2025 Picnicking Guide

Aviation Park in Kill Devil Hills offers a fun, active retreat from the beach for everyone in the family. The town park offers a playground, ball field, frog pond, fitness trail, roller hockey rink and the very popular Aviation Skatepark.

The pinnacle of fishing on the Outer Banks, however, is and has always been Cape Point. Ask any long-time Hatteras Island fisherman about Cape Point, and they'll gladly tell you about incredible catches, near-misses, and the occasional vehicle getting stuck in the deep, shifting sands.

Located in one of the Outer Banks most beautiful wooded areas, the David Paul Pruitt, Jr. Park is a small recreation area just off the Bypass near the entrance of Kitty Hawk Woods. It’s a family-oriented neighborhood playground that has play equipment for both young and older kids inside a fence-enclosed area and picnic tables on the outside near the parking area. Included are slides, jungle gyms and swings, along with a rare find at playgrounds these days - the popular push-jump-on-and-ride-merry-go-round. Nearby is a multiuse path for all family members to enjoy biking, walking or jogging. The shaded path winds in and out of roadside trees for about two miles, ending at Sandy Run Park, which features a beautiful boardwalk loop through the Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Preserve.The playground and path were named to honor Pruitt’s 20 years of service to the Town of Kitty Hawk as council member and mayor pro tem and his service to the country during WWII in the 82nd Airborne and later as Master Sergeant with the U.S. Air Force.David Paul Pruitt, Jr. Park is located next to the Dominion Power building on Woods Road and is open to the public.

You can truly choose your own Outer Banks adventure with this company that has a mission to promote conservation and respect for the natural resources of the OBX while creating fun and family-friendly experiences that highlight the beauty of this barrier island shoreline. EnvirOBX Island EcoAdventures features a far-ranging variety of customizable trips that range from kayak fishing expeditions to full OBX experiences complete with area tours, ensuring that visitors of all interests can find the perfect experience that captures the inherent beauty of the OBX lifestyle.

A beautiful and recreational stop for watersport fun. 

Hayman Park is a charming, circular neighborhood park located at the north end of Kill Devil Hills and on the sound side of Highway 158 (the Bypass).The park has a large open area often used for adult soccer practice and children’s soccer games, by golfers practicing chip shots and owners exercising pets. It’s also great for Frisbee throwing, kite flying and other activities or just lying on a blanket in the sun. In the shaded area are benches, along with picnic tables and a grill for cookouts, and nearby are swings sturdy enough for all ages and a jungle gym and slides for the kids. There are also plenty of live oak trees to climb or relax beneath with a good book.The park is surrounded by a wooden fence with several openings and plenty of room for parking on the grass area between the fence and the street, where traffic is required to move at a slow pace. The pavement encircling the park is also a great place to bike on windy days - never too long in a head wind - and to keep track of distance when running or biking - five times around the park is one mile. Hayman Park is maintained by the Town of Kill Devil Hills and is open to the public, with a portable toilet available during the season.

Manteo Waterfront Marina is a small, tranquil marina located on Shallowbag Bay near Roanoke Sound in a town known for its coastal charm and laid-back atmosphere. Though small, the harbor is deep and well-protected and will accommodate boats up to 150 feet in length.Providing  only 53 slips - 20 transient and 33 for annual and seasonal boaters - the Town of Manteo promises those who dock here a lot of special attention. That includes free overnight tie-up (with no services) based on space available. You may also anchor in good holding between the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and the Waterfront Gazebo and take your dinghy to the dock. Available at all slips are cable TB, 30 and 50 amp power and free wireless Internet access, and the marina offers pump-out service. Nearby are access to fuel and an air conditioned comfort station with bathrooms, clean showers, and coin-operated laundry facilities.Within walking distance of the marina are a playground and park and a number of historic attractions, including the Elizabeth II, and plenty of unique shops, local galleries and restaurants for casual dining. Visitors will find special events going on throughout the year along the ManteoWaterfront and in the town, and the harbor is a great place to enjoy July 4th fireworks.As another service, the marina makes arrangements for haul out, repairs, rental cars, and shuttle service to the area’s closest airports - in Manteo and Norfolk, Virginia. Rates at the marina are based on the size of boat and length of stay.

At the end of Queen Elizabeth Avenue, and within easy walking distance of Manteo’s unique shops and restaurants, you’ll find the Waterfront Park. It features a playground and picnic area and lots of benches along the waterfront boardwalk, which connects the park to other waterfront attractions. From the park, a short stroll on the boardwalk in different directions will take you to the waterfront gazebo, the Roanoke Marshes Light House, the Town boat ramp and marina or the George Washington Creef Boathouse - or farther for a nature walk though the marsh areas of Shallowbag Bay. Also from the park you get a great view of the Elizabeth II docked at Roanoke Island Festival Park.  The park is the perfect place to set out a blanket or chairs on July Fourth to enjoy lots of music, food and a front row seat as the fireworks shoot and explode over Shallowbag Bay.It also joins a number of other events year-round including fun and festivities on the First Friday of every month,Dare Day in June, August’s New World Arts Festival, a Bluegrass Festival and Wooden Boat Show in the fall, and the Lighting of the Christmas Tree and Santa’s arrival at the Town Dock by boat. Aside from all the attractions and activities, there's no prettier place to enjoy a lazy afternoon, especially during the off-season.

Meekins Athletic Field and Playground, also known as Kill Devil Hills Field, is located between the Dare (Shopping) Center and Kill Devil Hills Fire Department. It’s one of the first recreation parks built in the county and has a playground with swings and slides, two tennis courts and a softball field. Restrooms are also provided at the park.Both the tennis courts and the softball field have lights, and the field fence is at 280 feet. The soccer field is 210 X 140 feet.If you’re yearning for a night of old fashioned fun and entertainment, you can either join one of Dare County’s adult teams or come every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights (with rain days on Friday) to watch softball teams compete. Adult men’s teams (ages 18 and up) play Mondays and Wednesdays, and Coed Adults (ages 16 up) play Thursdays, both in Kill Devil Hills Field and in Wanchese.The field, along with the other facilities, is also open other times to the public for group, family or individual picnics or unorganized games or practice. During the fall the soccer field hosts competitions between youth soccer teams.Conveniently located next to the Dare Center, which hosts several eateries, Meekin’s Field is a great place to come for an afternoon  or evening of play and exercise, and afterward cool off with a cold drink, pizza, sub or other meals offered at the Center.

Nags Head Town Park is nestled among the trees on the edge of Nags Head Woods and offers plenty of space for all types of activities. For kids there’s a playground with swings and slides, and for family and group get-togethers, grills and a covered shelter with bathrooms and picnic tables are provided.  Besides the shaded areas, there’s plenty of open space for soccer and other games, frisbee throwing and kite flying. As a bonus, a nearby Nags Head Woods Preserve nature trail offers a scenic .8-mile trek through sand dunes and maritime forests, ending at a small, quiet soundside beach.  To make sure the Park Pavillion is available for group picnics or parties, call the Town of Nags Head to reserve the space. Although reservations are free, a $50 clean up deposit must be dropped off or mailed to Town Hall prior to your event date. The deposit will be returned if the Park is left clean and in good order.West Barnes Street off of Highway 158 at milepost 11 (beside Ace Hardware) runs right into Health Center Drive. Entrance to the Park is just south of the parking area.

The waterfront campground is now open in Coinjock, North Carolina! This coastal retreat is an outdoor enthusiasts' paradise, located just 30 minutes from the Outer Banks, and has stunning views of the Currituck Sound. Campers will be able to choose from RV Rentals, deluxe cabins, waterfront or inland RV sites, seasonal RV sites and tent camping.

Camp daily, weekly or year round at the beautiful Refuge on Roanoke Island.

Join us in Duck, North Carolina, as we celebrate the Town’s 10-Year Anniversary with a host of fun-filled, family-friendly events.