Outer Banks Road Trip - October 2017 - Day 4

Wright Brothers NHS

October 22, 2017

Rise and shine! It was another beautiful day! We started the day with a visit to the Wright Brothers National Historic Site.  It was really busy at this site! The visitor center is undergoing major renovations but there is a small temporary one available to visit. The site has a large memorial on top of a high and also has markers showing just how far the first flights flew.  The first three efforts were pretty dismal, but the forth flight was a decent distance.

We had lunch at a place called Pigman’s Bar-B-Que in Kill Devil Hills. It was decent, we aren’t really huge fans of Caroline BBQ since it is usually vinegar based. I had the Brunswick stew and pork sandwich. The stew was really good!

After lunch, we headed to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The site is believed to be the first English settlement in the present-day United States (1587).  The colony failed sometime between 1587 and 1590 when supply ships failed to arrive on time. The next time the site was visited it was found abandoned, thus giving the site a nickname of the “Lost Colony”.  The Union Army occupied the island in 1862.The video is a must see and the exhibits in the visitor center are really nice to check out also. There is a short hike on site that provides lovely views of the sound.  There is also another longer hike, but due to time we did not check that one out.

Jockeys Ridge State Park

Next up, the Jockeys Ridge State Park to visit the Dunes. It is free to visit. The visitor center is okay - it has a few interesting facts and interactive activities. Outside there are a few different trails.  There is also a boardwalk that provides a nice overall view of the dunes. From the boardwalk, you can also watch people hang gliding. There is a hang gliding school right at the state park if you are interested in learning! It seems like a lot of work for no much hang time!

Corolla Lighthouse

Leaving the dunes, we headed to the north end of the Outer Banks. We visited the Corolla Lighthouse. The lighthouse was open for climbing. The price was $10/person. This lighthouse is unique because it was never painted. The area near the lighthouse has lots of things to check out. There is a boardwalk to the sound and then there is a path to the ocean.  There are also wild horses in the area.  The historical Whalehead Club (1920s-era Art Nouveau-style mansion) is also just a short walk.  The old town area, historical Corolla. There are about 120 feral “Banker” horses that roam the area.

Heading back towards Kitty Hawk, we stopped for ice cream at The Chill Spot in Corolla. It was really pricey. They had interesting sundae options – yum!

Heading back to Kitty Hawk, we also visited the town of Duck. They have ¾ of a mile boardwalk along the Currituck Sound. Parking was available at the Town Hall. The boardwalk provides links to stores and other town amenities like the amphitheater, fishing areas, and kayak launch.

Village of Duck - Boardwalk Stroll

We decided to play some putt-putt golf at Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf. They put us on the gold course.  While the course wasn’t overly challenging, we had not played in quite a lot time so our putting skills were lacking. Regardless, we had a fun time in great weather!