Things to Do on the Outer Banks
See our recommendations on things to do on the Outer Banks.
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
Sample local seafood, explore the history of the fishing industry and learn the different types of fish and seafood preparation popular in the area. Then cheer on the locals in the Fish House Olympics, where competitions include the mullet toss, fish packing and cast net throwing. Friday night is the festival’s opening party, Dock and Dine, where you can sample local fare such as fried and steamed seafood, sushi, and shrimp and grits, all while listening to local artists perform.
Outer Banks Restaurant Association
Customize your itinerary with beer tastings, wine classes, restaurant tours, cooking classes and BBQ showdowns. Popular events include the tapas crawls in the towns of Duck and Manteo, in which participants walk to restaurants to sample local cuisine paired with wine and beer, and the chowder cook-off in North Carolina’s Southern Shores at Coastal Provisions Market. Tickets for the 2014 Taste go on sale in December.
Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival
Singer-songwriter Rhonda Vincent, dubbed the “New Queen of Bluegrass” by The Wall Street Journal, and the bluegrass band Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out headline this year’s festival.
Town of Duck
Now in its seventh year, this free festival has hosted contemporary jazz groups like the Rippingtons and guitarist Joyce Cooling. This year’s festival features trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis.
REAL Watersports
Make sure to check out the competitions on the world’s largest slider park for kiteboarding (imagine a skateboard park in the water).
Jackie Orsulak
There are over 70 tours and classes over 6 days so be sure to make reservations ahead of time and schedule no more than 2 trips a day.
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