The Outer Banks is famous for its beautiful beaches and stunning views. One of the best ways to experience the beauty of the Outer Banks is to wake up early and watch a stunning sunrise over the Atlantic ocean. With miles of pristine coastline, there are plenty of spots to catch a breathtaking sunrise. From Carova to Hatteras Village, here is our list of the best places to see a sunrise on the Outer Banks.
Carova 4x4 Beach
If you have a 4x4 vehicle and are up for a mini adventure, head to the northernmost beach on the Outer Banks. Carova's 4x4 Beach can only be accessed by driving bwyond the northernmost paved point of NC12 and onto the sand. Parking anywhere along the remote beach, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning sunrise over the ocean, and with a little luck, views of Carova's herd of wild Spanish mustangs.
Corolla Beach Access Points
The town of Corolla has several beach access points that offer excellent sunrise views, along with amenities like parking, showers, and restrooms. Here's a list with map links:
With public parking, located on the following streets in Corolla:
- Corolla Village Road - restrooms, showers, parking, and lifeguards
- Shad Street - parking, lifeguards
- Bonito Street - parking, lifeguards
- Sailfish Walkway - parking, lifeguards
- Yaupon Lane - restrooms, showers, parking, and lifeguards
Without parking, at the following locations:
- Tuna Street
- Barracuda Walkway
- Herring Walkway
- Perch Street
- Mackeral Walkway
- Coral Walkway
- Marlin Walkway
- Dolphin Street
- Albacore Street
Kitty Hawk Pier
One of the most iconic piers on the Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk Pier is part of the Hilton Garden Inn Outer Banks property. Beach access is free, and there is a small fee to walk onto the pier. You’ll get a perfect view of the sun rising over the ocean, and you might even see some surfers catching early morning waves.
Avalon Pier
Another great pier to watch the sunrise is Avalon Pier in Kill Devil Hills. The pier opens early between March and November, so you can catch the sunrise while standing out above the ocean surf.
Outer Banks Fishing Pier
Outer Banks Fishing Pier is a popular spot for fishing and watching the sunrise. The pier is open before sunrise in season.
Jennette's Pier
Located in Nags Head, Jennette's Pier is another great spot to watch the sunrise. This concrete pier offers several benches, a panoramic view of the ocean, and has a great atmosphere for a peaceful morning.
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse
For a spectacular non-ocean sunrise view, head to the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and boardwalk at the downtown Manteo waterfront. The lighthouse offers a stunning view of the sunrise over the Shallowbag Bay.
Bodie Island Lighthouse
Another lighthouse that offers a great sunrise view is the Bodie Island Lighthouse in South Nags Head. The lighthouse isn't open for climbing at sunrise, but you can catch a beautiful view from the park's marshfront gazebo and wooden walkway.
Bonner Bridge Pier
If you’re willing to wake up early, head to the South end of Bonner Bridge and take an immediate left. The Bonner bridge pier is an old section of the Basnight bridge offers great views of the new Bonner Bridge, a stream of charter fishing boats leaving Oregon Inlet, and views of the old Oregon Inlet Lifesaving Station. It's open 24 hours per day and features plenty of parking.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
One of the most picturesque spots on the Outer Banks, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to watch the sunrise. You can park at the Pea Island visitors center and walk along the beautiful, natural, secluded beach.
Rodanthe Pier
Located in the heart of Rodanthe, the Rodanthe Pier offers a great view of the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean. The pier is open early, so you can catch the sunrise while sitting in a comfortable chair or strolling the length of the pier.
Southern Shores Realty offers over 350 Outer Banks rentals from Corolla to S. Nags Head. We've been an Outer Banks tradition since 1947, providing families just like yours with memories that last a lifetime. Take a moment to search through our extensive selection of Outer Banks rentals, choose your favorite, and book online today!
Vacationers adore the Outer Banks for its unspoiled stretches of undeveloped shoreline, and some may not initially realize that this sporadic lack of development is completely intentional, and is the result of decades of careful environmental planning. While tourism flourished on the beaches, for generations, locals and visitors alike made inquiries and partnerships with government branches to ensure that certain areas of the Outer Banks would always remain pristine, unspoiled, and open to everyone.
Discover the best homemade ice cream and authentic made-from-scratch New York Style pizza the Outer Banks has to offer at American Pie in Kill Devil Hills. An Outer Banks favorite for lunch, dinner or a delicious scoop of scrumptious ice cream after a day at the beach. It was 1978 when Eddie and Lou Miller first opened Miller’s Seafood and Steakhouse. As a teenager, their son Brian spent his summers working in the restaurant, getting familiar with the family business. After college, Brian and his wife Beth came back to Kill Devil Hills and began working together at Miller’s. Brian and Beth officially purchased the restaurant from Eddie and Lou in 2007. A few years later they opened American Pie together, and both restaurants now carry on the Miller family tradition of quality, excellence and hospitality. “I learned everything about the restaurant business from my parents,” Miller says. “They ran the business together for all those years, and now my wife and I are doing the same. “Throughout the summer, we’re feeding around 2,000 people a day in our two restaurants. It’s a challenge we embrace every season, and we get a lot of fulfillment from making it all work.” The Millers focus on two main specialties: high quality foods and unparalleled service. Seafood at Miller’s is fresh and locally caught, and they serve high-quality Angus beef, fresh pastas and homemade desserts. At American Pie, guests enjoy hand-tossed pizzas and homemade ice cream. “We put a lot of time and effort into ensuring the products we bring in are top-notch,” Miller says. “Our customers know that when they visit our restaurants, they’ll be getting the quality and consistency they’ve come to know and love.”
It's easy to see why vacationers fall in love with Carova. Located almost literally off the Outer Banks map, while other towns along the barrier islands of North Carolina grew and developed over the decades and became popular East Coast tourism destinations, Carova never really changed.
Rustic waterfront pub at a fishing pier with a large deck for seafood eats, draft beer & live music. Fish Heads Bar and Grill is THE tiki bar of the Outer Banks. Located at Mile Post 18.5 in Nags Head, we offer a view that is second to none! Check us out!
Welcome to Back Beach Wild Horse Tours in Corolla NC. Our tours embark from Corolla NC, the last Outer Banks outpost before the road ends into nothing but stretches of wide beach. We provide safe family fun to see the Corolla Wild Horses, descendants of the Spanish Mustangs brought to the New World by explorers as long ago as the early 1500s. Because we go to their native habitat, you have the chance to experience much more than just a tour to see these majestic beings; you also get stories about the history of this area, a chance to learn about the other wild animals and vegetation of this area…and sometimes even a pirate tale or two!