Nags Head Activities
Nags Head
Activities

Nags Head, NC Attractions & Activities

Nags Head is known for being a quintessential town, with sprawling beaches, iconic architecture, and bountiful fishing. Because of the unique and plentiful waterways found in and around Nags Head, a wide variety of activities are available, like watersports, boat tours and surfing lessons, and some great fishing.

In addition to outdoor adventures, the town also offers fun, family-friendly tourist attractions and bustling nightlife. Browse through our full list of attractions to find the perfect staples for your Nags Head itinerary. While you do it, look for the Twiddy Preferred badge indicating our local favorites.

Nags Head
  • Shopping
  • Activities
  • Gifts & Specialty Shops
  • Rainy Day
  • Preferred

One of the largest and oldest art galleries in Nags Head, Seaside Art Gallery has 12 themed rooms of art.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Attractions
  • Good for Groups
  • Preferred

Join Manteo’s retired police chief for the original Historic Candlelight Walking Tour through the historic waterfront of Old Manteo. Explore 400+ years of living history as he shares with guests an entertaining mix of the many "firsts", lore, tales & history that make Dare County "The Land of Beginnings!" Twiddy guests receive 10% off! Visit their website via this listing and enter promo code TWIDDY10 to receive a 10% discount on your entire booking.

KNOCKERBALL NC Preferred
Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups
  • Preferred

Take your family reunion, wedding, or corporate retreat to the next level with the games offered by KNOCKERBALL NC! Roll, bump, and bounce while playing soccer in a giant inflatable knockerball. Human foosball and foot darts are also available.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Equipment Rentals
  • Family-Friendly
  • Budget-Friendly
  • Good for Groups
  • Preferred

Rental center for all of your vacationing needs, including beach equipment rentals, bikes, electric bikes, golf carts, kayaks, and even grills, dog crates, strollers and more. Umbrella and beach chair setup service is also offered.

Kitty Hawk Kites Preferred
Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Duck
  • Shopping
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Surf Shops & Beach Gear
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Equipment Rentals
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups
  • Preferred

The famous Kitty Hawk Kites offers parasailing, wakeboarding, water skiing, tubing, jet ski tours and rentals, kayak rentals, surfboard rentals and more!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly
  • Preferred

Located on the Manteo Waterfront, this family-friendly adventure ensures that you WILL see dolphins on our outing!

Skydive OBX Preferred
Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Preferred

Let the experienced and certified instructors at Skydive OBX take you on a tandem jump you will never forget above the beautiful sites of the Outer Banks!

Croatan Charters Preferred
Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly
  • Preferred

Offering crabbing, shrimping and fishing charters to vacationers and locals of the Outer Banks, Croatan Charters is also happy to tailor make a boating trip to your group's desires, such as clamming, sightseeing, or touring a sand island, for example. Create the fishing trip of your dreams with Croatan Charters.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Equipment Rentals
  • Preferred

Providing the highest quality beach equipment rental service for the Outer Banks beaches from Corolla to Nags Head.

The Lost Colony Preferred
Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Preferred

The Lost Colony has been a fixture on the Outer Banks since 1937. The nation's longest-running outdoor symphonic drama tells the story of the first permanent English settlement in the new world and their mysterious disappearance.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Casual Dining
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Catering/Grocery Delivery
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups
  • Romantic/Couples

Classically trained chef Virginia Miller and her staff provide personal chef services at your vacation home. At their kitchen in Kill Devil Hills, choose from adult cooking classes or kids culinary classes, or rent their space to celebrate a special occasion. Perfect for family vacations, weddings, corporate events, or any gathering.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Offering all-day sportfishing charters. Located at the world-famous Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Family-friendly guided inshore fishing trips and guided duck hunts. Local knowledge and Southern hospitality.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Chasin’ Tyde Charters is a family-owned and operated fishing charter specializing in inshore / nearshore fishing. We fish the sound, inlet, ocean, and shipwrecks with the exciting opportunity to catch all kinds of fish! Come Chase the Tydes with us and experience an unforgettable fishing adventure on the beautiful Outer Banks.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Other
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups

Enjoy a group workout on the beach, by the pool, or from the comfort of your vacation rental! A group bootcamp is a fun way for the whole family to stay active while on vacation. These are full-body, no equipment workouts designed for all ages and fitness levels. Email Shannon at Daybreakstrengthandfitness@gmail.com today to book your private group workout!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure

Maintain and enhance your fitness while vacationing on the Outer Banks! Roanoke Island Fitness Lab is a CrossFit Gym located in Manteo, full of people who know they are stronger together. In addition to their CrossFit classes, RIFL offers HIIT, TRX and Indoor Cycling classes.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Other

Discover a better way to get to the Outer Banks. Offering hassle-free private air charters to and from the OBX, as well as scenic air tours over the Outer Banks.

Nags Head
  • Casual Dining
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly
  • Romantic/Couples

Private day and sunset sailing adventures on the Roanoke Sound. Unique coastal experiences that include locally-sourced food and beverages are available.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Other
  • Good for Groups

Sustainable florist offering flower bouquet delivery and flower arrangement parties.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Outer Banks inshore charter fishing with Captain Lance Luke of Wanchese, NC.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Equipment Rentals
  • Family-Friendly

Private and group surf lessons, surf coaching, sunset and eco SUP tours and more, Farmdog Surf School is available to help watersports enthusiasts of all levels to accomplish their surfing and SUP goals and enjoy the open water during their Outer Banks vacation.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure

Guided watersport tours from Kitty Hawk Water Sports include jet ski, kayak, banana boat and dolphin tours, and even an overnight kayak tour, too! In addition, they offer rentals and lessons on just about anything you're looking to do on the water during your Outer Banks vacation.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly

Run by biologists, the Nags Head Dolphin Watch takes adventurers on an eco-tour to search for the wild Atlantic bottlenose dolphin and learn about dolphin research, as well as interesting information about other beloved aquatic animals found on the Outer Banks.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly

Outer Banks Adventures offers airboat rides, eco tours, SUP tours, lessons and more! With options like a sunrise or sunset tour, picnic and a tour, a photography outing, historical tours, family fun adventures, corporate retreats and more, Outer Banks Adventures is a great way to experience the Outer Banks coast with your family or friends.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly

Soar over the Outer Banks in a 1942 open -cockpit biplane or in a Cessna 172 for a bird's eye view of dolphins, sea turtles, shipwrecks, the Wright Brothers' Monument, Bodie Island Lighthouse, and more!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Romantic/Couples

The first "legal" distillery on the Outer Banks of North Carolina can be found in the heart of historic downtown Manteo. Offering daily tours and tastings of their trademark Kill Devil Rum, Outer Banks Distilling has quickly become a must-see during your next Outer Banks vacation.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Family-Friendly

Coastal Helicopters offers air tours along the beautiful beaches of the Outer Banks...with room for three passengers, every seat is a window seat. Our air conditioned Robinson R-44 helicopter gives you a smooth ride along the ocean with the chance to see lighthouses, shipwrecks and sea life including schools of dolphin, fish, sea turtles, and the occasional whale!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Golfing

A true Scottish links-style championship course, Nags Head Golf Links has everything a golfer could want, situated on a beautiful location on the banks of the Roanoke Sound.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure

The Ashtanga Yoga Center is dedicated to the traditional practice of Ashtanga Yoga, and the instructors offer weekly group classes, as well as private lessons at your desired location.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure

Hot yoga classes centrally located in Nags Head

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Rainy Day

Late-night Rock n' Bowl, league tournaments, parties and more can be found at the Outer Banks Bowling Center in Nags Head.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Rainy Day

Your familiar YMCA facility located in Nags Head. Enjoy health and fitness activities, aquatics and family sports options while on vacation on the Outer Banks at the local YMCA.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Rainy Day

Laser tag and arcade provide family fun in Nags Head!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Rainy Day

The ultimate trampoline park on the Outer Banks! Get airborne with open jump trampolines, a foam pit, and an epic ninja obstacle course. Located in Manteo, just minutes from Nags Head.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Attractions
  • Family-Friendly

Enjoy fishing and family fun on the 1,000-foot long public pier, where world class fishing, good family fun, and educational programs & camps meet all in one iconic place on the Outer Banks.

Nags Head
  • Restaurant
  • Casual Dining
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

One of the oldest and longest piers on the Outer Banks, the Nags Head Fishing Pier is a great place to cast out your line and reel in memories that will last a lifetime. Whether you're fishing for fun, sport or for a delicious meal, Nags Head Fishing Pier is the place to be.

Nags Head
  • Restaurant
  • Casual Dining
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

For more than 50 years the fishing professionals at the Outer Banks Fishing Pier have been helping anglers make the most of their Outer Banks fishing experiences. In addition to their tackle shop, pier and boat rentals, you can also find Fish Heads Bar & Grill located on the Outer Banks Fishing Pier, offering premier oceanfront dining and live local music in the summertime.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Whether it is the Rock Solid out of the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center, the Carolina Blue at Thicket Lump Marina or the Southern Run (goes wherever the fish are biting!)... WE WILL GET YOU RIGGED UP!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Home of the largest and most modern charter fishing fleet on the eastern seaboard, Oregon Inlet Fishing Center is also a full-service marina that offers tailor-made fishing experiences to fishing enthusiasts of all types!

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

A boating resort community, complete with a world-class marina, charters, tournaments and more, Pirate's Cove Marina is dedicated to providing the complete spectrum of fishing needs to Outer Banks vacationers and locals alike.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Fishing
  • Attractions
  • Family-Friendly
  • Budget-Friendly
  • Dog-Friendly
  • Good for Groups

Enjoy hiking, jogging, birding, events and activities among the sand dunes, marshes, and wetlands off the beaten path of the Outer Banks. Trails are available for self-guided hikes during the day. Trails range from easy to strenuous, from 0.25 mile to 3.75 miles, including an ADA Trail. Guided hikes are offered during certain times of the year.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly

Located at MP 16 in Nags Head, First Flight Adventure Park was the first aerial park of its kind on the Outer Banks and is designed for thrill seekers of varying skill levels, ages 6 and up, to tackle the 48 different obstacles 50 feet in the air overlooking the sound and ocean.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Attractions

Visit the tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern United States, located right in Nags Head! Fly a kite, hike up to the top, or enjoy the panoramic view from the ocean to the sound at Jockey's Ridge State Park.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Equipment Rentals

All the rental items you'll need for vacation. Bikes, kayaks, surfboards, grills, baby equipment and beach equipment with delivery & pick-up!

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Services
  • Equipment Rentals

Cruise the Outer Banks in an eco-friendly way! Daily and weekly street-legal golf cart rentals.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups

Located in the Village of Wanchese on Roanoke Island. Wanchese is famous for its fishing culture, beautiful views and quick access to the Atlantic Ocean. Eager to get a taste of the high seas? Join one of their knowledgeable captains for a chance to make some memories to last a lifetime. Inshore, nearshore and offshore charters are offered, along with shrimping/crabbing and dive charters. Their diverse fleet allows the opportunity to find the perfect Outer Banks adventure for you and your family. All licenses, bait and tackle are included with your charter. All-inclusive packages can be arranged for groups. After your adventure, bring your cleaned catch to their Landing Grill and let them cook it for you – a wonderful way to end your day.

Corolla
Kill Devil Hills
Nags Head
Kitty Hawk
Southern Shores
Duck
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Family-Friendly
  • Good for Groups

Spreading the love of Outer Banks surfing while providing a safe, positive, and fun experience to surfing students of all ages and skill levels. On-site surfing lessons from Corolla to Hatteras.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Tours & Adventures
  • Attractions
  • Family-Friendly
  • Budget-Friendly

Take a ride in their red, open cockpit biplane or book a Cessna tour. Home of the $15 rides all day! Contact OBX Airplanes for more information. Personalized airplane banners are also available.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Attractions
  • Family-Friendly
  • Rainy Day

Local nonprofit dedicated to encouraging the arts in Dare County. The fine arts and craft gallery in Manteo features emerging and established Outer Banks artists and is open to the public. Featured art rotates regularly. Art workshops are held weekly, including Kids Art Party, where children are guided through creating their own masterpiece. A one-of-a-kind OBX vacation souvenir!

Nags Head
  • Shopping
  • Specialty Spirits
  • Activities
  • Grocery & Food Markets
  • Gifts & Specialty Shops
  • Recreation & Leisure
  • Good for Groups
  • Rainy Day

Buffalo City Jug Shop is named in honor of Buffalo City, the once logging and moonshining community a few miles inland from the Outer Banks. Offering a growler filling station with 24 beers on tap and a large selection of craft bottle beer and wine as well.

Nags Head
  • Activities
  • Fishing
  • Family-Friendly

Captain Frank offers 3, 4, 6, and 8-hour private fishing charters in pursuit of saltwater fish, such as striper, speckled trout, red drum, flounder, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and more. Special family fishing trips are offered, where it's all about the kids catching their own fish!

Explore More Things to Do in Nags Head

The nature-centric attractions of Nags Head like Jockey’s Ridge State Park and the Nags Head Fishing Pier are just a small piece of what gives this coastal town its charm. Activities for visitors of all ages and interests are aplenty, and you’ll be sure to leave with dreams to come back. If you’ve had your fill of adventure but are looking for more fun, explore the shops, dining and nightlife that are all easily accessible when staying near Nags Head, NC.

Explore Another Town

Nags Head has no shortage of attractions, but keep these neighboring Outer Banks towns in mind when choosing fun activities to fill your itinerary with.