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Welcome and Visitor
Centers
Aycock Brown Welcome Center
at Kitty Hawk
US 158, MP 1 1/2, Kitty Hawk
(252) 261-4644
www.outerbanks.org
Constructed in the style of an old lifesaving station, this center is called "Outer
Banks at a Glance" and includes several
continuously state-of-the-art displays, a
continuously rinning film, and a brochure
gazebo. By combining computers, photography, video graphics, period music,
and sound effects, the displays offer an
entertaining overview of the Outer Banks,
and well-informed local staff members are
ready to answer questions. Named for a
1950s photographer who has since
become a local legend, this building sits a
mile east of the Wright Memorial Bridge
at the juncture of US 158 and NC 12. The
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau operates
three such welcome centers.
Resources include area maps, tide
charts, ferry schedules, and brochures.
Free community newspapers such as The
Coast, published by The Virginian-Pilot,
and the locally published North Beach Sun
offer features that highlight the area.
The center is open daily from 9:00 A.M.
to 6:00 P.M.from Memorial Day through
August and 9:00 A.M.to 5:30 P.M. daily from
September through April. It is closed
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New
Year's Day. The building and public rest-
rooms are wheelchair accessible, and the
picnic area is a welcome outdoor respite
for those who have been riding a long time.
Contact the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau at (877) 298-4373 for more information.
Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce
101 Town Hall Drive, Kill Devil Hills
(252) 441-8144
www.outerbankschamber.com
On the south side of Colington Road, near
the corner of US 158 at MP 8, a wooden
building with a covered porch houses the
chamber of commerce in Kill Devil Hills.
This center offers free information that's
helpful to both visitors and permanent
residents. It's a clearinghouse for written
and telephone inquiries, and the friendly
staff give information on activities, accommodations, and annual events. Mail inquiries to P.O. Box 1757, Kill Devil
Hills, NC 27948. The center is open year-
round Monday through Friday from 9:00
A.M.to 5:00 P.M.
Outer Banks Visitors Bureau
704 US 64/264, Manteo
(252) 473-2138, (800) 446-6262
www.outerbanks.org
The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau relocated
in the summer of 2002 to a 10,000square-foot facility near the eastern terminus of the new Croatan Sound Bridge. This
visitors bureau houses both the Outer
Banks Welcome Center and the bureau's
administrative offices. The visitors bureau
provides almost any Outer Banks information requested by visitors and residents,
including a huge collection of brochures,
maps, and promotional materials about
area offerings. Staffers also can supply
information on demographics and business
opportunities on the Outer Banks. The
center features a rest area, toilets, and an
RV dump station. The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is
open year-round, 9:00 A.M.to 5:30 P.M.
every day.
Nags Head Visitor Center at Whalebone
Whalebone Junction, Nags Head
(252) 441-6644
Operated by the Outer Banks Visitors
Bureau, this welcome center is just south
of the Whalebone Junction intersection
on NC 12. It's open daily from 9:00 A.M.to 5:30 P.M. Memorial Day through Thanksgiving. It closes during January and February
and reopens around March. The staff can
answer all kinds of questions about southern destinations along the Outer Banks.
Restrooms here are some of the few you'll
find on this remote stretch of NC 12. The
wooden structure also serves as a hunter
contact station.
Pea Island Visitor Center
NC 12, Pea Island
(252) 987-2394
The Pea Island Visitor Center offers information, free public restrooms, and paved
parking. This facility also houses wildlife
exhibits and plenty of nature-related gifts,
including an excellent assortment of wildlife books for all ages. In summer the center is open daily from 9:00 A.M.to 4:00 P.M. Off-season you can visit Thursday
through Sunday from 9:00 A.M.to 4:00
P.M.It's closed Christmas Day. The center
is staffed by volunteers, so the hours are
occasionally modified. This area is an
exciting stop for birders. A nature trail
winds through the refuge, which is a
haven for a wide variety of seasonal and
year-round species. Pick up a free nature
trail map at the center. Pea Island trails
and beaches are open year-round during
daylight hours.
Hatteras Island Visitor Center
Off NC 12, Buxton
(252) 995-4474
About 300 yards south of Old Lighthouse
Road, past the Texaco station and Cape
Sandwich Co., a large wooden sign welcomes visitors to the Cape Hatteras
National Seashore and Cape Hatteras
Lighthouse Historic District. Turn left
toward the white painted fence from the
north and follow the winding road past
turtle ponds and marshes. At the four-way intersection, turn left
to get to the original lighthouse location,
marked by a circle of granite stones
etched with the names of 83 former lighthouse keepers. Or, at the four-way intersection, turn right and park the car in the
parking area while exploring the lighthouse in its new location. The visitor center, called the Museum of the Sea, and the
bookstore, both housed in the historic former keepers' quarters, were moved to this
location before the lighthouse was moved.
Restrooms are located here as well. If you
continue past the parking area, you'll pass
the picnic area, the Buxton Woods Nature
Trail, the Cape Point Campground, and
off-road vehicle ramps. The beach here is
great for wading, sunbathing, surfing, and
fishing. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are permitted along many sections of the beach
year-round. Park rangers and volunteers
are willing to answer questions in the visitor center and on the historic district
grounds. Visitor center and bookstore
hours are 9:00 A.M.to 6:00 P.M. Memorial
Day through labor Day, and 9:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M. the remainder of the year.
Ocracoke Island Visitor Center
Near the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter
Ferry Docks, Ocracoke Island
(252) 928-4531
This visitor center at the southern end of
NC 12 is full of information about Ocracoke Island. It's located across from Silver
Lake and operated by the National Park
Service. If you arrive on the island from
the Hatteras ferry, stay on the main road
until you reach the T intersection at Silver
Lake. Veer right and continue around the
lake, counterclockwise, until you see the
low brown building to the right. Parking is
available at the visitor center. Inside you'll find an information desk,
ready staff, a small bookshop, and exhibits
about Ocracoke. You can pick up maps of
the winding back roads that make great
bicycle paths and arrange to use the Park
Service's docks.
The visitor center is open daily from 9:00 A.M.to 5:00 P.M.year-round. Rangers
offer a variety of free summer programs
through the center, including beach and
sound hikes, pirate plays, bird-watching,
night hikes, and history lectures. Check
at the front desk for weekly schedules.
Restrooms are available during peak
season.
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