Recreation

Country Girl Head Boat

• 1 Sailfish Drive, Docks at Pirate's Cove Marina
• Nags Head

• (252) 473-5577
• map
• coupon

The Country Girl can be chartered for full-day Gulf Stream trips for parties of six or more people for $1,750. Gulf Stream trips usually yield tuna and mahi-mahi, wahoo, king mackerel, marlin or sailfish depending on the season and conditions. The Country Girl also offers head boat–style wreck fishing. The 57-foot sportfisher can accommodate up to 30 passengers and provides plenty of room for everyone. This is a great way to get a big group of friends together for a day on the water. You’ll catch a variety of species, including black sea bass, triggerfish, gray tile fish, grouper, amberjack and more. The cost is $110 per person, with a minimum of 15 people. Bait, tackle and license are furnished. The boat is also available for bird watching, marine mammal excursions and scattering ashes at sea.

Crystal Dawn Head Boat

• 1 Sailfish Drive, Docks at Pirate’s Cove Marina
• Nags Head

• (252) 473-5577
• map
• coupon

Whether for head boat fishing or cruises, you will enjoy the 65-foot, big and comfortable Crystal Dawn. You will fish in the inlet or sound for a variety of fish such as flounder, croaker, spot, trout, sea mullet, sea bass and more, depending on the season and conditions. All bait, tackle and licenses are furnished. Cost for head boat fishing is $40 for adults and $30 for children 10 and younger. The Crystal Dawn also offers sightseeing cruises during which you’ll see Elizabeth II, Jockeys Ridge, the Wright Brothers National Memorial, wildlife, shorebirds and more; ask about prices. The cruise includes a commentary about the Outer Banks while cruising the Roanoke Sound. The vessel is available for private charter.

Full Throttle Raceway

• 6504 S. Croatan Higway, MP 15.5
• Nags Head

• (252) 441-4499
• map
• coupon

You’ve got the need for speed, and Full Throttle Raceway has the speed you need. Full Throttle offers gas-powered, Indy-style go-carts for zipping and zooming around their two tracks — a figure 8 and an oval slick-track. Carts seat one or two people, and the height limit to ride is 55 inches. Full Throttle is open April through September. In the summer months, it’s open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. Also visit their sister facilities, Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf next door and Nags Head Raceway a half-mile south.

Garden of Beadin’

• 2200 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, Milepost 6 Plaza, The Bypass, MP 6
• Kill Devil Hills

• (252) 449-2134, (252) 449-5055
• map
• coupon

Next door to The Front Porch Café and Glazin’ Go Nuts is Garden of Beadin’. This is a unique little bead shop with an extensive selection of beads, semi-precious stones and beading supplies. There is an activity center for children, and once a week a beading class is offered during the summer months. Call ahead for a schedule. This is a fun stop to make and can help brighten a rainy day at the beach.

Glazin’ Go Nuts Paint Your Own Pottery

• 2200 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, Milepost 6 Plaza
• Kill Devil Hills

• (252) 449-2134 and (252) 449-5055
• map
• coupon

This is the perfect stop for a rainy day or whenever the family is looking for a fun activity. Glazin’ Go Nuts is a paint your own pottery studio. Just pick out your ceramic piece, select your paints, then go wild . . . or nuts. They fire the piece for you, and it will be ready for pick up in a few days. If your vacation ends before then, they can ship it to you.

Grog’s Watersports

• 7649 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head

• (252) 441-8875
• map

Whether you enjoy the thrill of parasailing or the excitement of a Waverunner or a quieter kayak or dolphin tour, they’ve got it waiting for you at Grog’s. This watersport adventure mecca is located on the Nags Head Causeway (look for the 30-foot observation tower near Basnight’s Lone Cedar Restaurant). They offer nearly every water adventure you can imagine, and they also rent kayaks, pontoon boats, Waverunners and fishing skiffs. And ask about their cruises and tours of our coastline. They now take online reservations to make planning your vacation easy.

Island Limousine and Taxi

• Nags Head

• (252) 441-LIMO (5466), (800) 828-5466

Island Limousine provides basic transportation services of all types, including taxi services, limousine rentals for weddings, proms and parties, and airport shuttles to and from all major regional airports. They also offer opportunities for fun! Going to an out-of-town concert or sporting event? Call Island Limo and let them handle the driving. Want to see the Outer Banks lighthouses and attractions with all your friends? Book a shuttle bus and enjoy a custom sight-seeing tour. How about a pub crawl or wine-tasting tour in which someone else handles the driving? Island Limo can handle all these events and more with a fleet of vehicles that includes well-maintained corporate sedans, L Series sedans, SUVs, stretch SUV and Town Car limousines, passenger vans, shuttle buses and charter buses. All tours and events are custom fit to your needs, and their chauffeurs are trained and licensed.

Just for the Beach Rentals

• 1006 South Virginia Dare Trail, The Beach Road, MP 9
• Kill Devil Hills

• (252) 441-6048, (252) 441-9480, (866) OBX-RENT
• map

Want to plan your own kayak tour? Just for the Beach Rentals has kayaks available for rent, the sit-on-top style, for single, double or triple paddlers. Or, if you want to leave your car behind, you can make like a local and pedal around town on one of their comfortable beach cruisers. Didn’t realize there would be so many great tennis courts in the area? If you didn’t pack your racket, you can rent one at Just for the Beach. And, if getting in the water is more your thing, they also rent surfboards known as soft-tops, which are ideal for beginning surfers. Surfboard rentals are $20 a day or $50 a week. They also have body and skim boards for rent for $8 a day or $20 a week. Just for the Beach can deliver everything to you.

Kitty Hawk Kites

• 3933 N. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 13
• Nags Head

• (252) 449-2210
• map

Kitty Hawk Kites gets you outside and having fun with several exciting fresh air activities throughout the Outer Banks. They offer hang gliding lessons on Jockey’s Ridge, kiteboarding lessons at the new Kitty Hawk Kites Kiteboarding Resort in Rodanthe and kayaking all over the Outer Banks, ranging from Corolla to Pea Island. Their stores offer a variety of kites, equipment, souvenirs, toys, pirate gear and more.

And, for an indoor sport challenge, Kitty Hawk Kites features an indoor rock climbing wall with experienced staff members on hand.

Kitty Hawk Kites and Whalebone Watersports

• 7517 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head

• (252) 441-4112
• map

The Whalebone Watersports location offers dolphin watch tours and Jet ski rentals. In addition, kayak eco-tours and rentals are available, including a moonlight and bioluminescence tour. If you’ve never seen these glowing organisms, you owe yourself this experience!

Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf

• 6606 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 16
• Nags Head

• (252) 480-6606
• map
• coupon

Play 18 holes on the pirate-themed mini-golf course at Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf…you can’t miss the pirate ship! They also have an arcade, ice cream and beverages, and the entire course is handicapped and baby stroller accessible.

Nags Head Raceway

• 7000 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 16
• Nags Head

• (252) 480-4639
• map
• coupon

Touted by many past riders as the ultimate Indy track, Nags Head Raceway is the place to get your speed-demon juices rolling. Choose from two-seater cars and racers. Fun activities also feature bumper cars, an on-site family arcade with video games and ice cream.

OBX Cruises

• Manteo waterfront

• (252) 256-7188
• map
• coupon

Pull together your favorite people and cruise the local waterways aboard a private luxury yacht for an Outer Banks experience you won’t forget. On board the 52-foot yacht Cypress Queen, you can customize your cruise experience to fulfill your exact wishes. Enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the shaded sky lounge at sunset, lunch on the deck while you look at the local scenery or a full catered dinner in the comfort of the air-conditioned salon at night. Enjoy a post-cruise dock party on the waterfront when you get back to the dock. Whatever you choose, the cruise is designed by you, for special events or just a simple cruise. On a standard two-hour cruise, your host serves non-alcoholic beverages, but you are welcome to bring your own alcohol and they’ll provide all the mixers, glasses and ice. Lunch, dinner, appetizers and food trays are available from local restaurants at an additional cost. There are up to three departures daily and the cruises last for two hours. The Cypress Queen can accommodate six passengers.

Ocean Atlantic Rentals

• 2001 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 9.5
• Kill Devil Hills

• (252) 441-7823
• map
• video

Ocean Atlantic Rentals is the ultimate vacation rental store. They rent many of the necessities, like baby cribs, high chairs, strollers, grills, linens, rollaway beds, tables & chairs, wheelchairs, life jackets, etc. Plus they rent the fun stuff, such as surfboards, boogie boards, umbrella & beach chairs, beach carts, coolers, bicycles, Ocean Kayaks and other sports equipment. They also have a vast selection of wedding supplies, such as tents, dance floors, and tableware. Delivery and pick-up are available.

Outer Banks Family YMCA

• 3000 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 11
• Nags Head

• (252) 449-8897
• map

This 28,000-square-foot facility offers a 25-meter indoor lap pool, wellness center with state-of-the-art weight and cardio equipment, group exercise (floor, cycle and water) classes, yoga and Pilates, cycling, racquetball, dry saunas, massage therapy, hot tub, a full-court gymnasium available for basketball, soccer and volleyball and an interactive zone with video game-based equipment. Activities include summer camps for kids, wellness programs, swim lessons and youth and adult sports leagues. They have two large outdoor pools with a waterslide and springboard dive board and a great skate park. Free child care is available while you work out! Call for membership fees. Day passes are available for the skate park (see separate write-up for details). Ask about membership access with your rental property or other accommodations.

Outer Banks Family YMCA Skatepark

• 3000 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 11
• Nags Head

• (252) 449-8897
• map
• coupon

The YMCA’s skatepark has a cement bowl, ramps and a street section. The park is open to skateboards, rollerblades, bikes and scooters. Youth 12 and younger must have a parent present to skate. Youth 17 and younger must wear a helmet, knee and elbow pads. Only helmets are required for those 18 and older. There’s a fee for the use of the park, which is discounted for Y members, Nags Head and North Carolina residents. Out-of-state visitors pay $10 a day or $30 a week to use the park. You can also include the skatepark in your vacation on the Outer Banks by staying in a participating Y-Home or Y-Tel (vacation rentals managed by the YMCA) or by purchasing a Weekly Flex Pass.

Outer Banks Marathon, Gateway Bank Half Marathon, Outer Banks 8K, Buccaneer 5K & Fun Run

• Outer Banks
• Nags Head

• Register Online
• map

2011 marks the 6th Annual Outer Banks Marathon, and if you’re a runner or walker, you don’t want to miss this event on a flat course with awesome scenery and the spirited residents of the Outer Banks cheering for you all along the way. The two-day Race EXPO starts the weekend off on Friday, November 11 and is the first stop for participants to pick up their race number and shirt as well as to shop and visit with more than 25 vendors offering race gear and other local treasures. The 6th annual races start Saturday, November 12. The Outer Banks 8K, Buccaneer 5K and the 1-mile Fun Run will begin at the First Flight High School track. The ever-popular Buccaneer 5K offers a more challenging distance for graduating one-mile Fun Runners. Then Sunday, November 13th is the Outer Banks Marathon and Half Marathon. Both are along a scenic point-to-point course. The full marathon begins in Kitty Hawk, leading runners along the Sound on Bay Drive, around the Wright Brothers National Memorial, through Nags Head Woods Maritime Forest, past Jockey’s Ridge State Park, over the Washington-Baum Bridge and to the finish in downtown Manteo on Roanoke Island. The Half Marathon is the latter half of the marathon course and begins in Nags Head, just north of Jockey’s Ridge at 7 a.m. Walkers are welcome to enjoy the course to the finale and the post-race Pirate Jamboree! Beginning at 8 a.m. participants and their family and friends can celebrate in the streets of downtown Manteo with beer, food and live music, compliments of Outer Banks Sporting Events and its gracious sponsors. 100% of the proceeds from this event are shared by two local non-profits: the Dare Education Foundation, working to maximize student potential by providing resources to benefit students and teachers in all Dare County Schools, and the Outer Banks Relief Foundation, providing financial assistance for families in crises. For information, training plans and to register, please go to www.obxmarathon.org.

Outer Banks Sports Club

• 2413 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10
• Nags Head

• (252) 441-8361
• map

This gym is filled with all the latest cross-training and weight machines including Nautilus, Hammer Strength, Flex, Star Trac, Life Fitness, free weights and more! Plus, they have an indoor elevated running track and a great aerobics room where you can take step, yoga, pilates, spinning, Zumba and Bosu classes. Personal training, tanning and massage are also available. They are open 7 days a week with daily, weekly, seasonal and family vacation packages available. Check out their smoothie bar too!

Pirate’s Cove Yacht Club

• 2000 Sailfish Drive, Manteo, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway

• (252) 473-3906, (800) 367-4728
• map

Just about every afternoon between 4 and 5 p.m. a dozen or more sport fishing boats return from the Gulf Stream to the Pirate’s Cove Marina to unload their catches of tuna, dolphin, wahoo and other deep-sea fish. If you’re interested in seeing the fish before they’re cleaned, head down to the docks and watch the mates hurl the whopping creatures onto the docks. Kids love this, and the anglers are usually friendly about sharing their experiences of the day.

If you’re more of a hands-on type, you might want to take a fishing trip yourself. Pirate’s Cove offers several options for getting to the fishing grounds. Approximately 18 private charter boats are available to take you offshore fishing, and other boats are available for inshore fishing charters. Makeup charters are available. Call for details.

Shooters at the Beach

• 2910 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 11
• Nags Head

• (252) 480-2395
• map

This gallery/studio features the owner’s fine art prints as well as work from a number of local art photographers. Photography services are also offered here and include beautiful beach and location portraits, commercial photography, art prints and wedding services. See their separate listing in Shopping.