We arrived too late to take a tour, but still enjoyed a fun photo op. Rafter a long day traveling,…read morethe pine scented air and peaceful atmosphere were a blessing. The birds were chatting, but we still felt utterly relaxed on these pristine grounds. When in the area it's worth visiting!

If you are up this way, you almost have to stop in to the Historic Corolla area and take the climb…read moreup 220 steps to the top of the beautiful brick Currituck lighthouse. Lit on December 1st, 1875, the lighthouse has served as a beacon for safety for 150 years!! The view from the top is spectacular and absolutely worth the price of admission!

What a beautifully restored piece of history! The docents are extremely knowledgeable and happy to…read morechat! They honored the home with tons of little touches - down to same wall colors. They say it will take 45 mins we spent well over an hour! A definite must for the history buffs!

Such a beautiful building and museum with an interesting history, and in a beautiful location!…read moreInside photos aren't allowed, unfortunately, but expect to see some sophisticated plumbing of 1920's, an elevator and some really narrow hallways. The territory is impressive too and the park that is now there is lovely. It's so great that places like that get preserved and shared. We truly enjoyed our experience! Definitely worth a visit!

Not as tall as the "ocean" lighthouses on the Outer Banks such as Hatteras and Bodie Island,…read moreRoanoke Marshes protects traffic on the Shallowbag Bay and the Croaton Sound in Manteo. This building was completed in 2004 and is a faithful replica of the original 1877 lighthouse that was decommissioned in 1955 and ultimately lost during an attempted relocation. A number of screw piles (long iron pilings twisted into the soft, marshy bottom to offer stability in shallow waters) support the lighthouse, a square, cottage-style structure. The muddy terrain and shifting shoals of the Croatan Sound were especially well-suited to this design. The building has clapboard siding, a gabled roof, and a small lantern room in the middle of the roof ridge. Its small and welcoming size, which is more akin to a beach house than a soaring beacon, enhances its allure and accessibility. The lighthouse's interior is filled with marine antiques and informative displays that honor the area's nautical past. The building itself, which provides a tactile sense of coastal life and lighthouse keeping, is open for investigation, even if the spiral staircase leading to the lantern room is normally locked to the public. The beacon continues its tradition of directing vessels through the sound by using a contemporary LED system, having previously been driven by a fourth-order Fresnel lens. There is lots of street parking in this part of Manteo and lots to explore nearby. [Review 810 of 2025 - 4242 in North Carolina - 24370 overall]

This is a cute little light house right in Downtown Manteo. It's walkable from all the shops and…read moreyou can walk inside for a free mini education on the history of the lighthouse. The long deck walk was sturdy and can accommodate those less mobile and I believe, strollers. Grab a few photos prior to walking out to see it and enjoy! This is one of the reasons I love the Outer Banks! Nothing beats that breeze on your face and the sound of the water!

This is a beautiful park to watch the sunset on the sound. This would be a great spot to take…read morephotos together, bring chairs and sit, or enjoy a stroll around. Plenty of parking available.

I didn't get any pictures of the inside of the museum, but rest assured, it's a great time. Free…read moreadmission, and very clean bathrooms! The girls and I enjoyed seeing all of the natural resources of North Carolina.

I've been obsessed with lighthouses since I was a child (an English thing, I guess?). Bodie…read more(Bow-dee NOT "body", I wish carpetbaggers would stop changing the pronunciations-two generations are now mispronouncing it) is not only beautiful, but has the additional museum and boardwalk to a scenic observation deck overlooking wetlands. I'm deathly afraid of heights so I can never go up, but I can appreciate the beauty and history from the ground.

After visiting the Hatteras Lighthouse and finding it all wrapped up in scaffolding, I was super…read moreexcited to get here to Bodie Island to find this one ready to photograph and visit. The Bodie Island Lighthouse is a striking black-and-white banded tower that has stood sentinel over the Outer Banks since 1872. This lighthouse is the third built in the area--the first, constructed in 1847, was abandoned due to a poor foundation, and the second, built in 1859, was destroyed during the Civil War by retreating Confederate troops. The current structure rises 156 feet and houses an original first-order Fresnel lens, casting light visible for up to 19 nautical miles. It was automated in 1940 and later transferred to the National Park Service in 1953. After extensive restoration, it opened to the public for climbing in 2013. Visitors can ascend its 219 steps for panoramic views of the surrounding marshes and Roanoke Sound. The lighthouse is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and remains one of the few tall brick lighthouses in the U.S. still equipped with its original lens. It was way too hot today to try climbing anything let alone that. I took my pictures and was more than satisfied. [Round number review 800 of 2025 - 4232 in North Carolina - 24360 overall]

This is probably best taken in by people with children, especially those who aren't extremely…read moreinterested in museums. Aside from the ship, the outdoor sections are a little sparse but they do have live reenactors who are happy to explain a lot about what they do have, and that's really cool. The ship also has a couple people on board who are happy to explain both the historical and modern questions the kids have (like do you actually sail this boat... etc). The museum isn't extensive but it's enough to cover multiple topics and allows children to touch everything which is nice. It's short enough to not lose the attention of kids but does have some things that engage them. The town nearby is also super cute so all in all it's worth venturing out to Festival Park if you have some time on your hands.

I'm not normally a fan of museums but this was a great experience for us…read more First they offer military discount. Second the kids have a scavenger hunt to win a prize in the end. Every stop along the way you are assigned tasks to get a stamp. Majority of the "actors" were amazing with this! There was one girl next to the black smith that refused to give my daughter the stamp because she didn't want to put the armor on, but the young man who showed us the black smithing called her over and gave her the stamp anyways. I believe that was the only off putting experience from the whole thing. Made my daughter not want to continue. I wish I had gotten her name to put an actual complaint in, not all kids will want to wear the armor for various reasons. We listened and watched each demonstration and I think that's enough. The prizes were actually nice, they weren't just some sticker it was either a bookmark or a magnet. Both good quality. I learned a lot, our favorite part was the blacksmith, he explained so much to us and even gave my daughter the nail he made. Both actors on the ship were nice, the young man under the ship really stayed in character and answered all questions as if he was one of the actual crew. Super cool experience.

A bit confused on the check ins and labels--we wanted to see the spot of "The Lost Colony" of…read moreRoanoke so I checked in at both "The Lost Colony" and "Fort Raleigh" as there is signage at both. It appears most people who review "The Lost Colony" are reviewing the play that is enacted every summer on-site here in the outdoor ampitheatre on site. So I'll keep my review here, as I did not see the play. Nor, unfortunatley, did I get to take the walking tour of Fort Raleigh/the Lost Colony. We arrived after the last one had started. We looked at the website multiple times and could only find "stop by the front desk" when we looked for tour times. Not sure if this is always the case or a delay related to COVID. Anyway, if you want a guided tour--come early, as the last ends at 1 or 2 pm. Fort Raleigh-- you get the historic spot of the Lost Colony, a short video about said lost colony in the viewing room, a few small museums, several walking trails (most shaded and ancient looking in a good way), some ocean front sitting straight out of last century, markers celebrating "First Light of Freedom" and other cool historic occurrences, and much more. And the gift shop. Well worth a stop for history loving travelers in the area.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site was a great stop for our family. The visitor center has…read morewell-done exhibits about the Lost Colony and the Freedmen's Colony, and the kids especially loved the Junior Ranger program which made the history fun and interactive. The walking trails are peaceful and easy, and the historic earthworks are neat to see. The park rangers were excellent; friendly, knowledgeable, and great with kids. It's a mix of history and nature that's well worth visiting.

Hope Plantation is in Windsor, NC. It was the home of former NC Governor David Stone…read more Hope Mansion and the King-Bazemore House can be toured with a docent on certain days and times so check the website before visiting to make sure it will be open. You start your visit and buy your ticket at the Roanoke-Chowan Heritage Center. It has restrooms, a gift shop and two rooms to view that provide background information about the property. You can either walk or drive to the houses as they are a distance away. I was not sure what to expect when I decided to visit Hope Plantation and did not expect that the tour would be as long as it was and so thorough. It is possible that my tour was longer than normal as I was very interested in all of the facts provided. I was very impressed with this property; the history and the restoration. I try my best to find the hidden gems to visit so was excited that I found another. Both houses are on the National Registry for Historic Places. The land of the plantation sits was from a land grant by King Charles II of England. It was to lure settlers from Virginia and was given to Francis and Elizabeth Hobson. Elizabeth inherited the property after her husband died and later married Zedekiah Stone. The story told is that Elizabeth missed her homeland Hope Parish so the property was named Hope. David Stone was given the Hope tract of land as a wedding present. He constructed the Hope Mansion. The house was completed in 1803. It is of a Georgian style with Federal Period influences. The enslaved community provided the labor to run the plantation. The highly skilled labor can be seen with the craftsmanship of the home. After David Stone died, his son sold the property. It changed owners many times. In 1960 though the property was deteriorated and Bertie Country residents worked to save the property. They created a historical association and raised the funds to purchase the property. Then went on to restoring the mansion through research. The outside was completed in 1969 and by 1972 the restoration was completed. The King-Bazemore House was relocated to the plantation in 1974 to be restored. It is an example of a colonial home and would be compared to the Hobson-Stone House that was destroyed when the mansion was built. I highly recommend visiting this property in Bertie County if you love history and historic properties. You will not be disappointed. These properties are amazing and the restorations impeccable.

From the owner: Restored home of former North Carolina Governor David Stone (1770-1818). Located four miles west of…read moreWindsor, NC, the plantation complex offers unique insights into the late 18th & 19th century rural life in eastern North Carolina and the South.

Bless our National Park staff. They have to deal with some terrible humans, as we witnessed the day…read morewe were there. But it was handled well and we enjoyed our time here. There is a ton to see in the visitor center and even more on the other side of Kill Devil Hill (the big hill with monument) They have a Veterans discount in the gift shop!

We were so happy we stopped here. The walk up to the memorial is steep at times, but there are…read moremultiple paths to take so others may have been more gradual, but it was part of the experience to step up to where these brothers flew their first flight. Do stop in even just to drive around, it was beautiful!

A first for me, I didn't know this house existed. I found out about the holiday decor/open house…read morevia an IG story that VBhistory museums posted. Apparently they have been doing these holiday open houses for a couple years or so now. Admission is free but suggested donations range from $3-$5 (there's a sign outside the house and the info is on their website). The holiday open house showcased the house decorated with 18th century decor with flowers, cotton, fruit and oyster shells designed by the garden club. The original house structure contained one room on the first floor and a loft upstairs, but after ownership had transferred across three families -Whitehurst, Bratten and Buffington it has undergone expansions. The house has been occupied up until 1986 and is considered one of of the 50 historically significant structures in Virginia Beach. It was built soon after the first lighthouse was erected in Cape Henry. Daniel Whitehurst was a commissioner and allowed for the VB courthouse to be built near his home. During the holiday open house they had refreshments consisting of mints, various cookies and nuts, with the accompaniment of coffee and cider. The house boasts four fireplaces where on the left, Bob Clark was doing what he does well, playing sweet sounds from the dulcimer. For those not familiar with the dulcimer, it's essentially an open stringed portable piano. The sounds that originate from it are very clean, calming and relaxing. Upstairs are three rooms, one which holds an old singer and a quilt, another with historic maps of the area and the last room has a bed and a bassinet. In an attic? Or small partitioned area was a violinist gliding her bow in a frenzy of holiday cheer. It was neat to see the house, however the kitchen had been updated and renovated in a 1950s style, which truly lives up to a "house over time."

While walking on the West Neck Natural Creek Area with my dog. I thought I could check out the…read moreWhitehurst Buffington House within the area. It was a nice stroll through the trees on the horse trail. I imagined how it was like before cars when one would ride a horse carriage. This place takes me back in time. Unfortunately, they would not allow dogs and I wasn't surprised. I got a peek at the nice house.