Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

By Air

The closest large, commercial airports to the Outer Banks are Raleigh-Durham, a 5-hour drive, and Norfolk International in Virginia, a 1½-hour drive. Craven County Regional Airport in New Bern has charter service and car rentals available. Wilmington International Airport serves the Cape Fear Coast.

Barrier Island Aviation provides charter service between the Dare County Regional Airport and major cities along the East Coast, as does Flightline Aviation, which flies into the First Flight depot, at the Wright Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. US Airways Express and Delta fly into Craven County Regional Airport in New Bern. US Airways, Delta, and Allegiant serve Wilmington International Airport.

By Boat & Ferry

Seagoing folks travel the Intracoastal Waterway through the Outer Banks and the Albemarle region. Boats may dock at just over 400 marinas, including Db City Marina in Elizabeth City, Manteo Waterfront Marina, and National Park Service Silver Lake Marina, in Ocracoke. From Ocracoke, car ferries take off to Hatteras Island, Cedar Island, and the mainland's Swan Quarter. You need to reserve some ferries by calling the NC Department of Transportation's ferry division.

The Intracoastal Waterway provides access to many Central Coast destinations, including Beaufort, Morehead City, and Emerald Isle. The region has more than 70 marinas, among them Beaufort Town Docks and the Morehead City Yacht Basin. New Bern can be reached via the Neuse River from Pamlico Sound. Several marinas are available here, including the Sheraton Grand Marina. You can dock for the day (but not overnight) at the public docks of Union Point Park.

The Wilmington area has public marinas at Carolina Beach State Park and Wrightsville Beach, and a number of hotels provide docking facilities for guests. A state-run car ferry connects Fort Fisher, south of Kure Beach, with Southport on the coast. For information about the state-run ferry system and its schedules and costs, call the North Carolina Department of Transportation's ferry information line. NCwaterways.com provides an online listing of hundreds of marinas and boating services as well as information about bridge schedules, tide tables, and waterway issues.

By Car

On the one hand, navigation in the Outer Banks is a snap because there's only one road—Route 12. On the other, traffic can make that single road two lanes of pure frustration on a rainy midsummer day when everyone is looking for something besides sunbathing. Low-lying areas of the highway are also prone to flooding.

Highways into the other areas along the coast—U.S. 158 into Kitty Hawk and Nags Head; U.S. 64/264 around Nags Head and Manteo; Interstate 40, which can take you from Wilmington all the way to Las Vegas or California if you desire, or Raleigh if you're catching a plane; and U.S. Highway 17, which services Wilmington and New Bern—run smoothly during all but weekday rush hours and the busiest days of high season.

Driving on the beaches is occasionally allowed in designated areas, and permits are sometimes required. The strictly enforced speed limit on the beaches is 25 mph, and pedestrians always have the right of way. Driving on sand can be tricky, so be careful.

By Taxi

Beach Cabs, based in Nags Head, runs 24-hour service from Norfolk to Ocracoke and towns in between. The Connection is a shuttle service with passenger vans large enough to handle families, camping gear, surfboards, and bikes. It's a bargain at $155 from Norfolk to Nags Head. The Outer Banks Limousine Service, headquartered in Nags Head, serves the entire area and Norfolk International Airport and runs around the clock; getting to the airport in a sedan costs about $175 from Nags Head.

Essentials

Air Contacts

Dare County Regional Airport (410 Airport Rd., Manteo, 27954. 252/475-5570. www.fly2mqi.com). Norfolk International (2200 Norview Ave., 23518. 757/857-3351. www.norfolkairport.com). Wilmington International Airport (1740 Airport Blvd., 28405. 910/341-4125. www.flyilm.com). Allegiant Air (702/505-8888. www.allegiantair.com). Flightline Aviation (252/338-5347. www.flightlineair.com). Delta (800/221-1212. www.delta.com). Barrier Island Aviation (252/473-4247. www.barrierislandaviation.com). US Airways Express (800/428-4322. www.usair.com).

Boat & Ferry Contacts

Beaufort Town Docks (252/728-2053). Carolina Beach State Park (910/458-7770). Cedar Island Ferry Terminal (252/225-3551 or 800/856-0343). Db City Marina in Elizabeth City (252/338-2886). Manteo Waterfront Marina (252/305-4800). Morehead City Yacht Basin (252/726-6862). National Park Service Silver Lake Marina (252/928-5111). North Carolina Department of Transportation Ferry Information (800/293-3779). Outer Banks Ferry Service (252/728-4129). Sheraton Grand Marina (252/514-2574). Union Point Park (252/639-2900). Wrightsville Beach Marina (910/256-6666). NCwaterways.com (252/728-2144).

Taxi Contacts

Beach Cabs (252/441-2500). The Connection (252/449-2777. www.calltheconnection.com). Outer Banks Limousine Service (252/256-1343. www.outerbankslimousine.com).

Visitor Information

National Park Service's Group Headquarters (1401 National Park Dr., Manteo, 27954. 252/473-2111. www.nps.gov/caha). National Park Service Superintendent (1401 National Park Dr, Manteo, 27954).