PET FRIENDLY Outer Banks

What makes this stretch of land on the North Carolina coast so special? Sure, there are a lot of pet-friendly hotels in the Outer Banks. There are a lot of dog-friendly beaches in the Outer Banks, and also some parks. But when it comes down to it, we think it’s the incredibly fresh ocean air. The soothing roar of the ocean that seems to wash your troubles away. And the majestic, towering dunes. And the fact that you can share these pleasures with your favorite animal. And that’s the magic. When you’re on the Outer Banks, you feel miles away from everything and yet you can have what matters to you most, right at hand.

Imagine sneaking out with your pooch far away from your family reunion without your obnoxious cousins noticing (priceless!), allowing you both to explore and discover the area’s historical significance and take pleasure in the towns’ unique offerings and offbeat names.

Did you know, for example, that the town of Duck got its name only after the Wright Brothers moved to nearby Kitty Hawk and started pointing their early, failed planes in its direction? That’s not actually true but this seemed like the perfect place to purport that specious bit of history.

If you want to get the correct information, however, you can go to the nearby Wright Brothers National Memorial—and you can even take your pet.

You can also take your dog to the Currituck Heritage Park in Corolla, the Jockey’s Ridge State Park in Nags Head (which has the tallest natural sand dune system on the East Coast), and the spectacular pet-friendly Cape Hatteras National Seashore, among other places. The Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on nearby Roanoke Island is also pet-friendly.

Either way, you will definitely find pet-friendly nirvana in the Outer Banks!