Outer Banks Parks & Wildlife

Avon playground offers a fenced-in sand park with slides and swings for the whole family. 

Part of the National Park and Cape Hatteras National Seashore at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  Enjoy a hike in the beautiful woods of Buxton with views of the Lighthouse.

Our professionally trained birds talk and perform for your enrichment.

The whole family can enjoy the playground, skate park, tennis court and basketball court.  There are fitness classes and youth classes offered.

The offshore fishing capital of the Outer Banks is Hatteras Village. Big-game marlin fishing began here in the '30s. Encased in a glass box, is a world-record, 810-pound blue marlin that was caught off the island in June 1962.

A good place to start a Pea Island visit is the Visitor Center, located on the northern end of Hatteras Island, about 4 miles south of Oregon Inlet. It provides a good introduction to the ecosystem and wildlife of the refuge and the activities that are permitted there. You can obtain trail maps and informational brochures. Restrooms and parking are available. Start a hike around North Pond here. Ask about the canoe tours and guided bird walks that are offered during the summer months. Hours of operation for the Visitor Center are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is 13 miles of pristine barrier island. The beaches are mostly devoid of people, and there are several paths to get to the beach. Great for surfing, surf-fishing, shell-hunting, kayaking, photography and other outdoor activities. Sorry: No driving on the beach.

Join a Ranger for a walk along the beach to explore an ever changing world. Hands on activities allow kids to have fun while learning about the seashore. Check at the Visitor Center to learn the program of the day. Come learn about life along the Outer Banks. Learn about the history, present and future plans for Bodie Island Lighthouse. Learn about endangered sea turtles which nest along our beaches. Spend an evening under the stars hearing stories of the Outer Banks.

Bird Walks, Fish with a Ranger, Seining with a Ranger, Rip Currents, Lighthouse History, Outer Banks History, Just For Kids, Seashore Arts, Move of the Century and Moving of America's Lighthouse, Seashore Stories, The Natural Side, Ranger's Choice Adventure and Evening Campfire Program are just some of the programs offered here.

Bird Walk, Explore the Shore, Especially for Kids, Ocracoke History, Ocracoke Ponies, Pirate Times, Turtle Talk, Graveyard of the Atlantic, Outer Banks Hurricanes, and Evening Campfire are among the programs offered here.

The Aquarium's variety of exhibits promise to educate and entertain visitors. Journey through coastal freshwaters, see largemouth and striped bass, river otters and the American alligators. Explore saltwater habitats from grass flats to Gulf Stream waters. Gently stroke a stingray or a hermit crab at the touch tanks. Watch hundreds of fish flash by the 35-foot long viewing window of the 285,000-gallon 'Graveyard of the Atlantic' tank. Sharks and dozens of other species cruise by only inches away. History buffs will marvel at the one-third-scale replica of the USS Monitor. Step into "Storms", and take an inside, personal look at Outer Banks hurricanes and nor'easters. Get face to face with an electric eel, giant tarantula, black widow spider, venomous snakes and lionfish in the newest exhibit, "Bite, Shock, Sting". Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year round except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission fees: $7 adults, $6 senior citizens and active military and $5 children ages 6-17.

Owned by the North Carolina Aquarium Society The oldest fishing pier on the Outer Banks provides a great fishing experience for the entire family. The main exhibit, Giants of the Sea, showcases state-record trophy fish mounts and five aquariums with indigenous fish species on display. The pier also houses an outpost for the North Carolina Aquarium Education Department, which offers a wide variety of coastal educational opportunities for children of all ages. Aquarium education classes run Monday - Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

For more information about Outer Banks parks and wildlife, click here.