There’s nowhere on earth quite like the Outer Banks, a string of wild but well-loved barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina. Learn more about our 2025 Vacation of the Year.

The Outer Banks — a 130-mile stretch of beach towns off the North Carolina coast — offer rich historical memories (it’s home to one of the first havens for freed slaves), gorgeous stretches ...

The best time to visit the Outer Banks is between March and May or September and November, when lodging rates drop and crowds dissipate. Most mainland North Carolina ... at the beach and on ...

A driver in Nags Head is facing several charges after police said they drove on the beach without a permit while under the influence.