfowl, fish, turtles, and even alligators, and it's clear that the Outer Banks is truly a wild vacation destination.

The Outer Banks offers plenty of opportunities for a healthy, family fun vacation. Visitors can spread out over more than 100 miles of pristine shoreline.  Local restaurants and eateries are providing abundant take-out and delivery options.  Kids are distance learning from the beach! Also, there’s no risk of boredom with our list of social-distancing compatible activities! It’s no wonder that vacationers are turning to the Outer Banks for a fun, relaxing, and safe vacation during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Here are our picks for outdoor attractions, parks and activities where it’s easy to maintain social distancing guidelines while having 100% of the fun.

For families travelling to the beach, or fishermen carrying tackle/coolers, a beach cart can be the best purchase of your vacation. These carts feature extra-wide wheels to move across soft sand, even when loaded. Carts are often built for specific scenarios, so think about the gear you’d be putting on your cart before making a decision.

After a few days of sunny beach afternoons, fantastic local attractions, and all the amenities that attract people to the Outer Banks, many visitors find themselves daydreaming about a more permanent vacation. Whether your ultimate goal is to own an investment property, a retirement or vacation home, or simply a year-round home on the beach, the Outer Banks is filled with incredible opportunities and a variety of properties for sale.

Long before the summer vacationing families discovered the Outer Banks as a hot tourist destination, fishermen from across the country flocked to coastal North Carolina. With no roads to navigate, and no vacation homes to stay in, anglers would brave the makeshift sandy paths that ran along thebeaches, and would set up makeshift campsites whenever there was protection from the wind and waves. They went through great efforts to visit the Outer Banks for one reason: Exceptional fishing.

The following Nags Head rules, regulations, and general guidelines will ensure that visitors enjoy an effortlessly breezy day in this classic vacation town.

On the Outer Banks, it's easy to throw in a little education in with a vacation filled with fun, adventures, and new explorations.

Spring and fall visitors will notice the popularity of kiteboarding on the Outer Banks the moment they ride down a stretch of soundfront highway. In the off-season months, it's not unusual to spot dozens if not hundreds of multi-colored kites lining the skies over the Outer Banks' miles of sound waters.

Every vacation destination has its own unique draw to potential visitors, whether it's a national monument, a fantastic shopping or dining scene, or an exotic locale that's meant for total relaxation. Many newcomers to the Outer Banks are surprised to learn that this destination has all of these attributes and more, and it can be hard to narrow down the overflowing list of "must-sees" or "must-dos" that have to be squeezed into a 1-2 week OBX vacation.