The Outer Banks is actually a long string of islands off the coast of North Carolina. Stretching over 200 miles, they serve as barrier islands to nearly half of the coastline of North Carolina. The water between the mainland and the islands is known as either the Albemarle Sound or the Pamlico Sound, depending on where you are. Being that the islands are so narrow, they are famous for their huge stretches of beach, usually within walking distance from your Outer Banks vacation rentals.

A somewhat little known fact is that the Wright Brothers' first flight took place on the Outer Banks in 1903 near the town of Kitty Hawk. Locally, the area is called Kill Devil Hills. As a side note, this location is kept in excellent condition and there are a plethora of different Outer Banks vacation rentals to choose from in the area. Whether you stay there or not, be sure to take a day trip to the area to see the Wright Brothers National Monument and the First Flight Airport. They're definitely worth the time.

If camping is your favorite pastime, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the Outer Banks has many campgrounds where you can tent, trailer, or RV camp right on the sandy beach.

The Outer Banks is also renowned as being the location where the first child born to a person of English descent was born in America. Virginia Dare was born on Roanoke Island, and was part of the colony by the same name that simply vanished from the face of the earth. The mystery is still unsolved. If you want to do some searching of your own, Roanoke Island is home to a host of wonderful bed and breakfasts and Outer Banks vacation rentals.

The Outer Banks islands, from north to south, are Bodie Island, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island. Visitors will be thrilled to find herds of wild horses still running the islands, rumored to be offspring of Spanish Mustangs that washed ashore after the many shipwrecks in the dangerous waters near the islands. There were so many wrecks, and the waters were so deadly, that they have become known at the Graveyard of the Atlantic. If you want to increase your chances of seeing some of these beautiful animals, find Outer Banks vacation rentals on Ocracoke Island.

The Outer Banks offer so much to see and do that it will take quite awhile to cover everything. When you book na Outer Banks vacation rental, be sure to research the area and have a plan not just for day trips and exploring, but also to relax and enjoy the beautiful coastline. It's a vacation you'll talk about for years to come.