Recreation - Nags Head

Jurassic Putt

• 6926 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 16
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-6841

Roam among Jurassic-period dinosaurs while playing on two 18-hole miniature golf courses.

Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf

• 6606 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 16
• Nags Head
• (252) 480-6606

Play 18 holes on the pirate-themed mini-golf course at Mutiny Bay Adventure Golf. They also have an arcade and serve snacks and ice cream. You can’t miss the pirate ship!

Nags Head Bowling & Billiards

• 201 Saterfield Landing, off The Bypass, MP 10.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-7077

Bowl, rent shoes, book parties and play billiards at Nags Head Bowling & Billiards. Enjoy their arcade with classic games like Ms. Pac Man, skee ball, air hockey, a fun dance video game and much more. There are automatic bumpers on the bowling lanes for the kids (or the bowling-challenged adult). Try your hand at glowing disco bowling under neon lights on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Beer and wine are available. The snack bar offers soup, sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, pizza and fried food.

Nags Head Dolphin Watch

• 7517 S. Virginia Dare Trail, at Kitty Hawk Kites and Whalebone Watersports, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head
• (252) 449-8999

Enhance your vacation with a dolphin or sunset cruise adventure brought to you by the Nags Head Dolphin Watch. These folks promote Atlantic bottlenose dolphin research through their commercial operation and offer two-hour dolphin trips. Naturalists explain coastal ecology and area history during sound excursions aboard a 40-foot pontoon boat with canopy cover. The boat carries 36 passengers, is handicap-accessible and has a bathroom. Drinks are sold, or provide your own in a small cooler. Reservations are necessary for the trips, which depart three times a day. They usually book up for the entire week by Monday. Trips generally are scheduled May through September. A sunset Manteo harbor cruise is also offered in the summer featuring a history commentary. Ask about their private charters too.

Nags Head Dolphin Watch asks that you report dead or stranded whales, dolphins, porpoises or seals as soon as possible to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) North Carolina Marine Mammal Stranding Network at (919) 728-8762.

Nags Head Golf Links

• 5615 S. Seachase Drive, Village of Nags Head
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-8073

Play 18 holes on this Scottish links-style course, which features relaxing views of Roanoke Sound. Wind adds a challenge to the 6,100-yard, par 71 course. Reservations can be made for starting times. Cart and greens fees vary. Lunch is served in the on-site Players Grille, and you don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the well-prepared food here. The view is also noteworthy. Relax at the bar, browse through the golf shop and practice your shots at the driving range and putting green. Rentals are available. The course is open daily except Christmas Day.

Nags Head Town Hall

• 5401 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 15
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-5508

The Town of Nags Head offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Come here to purchase your beach driving permit. And while you’re doing that, take time to look at the fabulous artwork by many local artists displayed here.

Nags Head Waterworks

• 7612 S. Virginia Dare Trail, Nags Head/Manteo Causeway
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-0477

There are a lot of options for fun at this soundside spot. Fly high above the sound and see great views of Jockey’s Ridge while parasailing with Nags Head Waterworks. They offer single or tandem flights. Observers can ride along in the boat. If you’d like to fish or just cruise around the sound, you can rent a pontoon boat here too. Go for the thrill with a Waverunner, hang on to your seat in a Jet boat dolphin tour that combines the thrill of fast water turns with the slow quiet of watching for these beautiful creatures or take a leisurely guided tour, which will motor by Jockey’s Ridge and the Manteo waterfront. You’ll see lots of local wildlife along the way.

Nags Head Woods Preserve

• 701 W. Ocean Acres Drive
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-2525

While the entrance to the preserve is in Kill Devil Hills, its boundaries stretch into Nags Head. This maritime forest is a true wonder in its wildlife diversity. Ancient oaks exist in the woods as well as 19th-century cemeteries. Five miles of trails thread through the coastal habitat. Please note that this is a very fragile environment, so staying on the trails is necessary to preserve this exquisite forest. They are open every day from dawn until dusk for foot traffic only; dogs and bikes are not allowed on the trails, but they are welcome on the gravel roadway. Before you begin your hike or ride, find maps and other information at the outdoor information counter located up the boardwalk at the parking area. In May, they host the Annual Nags Head Woods 5k. Race time is 8 a.m., so lace up your running shoes and get on it! Pre-registration is required.

Outer Banks Boarding Company

• 2713 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-1939

Outer Banks Boarding Co. is a boarder’s paradise with a friendly and knowledgeable staff and a great selection of equipment for surfing, body boarding and snow, skate and skim boarding. They rent wetsuits and surfboards of all kinds that are suitable for all skill levels—from the novice soft-top long board to the board for the seasoned pro looking for the newest in surfboard technology. NSSIA-certified surf instruction and coaching is offered with the owner Robert Farmer, shaper Lynn Shell and pro surfers and team riders Jesse Hines and Noah Snyder. Follow them on Twitter to get their first on the beach surf report everyday. They pride themselves on providing great customer service here. They’ll even let you demo a surfboard, and if you buy it the cost of the rental is applied to the purchase.

Outer Banks Dive Center

• 3917 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 12.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 449-8349

As the Outer Banks is poised on the edge of the Graveyard of the Atlantic, this dive shop takes full advantage of the numerous diving opportunities to “Dive into History” as they like to say. From April to November, they offer guided wreck dives off the beach to the USS Huron. Offshore charters to other wrecks such as the Advance, U-85, the Benson and the Jackson are available all year long, so long as the weather cooperates, and during the summer months they run on a set schedule. Dive masters go with you and serve as guides when necessary. They also offer instruction on all levels, and they are accredited by the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI). They are able to offer classes from beginning diver courses through the certification needed to become a Technical Instructor Trainer. The center is also a full retail dive shop, and they rent and repair equipment.

Outer Banks Gear Works Lasertag & Fun Center

• 2406 S. Croatan Highway, South Beach Plaza, The Bypass, MP 10.5
• Nags Head
• (252) 480-8512

The first of it’s kind on the Outer Banks, Gear Works Laser Tag is unbelievable fun! After strapping on your laser vest and being commissioned your laser gun, you step into a dark, abandoned industrial complex, aware that around every corner an adversary could be lurking, awaiting your arrival, and you’re looking for them as well. It’s an interactive high-tech adventure. You can play by the game or buy unlimited weekly passes. They also have lots of fun events and specials like Friday Night Frenzy, Full Moon Madness and Play Against the Best—playing against the staff. They open at noon on school holidays, and on Friday nights you can play until midnight. They also have WiFi, arcade games and serve snacks like pizza. It’s a great idea for birthday parties and groups outings and a great way to get a little exercise too!

Outer Banks Sports Club

• 2413 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-8361

This gym is filled with all the latest cross-training and weight machines plus an indoor elevated running track and a great aerobics room where you can take step, Zumba and hoop dance classes. Personal training and massage are also available. Check out their smoothie bar too.

Reneu Medspa

• 3022 S. Croatan Highway, Pirate’s Quay, MP 11
• Nags Head
• (252) 449-4392

Make your vacation a completely rejuvenating experience with a visit here for therapies and treatments for your skin by Dr. Johnny Farrow and his staff of licensed aestheticians. Choose from a variety of facials such as European or Vitamin C, or get Botox for some wrinkle relief before returning home. Appointments are necessary. They do request a 24-hour cancellation notice.

Secret Spot Surf Shop

• 2815 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 11
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-4030

This shop is an old-time favorite offering custom-made Secret Spot surfboards as well as used boards. Secret Spot has a variety of surf and boogie boards available for rent, and lessons are available. They have a small amount of gear for skateboarding too. Check out their retro collection of surfboards on the ceiling!

Town Park

• The Bypass, MP 11
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-5508

The park is located on Barnes Street. Turn west off the Bypass at Ace Hardware. The entrance to the Nags Head Town Trail is located just south of the parking lot. Part of the Nags Head Woods Preserve, the trail is a .8-mile hike through the varying landscapes of sand dunes and maritime forest with a turn-around at a quiet sound beach. The town park is available for public use. You can reserve the space by calling the Town Manager’s Office. A clean-up deposit is required.

Whalebone Surf Shop

• 2214 S. Croatan Highway, The Bypass, MP 10
• Nags Head
• (252) 441-6747

For more than 30 years, Whalebone has been one of the top places to shop for surf gear. The staff here is friendly and knowledgeable and can help you find the perfect equipment for your needs. They stock surfboards from all the world’s best shapers. You’ll also find skim boards, body boards and fins. If you’ve never surfed before, Whalebone is a good place to start. They rent GSI and INT soft boards, great boards for beginners. Surf lessons are held June 1 through August 31; call ahead to register. The three-hour lesson begins at the shop with instruction, and then you’ll head to the beach. The surf instructors are experienced, local surfers who keep the emphasis on the student. Lessons include all equipment and transportation to the beach. Back at the shop, you’ll find a great selection of swimwear and apparel for the whole family.

Wings Over Water Festival

• Locations throughout the Outer Banks
• Nags Head
• (252) 216-WING

Wings over Water is an annual six-day festival held in November that is devoted to celebrating the wild side of the Outer Banks. The festival offers more than 100 programs in themes ranging from birding and wildlife photography to paddling, natural history and more! It’s a fun and educational event for the whole family, and since it takes place in the shoulder season, it’s an affordable time to come and enjoy the beauty of the Outer Banks. Call for more information.