From early on, these barrier islands have lured sunbathers, swimmers, surfers, and outdoor enthusiasts in search of excellent sportfishing and waterfowl hunting. The appeal has since widened to include more outdoor activities: windsurfing, hang gliding, parasailing, scuba diving, biking, golf, tennis, and in- line skating, just to name a few. And for a respite from these more strenuous workouts, you can choose among sightseeing cruises, ATV excursions, and beach combing. We have entire chapters covering water sports, fishing, and golf. In this chapter, we list some other recreation options.

Not all activities involve a fee. You can spend an afternoon walking the wide beaches searching for shells and pieces of sea glass or buy a kite and send it soaring atop the wafting winds. Bird-watching opportunities abound in the wildlife refuges along the Outer Banks; see our Natural Wonders chapter. Nags Head Woods offers both a shady respite during the heat of summer and a great place to take secluded hikes through one of the most marvelous preserved maritime forests on the Atlantic Seaboard. Bike paths line roads along the sounds and the sea, through towns, and along the Wright Brothers National Monument. If you need to get to sea for a while and enjoy the Outer Banks from a different vantage point, ride the free state ferry to Ocracoke Island.

When you've had a little too much fun in the sun, there are indoor activities such as bowling alleys, movie theaters, roller rinks, and noisy, state-of-the-art video arcades. Don't forget to check out our Kid- stuff chapter for additional activities geared toward children.

If you're looking for parks, the Dare County Parks and Recreation Department has several throughout the county, some with playgrounds, tennis courts, picnicking sites, and ball fields. Call (252) 473-1101, ext. 313 to find the one nearest you. See the Playgrounds section of our Kidstuff chapter for the best playgrounds.

If bingo is your bag, several fire stations and civic clubs along the barrier islands host regularly scheduled sessions in the early evenings throughout the summer. Colington Island's Volunteer Fire Department off Colington Road (252-441-6234) and Nags Head's Fire Department on U.S. Highway 158 just south of the Outer Banks Mall (252-441-5909) are home to two of the area's more popular part-time bingo parlors. Outer Banks Beach Bingo on Colington Road in Kill Devil Hills (252-449-8332) has games year-round several nights a week until 2:00 A.M., and the First Flight Lions Club at MP 5 1/2 on US 158 in Kill Devil Hills (252-441-8308) hosts bingo nightly at 7:00 P.M.

For home entertainment, video sales and rental stores are scattered from Corolla to Ocracoke. The stores accommodate our transient tourist population, so memberships are not required. Try Ocean Atlantic Rentals (252-261-4346) with locations from Corolla to Avon; Good Vibes Video (252-453-3503) in Corolla; Carolina Video (252-255-0821) in Southern Shores; Good Vibes (252-441-2244) in Kill Devil Hills; Video Andy (252-441-2666) in Nags Head; Village Video (252-995-5138) with several locations on Hatteras Island; and Eleven 11 Shades and Movies on Ocracoke (252-928-9000). Many stores also rent video game consoles. You'll find at least one videocassette recorder in every rental cottage on the Outer Banks, but if you're staying in a hotel or motel that doesn't have one in the room, most stores do rent VCRs and DVD players.

It's nearly impossible to experience all the recreational opportunities the Outer Banks has to offer. We're sure you'll have fun trying, though.