The Outer Banks is a chain of narrow barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of North Carolina, United States. It stretches from the Virginia border southward for more than 175 miles, reaching the area around Cape Lookout.
Where the Outer Banks Is
The Outer Banks, often called the OBX , lies between the Atlantic Ocean and several inland sounds, including Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound. These islands run roughly parallel to the North Carolina mainland, although parts of the chain curve sharply around Cape Hatteras.
The region begins near the Virginia Beach area and continues south along North Carolina’s coast. Well-known communities include:
- Corolla
- Duck
- Kitty Hawk
- Kill Devil Hills
- Nags Head
- Manteo
- Hatteras
- Ocracoke
The exact southern boundary can vary depending on how the term “Outer Banks” is defined. Some descriptions extend the chain to Cape Lookout and include the Core Banks, while others focus mainly on the developed barrier islands north of that area.
What Makes It Distinctive
The Outer Banks is made up largely of sandy barrier islands, dunes, beaches, and coastal wetlands. The islands are generally very narrow and low-lying, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east and protected sounds on the west.
Because of its geography, the region is known for:
- Wide ocean beaches and sand dunes.
- Fishing, boating, surfing, and wildlife viewing.
- Historic sites connected with early English settlement.
- The Wright brothers’ first powered flights near Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills.
- Cape Hatteras and the surrounding waters, which are associated with shifting shoals and numerous historic shipwrecks.
Is the Outer Banks in Virginia?
Only a small northern portion is associated with southeastern Virginia. Most of the Outer Banks is in North Carolina , particularly along the counties of Currituck, Dare, Hyde, and Carteret.
The popular Netflix series Outer Banks uses the name and coastal atmosphere of the region, but its fictional setting and storyline don’t accurately represent the geography of the real Outer Banks.