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Photo courtesy Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
Joey Andrews gets back in the car after taking a break to explore the pristine beaches along the Hatteras Coast.

Joey Andrews gets back in the car after taking a break to explore the pristine beaches along the Hatteras Coast.

Photo by Samantha Fien-Helfman

The Most Scenic Drive in America: The Outer Banks Scenic Byway

A magnificent and unforgettable 140-mile coastal drive through North Carolina's barrier islands

by Samantha Fien-Helfman | February 20, 2012

1 Comments

Voted one of the most Scenic Drives in America by USA Today, various guide books, and thousands of Americans, the Outer Banks Scenic Byway truly is a magnificent drive. The Byway begins in Beaufort, North Carolina and continues for close to 140 miles to the Junction of State Highway #12 near Whalebone, North Carolina and Nags Head. (Insider tip: Do the trip in reverse: begin on the Outer Banks and work your way down to Ocracoke, the most southern-tip of the OBX. Doing so will allow you to experience the best 80 miles of the 140 mile trip and eliminate a ferry ride to some of the smaller towns on mainland, NC).

Half of the Coastal Byway’s 140 miles is a straight, two-lane road offering rolling sand dunes and glimpses of the Atlantic ocean to one side, and the marsh and Currituck Sound to the other—providing a perfect escape for those travelers looking to get away from the crowds in Duck or Corolla. Highlights of the drive include long stretches of undeveloped and pristine beaches within Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the shifting shoals of Oregon Inlet, the tallest sand dunes on the Eastern seaboard, historic towns and lighthouses, and the largest estuary system in the world.

Visitors should begin on State Route #12, a two-lane road that winds along Oregon Inlet. (Insider tip: If you have a four wheel drive vehicle, you can drive out onto the beach here.) You’ll then pass the Bodie Island Lighthouse, head over the Oregon Inlet Bridge, and through Pea Island. (Insider tip: Peruse the artwork in Pea Island Gallery—there are some very unique pieces, and the gallery owner is both friendly and very informative.)

After Pea Island, you’ll enter Rodanthe, home to the romantic setting of the movie Nights in Rodanthe, where fans of the film can stop to take pictures with the house. From here, you’ll be welcomed to Hatteras at milepost 44.7—the portion of the Outer Banks stretching from Bodie Island to Ocracoke. Be sure to climb up the Hatteras lighthouse; stop in Buxton to enjoy the largest surf on the east coast (rentals for kiteboarding, surfing, and windsurfing are all readily available here); and take a break in Frisco, where surfers will enjoy the Frisco “secret beach,” located at milepost 55.2 and the “surf spot” located at the Frisco Pier and Pier House at milepost 54.3.

Last stop? Take the ferry to Ocracoke, to explore the quaint town, historic cemetery, and #1 ranked beaches. It’s been a long day… while it’s possible to do this drive in a day, I recommend spending the night in Ocracoke, before heading back north.

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1 Comment

David Menzies

March 25, 2012 - 7:16 am

Staying overnight in Ocracoke is a GREAT idea. It’s an amazing village, and something you can’t experience just driving through it. You need to get out of your car, interact with the local folks, grab a bite to eat, explore the back roads, rent a golf cart, just explore at a leisurely pace.



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