World-class Roanoke Island attractions are what lure many people here. Many Manteo, NC, attractions – such as Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, The Elizabethan Gardens, The Lost Colony outdoor drama, the Elizabeth II sailing ship and the Roanoke Island Festival Park – celebrate Roanoke Island’s history as the site of the first attempted English colonization of America. There are other Roanoke Island attractions, too, that you won’t want to miss like the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, musical events such as the Shallowbag Shag Beach Music Festival or the Mountain Music by the Sea bluegrass festival at the beautiful outdoor amphitheater, the North Carolina Maritime Museum and the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse. You can also step back to the mid-1800s at Island Farm or to a more simple time in the island's history by just walking or biking the streets and looking at the restored homes. With all these Manteo, NC, attractions and the many sites that capture Roanoke Island’s history, you’ll find that a day trip is never enough. In part due to these Roanoke Island attractions, more and more visitors are choosing this island as their vacation destination.
Roanoke Island Attractions are Interactive
One of the coolest parts of Manteo, NC, attractions is their ability to immerse you into the experience, whether it’s a step back into yesteryear or feeling the energizing beat of live music vibrate through your entire being. Take an ox-drawn wagon ride around an old farm. Witness colonist-Native American first encounters in Roanoke Island play out before your eyes. Sniff the sophisticated scent of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite rose. Explore Manteo’s waterfront on foot and see where culture and cuisine intersect. Learn the proper techniques for handling marine life. Listen to the hearty shouts of pirates echo through Manteo’s waterfront. It’s so much fun for people of all interests. Roanoke Island attractions are beloved by people of all ages, and you’ll see visitors like families with small children, teenage friend groups and older couples all gathering in one place.
Roanoke Island Attractions by Location or Category
For four days in October, the waterfront area of Manteo is alive with the sound of banjos, fiddles, guitars and...read more
The Wright brothers weren’t the only famous pilots to fly on the Outer Banks. Inside Roanoke Island’s small airport terminal is an informative two-room...read more
On Saturday mornings from mid-May through the early fall, Manteo's Downtown Market features home-grown, home-baked and homemade goods for sale. Pick up...read more
This national historic site commemorates and preserves the first English attempts at colonization in the New World (1585 to 1587) and helps visitors gain a...read more
A monument at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site honors the Freedmen's Colony, a lesser known but truly fascinating aspect of Roanoke Island's history....read more
Located on Roanoke Island, just five minutes from Manteo, Island Farm is a living history farm centered on the original Etheridge family property, once part...read more
This 2-mile walkway and boarwalk extends from the Dare County Government Complex in Manteo to the Coastal Studies Institute in Skyco, meandering through...read more
Hair-raising and spine-tingling tales about some of Manteo's landmarks are told on this guided walking tour. This family-oriented tour incorporates ghost...read more