To experience the bulk of Roanoke Island things to do, activities and attractions, you have to be willing to go outside. Walk the streets of the picturesque downtown waterfront before strolling along the soundside boardwalk. Charter a fishing trip out of Wanchese. Enjoy a guided cruise to see the sunset or dolphins playing in the sound. Rent a standup paddleboard, Jet Ski or kayak, and take in the sights from a watery vantage point. Go for a hike in wildlife refuge. Visit a working 1850s-era farm. There’s no shortage of things to do in Manteo, NC, that embrace the great outdoors.
Featured for Your Visit
Nature & Outdoor Oriented in Manteo, NC
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of every month from April through December. From 6 to 8 p.m. downtown Manteo’s sidewalks come alive with a wide variety of musical performances and festive activities for all ages. Individual shops and restaurants frequently do their own celebratory activity such as live music, special sales, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. Dare County Arts Council always hosts an opening reception for exhibits in its gallery, and Downtown Books frequently hosts a book signing. It’s a great time to explore all that downtown Manteo has to offer.
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of every month from April through December. From 6 to 8 p.m. downtown Manteo’s sidewalks come alive with a wide variety of musical performances and festive activities for all ages. Individual shops and restaurants frequently do their own celebratory activity such as live music, special sales, refreshments and hors d’oeuvres. Dare County...read more
First Friday is a family-oriented festival held in downtown Manteo on the first Friday of...read more
Nature & Outdoor Oriented in Manteo, NC
Perched over the water along Manteo’s waterfront boardwalk, the picturesque Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse is perfectly suited to the town’s maritime setting. This Victorian stick-style lighthouse is a reproduction of the third Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse, which never stood on the Manteo waterfront but in the Croatan Sound from 1877 to 1955. Out there in the sound, the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse keepers lived on the lonely lighthouse...read more
Spend a day with family and friends on the beautiful Croatan Sound as Captain John Silver takes you to his backyard fishing grounds. You'll catch shrimp and crabs and create memories that will last a lifetime. Plus, you get to keep what you catch! Somerset Charters offers specialized private two-, three- or four-hour inshore crabbing and shrimping charters on the Miss Somerset II, a 36-foot...read more
Nature & Outdoor Oriented in Manteo, NC
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s LEED–certified visitor center is on the north end of Roanoke Island near the entrance to Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. The center provides information on the 11 National Wildlife Refuges and one National Fish Hatchery in northeastern North Carolina and southeastern Virginia and helps visitors plan adventures to some of these wild places. The mission of the center is...read more