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Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

Outer Banks


In the late 1580s, three decades before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, a group of 116 British colonists disappeared without a trace from their Roanoke Island settlement. Were they killed off by drought? Did they run away with a Native American tribe? The fate of the 'Lost Colony' remains one of America's greatest mysteries. Explore their story in the visitor center.

One of the site's star attractions is the beloved musical, Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, staged between late May and August. The play, from Pulitzer Prize–winning North Carolina playwright Paul Green, dramatizes the fate of the colonists and celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2017. It plays at the Waterside Theater throughout summer. Other attractions include exhibits, artifacts, maps and a free 17-minute film to fuel the imagination, hosted at the visitor center. The 16th-century-style Elizabethan Gardens has a commanding statue of Queen Elizabeth I standing guard at the entrance.


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby Outer Banks attractions

1. Elizabethan Gardens

0.17 MILES

The 16th-century-style Elizabethan Gardens include a Shakespearean herb garden and rows of beautifully manicured flower beds. Check online to see what's…

2. Roanoke Island Festival Park

2.97 MILES

Go on a swashbuckling adventure at this 25-acre park, telling the story of the first English settlement attempt in 1585. Visitors can climb aboard a 16th…

3. Jockey's Ridge State Park

4.73 MILES

Kick off your shoes for a leg-stretching climb up Jockey's Ridge, the largest sand dune on the East Coast. With a 360-degree view that sweeps over the…

4. Wright Brothers National Memorial

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Self-taught engineers Wilbur and Orville Wright launched the world's first successful airplane flight on December 17, 1903 (it lasted 12 seconds). A…

6. Bodie Island Lighthouse

11.56 MILES

Built in 1872, this photogenic lighthouse opened its doors to visitors in 2013. The 170ft-high structure still has its original Fresnel lens – a rarity…

7. Waterfront Shops & Boardwalk

16.35 MILES

A pleasant waterfront boardwalk with 27 shops and eateries dotted around it. Peruse local design shops, do a Village Yoga session, or grab a bottle of…

8. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

19.42 MILES

At the northern end of Hatteras Island, and named after the dune peas that grow in the sand, this 5834-acre (land portion only) reserve is a bird-watcher…