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Looking to live out your Outer Banks dreams? Here are 5 towns you should visit.

Aug. 01, 2021
4 min read
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
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I don't know about you, but watching Outer Banks on Netflix always makes me want to book a trip to the place the popular show was inspired by.

While the show itself isn't filmed in the Outer Banks (most is filmed in or near Charleston, South Carolina), the show is still based on the history and lore of the barrier islands found in North Carolina and Virginia.

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So if you're looking to live out your "Pogue Life" dreams, here are the towns along the real OBX you should consider visiting.

Kill Devil Hills

Kill Devil Beach Observation Deck
(Photo by Joesboy/Getty Images)

Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina is the oldest town on the Outer Banks, and it's actually half of the inspiration for the Netflix show's fictional setting Kildare County (the other half being Dare County, where Kill Devil Hills is located).

It's home to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and plenty of shopping and dining (and, of course, miles of beaches). But for fans of the Netflix show, you can snorkel or scuba off the coast — though don't expect to find any treasure like John B. and his friends are searching for in the show.

The Outer Banks is the unofficial "Graveyard of the Atlantic," and "Triangle Wrecks" is located just off the coast of Kill Devil Hills — a great spot to explore some of the shipwrecks.

Nags Head

beach with cottages at Nags Head in the outer banks
(Photo by Meinzahn/Getty Images)

Nags Head, North Carolina, is easily one of the most popular destinations in the Outer Banks. It's known for its nearly seven miles of shoreline and Jockey's Ridge State Park — where you'll find the largest sand dunes on the East Coast.

Nags Head is a great spot for hang gliding, hiking, jet skiing and more. Plus, another popular snorkel and scuba site, the USS Huron Shipwreck Preserve, is located off the coast of Nags Head.

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Corolla

Wild Horses with blaze pattern on the beach in Corolla, NC (OBX).
(Photo by Doug Hendricks/Getty Images)

If you're a fan of wild horses, you should consider Corolla, North Carolina. The Colonial Spanish Mustang can be found on the island, and you can book guided rides to see them.

It's also home to Currituck Beach Lighthouse and a number of beach activities, from surfing to kiteboarding to ocean kayaking. While Corolla doesn't receive a nod from the show, anyone who's a fan of the OBX vibe in the show will enjoy Corolla.

Ocracoke

Ferry Port in Ocracoke Harbor
(Photo by Eifel Kreutz/Getty Images)

Ocracoke, North Carolina, boasts an impressive 14 miles of beaches and is home to North Carolina's oldest lighthouse — the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse.

In the show, you might remember the ferry that runs between Chapel Hill (where the University of North Carolina is located) and the OBX. While that ferry route doesn't exist in real life, you can still take a free ferry ride between Ocracoke and Hatteras.

Related: 9 underrated beaches to visit this summer

Hatteras

Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head North Carolina
(Photo by Eric Peterson/Getty Images)

If you do take that ferry from Ocracoke to Hatteras, North Carolina, make sure to stick around and enjoy the town's beaches and fishing community.

The show depicts Kildare County as a commercial fishing hub, and Hatteras is the place to go in the OBX — you'll find deep-sea fishermen, fishing charters and fishing tournaments throughout the year hosted in and around Hatteras.

You'll also be able to check out the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, where you can learn more about the shipwrecks that gave this area of the East Coast its nickname (while pretending you're on a fact-finding mission to find the treasure John B. and his friends are after in season one).

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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