Top 5 Things to Do: Jennette’s Pier

Nestled in beautiful Nags Head, North Carolina, Jennette’s Pier beckons coastal adventurers with an array of family-friendly activities. Whether you’re an avid angler or just love learning about marine life, this iconic Outer Banks location promises an unforgettable experience!
 

Image Description: A blue sky over Jennette’s Pier promises a great day of ocean fun and activities on North Carolina’s coast. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier, a division of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Here are our top 5 Things to Do at Jennette’s Pier:

Walk on the Pier
 

Image Description: Jennette’s Pier extends 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.

Jennette’s Pier is the longest pier on the Outer Banks, extending 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean. This offers the opportunity to take in spectacular views of the coast. While you stroll, see what the anglers are reeling in. There is a small fee to walk on the pier: $2 for adults and $1 for children 12 and under.

Family Fishing
 

Image Description: Woman and child fishing on Jennette’s Pier show off the fish they just caught. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.

Jennette’s Pier is a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors, offering easy access to a world-class angling experience. Rental gear is available if you need it. No experience? No problem! Register for a two-hour class designed to teach you the basics and includes everything you need -- instruction, bait, rod with reel, daily fishing license, and more. For just $20 per person and $10 for children aged 5 and under, you can reel in unforgettable memories at Jennette’s Pier.

Aquarium Exhibits in the Pier House
 

Image Description: Atlantic spadefish hang out in the “Life Under the Pier” exhibit in the main lobby of the pier house. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.

Jennette’s Pier is more than a fishing pier. It’s part of the North Carolina Aquariums family. Inside the pier house, you’ll find exhibits showcasing the area’s coastal ecosystems, marine biodiversity, and sustainability initiatives. In particular, the “Life Under the Pier” exhibit gives you a glimpse beneath the water’s surface around the pier. In the vibrant ecosystem that thrives around the pilings, you’ll see a variety of species including sheepshead, triggerfish, and more.

A Day at the Beach
 

Image Description: People enjoy a day at the beach near the Jennette’s Pier beach access. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.

Enjoy the beautiful beaches of Nags Head at Jennette’s Pier via the largest beach access in Dare County. Features like ample paved parking, a bathhouse, outdoor showers, pet waste bags, and on-duty lifeguards make your beach day super safe and convenient. To give everyone the opportunity to enjoy some beach time, this beach access is ADA accessible with designated accessible parking and stabilizing beach mats for wheelchairs. 

Sit a Spell
 

Image Description: A white rocking chair on the porch at Jennette’s Pier with a stunning view of the beach. Photo courtesy of Jennette’s Pier.

There’s no better place to “sit a spell” than the porch at Jennette’s Pier. The rocking chairs, shaded from the hot sun, are a perfect place to enjoy the ocean breeze. Watch the birds, the people, and maybe watch some weather roll in. It’s a great way to pass an afternoon at the beach when you don’t want a bunch of sand in your shoes!

More to Explore:
 

Image Description: Two visitors gaze into the tank as a shark swims past them. Photo courtesy of the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island.

You can fill an entire day at Jennette’s Pier, but there is more to see and do in the area. While you’re here, take the time to explore further.

• Jockey's Ridge State Park, just 5 miles north of Jennette’s Pier, is home to the tallest living sand dune system on the Atlantic coast. This unique location is ideal for flying kites and watching sunsets. You can even try hang gliding!
• Travel another 5 miles north from Jockey’s Ridge to the Wright Brothers National Memorial. The conditions in this area of the Outer Banks were perfectly suited to Wilbur and Orville’s pursuit of manned flight.
• From Jennette’s Pier, cross over to Roanoke Island and explore the place where the first English settlers landed in the New World. Roanoke Island Festival Park is a 27-acre historic site that features interpreters in a representative 1585 settlement and the English merchant vessel, the Elizabeth II.
• Explore more of North Carolina’s early history at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site. Multiple periods of history are covered in one site, from Native American history of the area and the first English settlers to the Freedman’s Colony established there as a refuge for formerly enslaved people during the Civil War.
• Continue your exploration of marine life at the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island. With indoor and outdoor exhibits, this Aquarium offers a lot of variety. In particular, the STAR (Sea Turtle Assistance and Rehabilitation) Center gives you a look at the Aquarium’s important conservation efforts on behalf of sea turtles.

Jennette’s Pier

Location: Nags Head, NC

County: Dare

Region: Coast

Interest Area: Nature