Hatteras
Hatteras, unlike most of the other communities on the island, retained its original name. "Village" is often added to avoid confusing the community with Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The Village of Hatteras is homeport for the island's famous charter fishing fleet and host to several prestigious fishing tournaments. Nearby offshore Gulf Stream waters offer bottom fishing for snapper, dolphin, grouper, trigger fish and sea bass. Flounder, croaker, sea bass, bluefish and trout are caught in the inshore waters. Numerous restaurants and local shops offer locals and vacationers the best this village has to offer. Hatteras village is "end of the line" of Cape Hatteras National Seashore and hosts the Hatteras Inlet Ferry Terminal which is the only access to neighboring Ocracoke Island.
Frisco
Frisco nestled between the villages of Buxton and Hatteras was previously named Trent, or Trent Woods, but received a new name with the coming of the post office in 1898. Most of the land is taken by houses available for rental during the summer months, and as such the community's population varies seasonally. Billy Mitchell Airport is located in Frisco and was named after former United States Army General Billy Mitchell. Across the street from the small, local airfield is the Frisco Native American Museum. Vacationers flock to Frisco to enjoy a quiet lifestyle and the infamous "Ramp 49".
Buxton
Buxton is an unincorporated community of nearly 1,500 people on Hatteras Island (part of the Outer Banks). Buxton is most famous for being home of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which stands a majestic 208 feet. The beacon from the light can be seen some 20-miles out to sea and has warned sailors for more than 100 years of the treacherous Diamond Shoals, the shallow sandbars which extend some 14 miles out into the ocean off Cape Hatteras. Buxton is also a favorite for avid fisherman who have named "The Point" as the place to surf fish on the East Coast.
Avon
The town of Avon was not always known by that name. The area first got a post office in 1883, when the village was called Kinnakeet - a name still used by some locals. It was then changed to Avon, yet it still keeps its history of boat building and lifesaving close. Years ago, much of the town was built up on the Sound side, the western side of the Island. This was a precautionary way of being protected during storms from off-shore winds. Dunes were built to help protect the area from the wind and storm-wash from storms. The area is much more developed on both sides now and because of the flat landscape, you can see from the Sound to the Ocean, or vice versa from most locations. Canadian Hole is found just north of Avon and offers Windsurfers and Kiteboarders the best experience the sport has to offer.
Rodanthe
Rodanthe blends seamlessly with Waves and Salvo to form what is known as the Tri-Village area. The three, once one, called Chicamacomico. By the early 1900s they had split into 3 separate villages. Rodanthe made popular by novelist, Nicholas Sparks "Nights in Rodanthe" is also hatteras island’s northernest village. Waves is a sleepy quiet spot right between Rodanthe and Salvo that vacationers flock to in order to enjoy some fun in the sun. Salvo winds down tri village and offers many rental opportunities as it is mainly comprised of homes with just a few businesses.
Nags Head
Nags Head, from its earliest beginnings in the 1800's, has predominately consisted of single family cottages and a few small hotels. Visitors to Nags Head can still enjoy the town's several historic cottages, which are primarily located across from the town's most significant landmark, Jockey's Ridge State Park. The tallest natural sand dune system in the eastern United States, the park offers unparallel views of Nags Head. Today, family operated businesses and a small town atmosphere prevail, contributing to a certain charm and a slow, relaxed pace of life. Incorporated in 1961, Nags Head takes pride in its clean water, low density of development, and abundant open spaces. The town is an annual vacation spot for a countless number of families, making it the ideal family beach.
Kill Devil Hills
Kill Devil Hills has a total area of 5.5 square miles and is nestled between Nags Head and Kitty Hawk. Kill Devil Hills is the site of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, commemorating Orville and Wilbur’s four powered airplane flights of the early 1900’s. The name Kill Devil Hills dates back to Colonial times. Shipwrecks were common, and many of the ships were transporting barrels of rum. When a ship foundered, local wreckers would scavenge what they could of the ship's cargo before it sank, hiding their pilfered rum behind the same large sand dunes where the Wright Brothers would perform glider tests, before flying their first plane from level ground nearby. The locals said that the rum was strong enough to "kill the devil," so the dunes became known as "Kill Devil Hills (this tale does not have confirmed documentation).
Kitty Hawk
The Town of Kitty Hawk is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and offers year round residents and vacationers a unique and relaxing environment. How the town got its name Kitty Hawk, is still being debated. Many villagers believe the word originally appeared on English settlers' maps as "Chickahawk" in the early 1700's. It was transformed over the years into what is now Kitty Hawk. The Town consists of a thriving Village that has been around for generations, a newer beach community of residential cottages and businesses as well as a maritime forest called Kitty Hawk Woods.
Southern Shores, Duck, Corolla and Carova
Southern Shores, Duck, Corolla, Carova are villages along the "northern" end of Highway 12 found in the Outerbanks. These villages also offer vacationers and property owners the quaint small town feel while enjoying the recreation found along the Atlantic Ocean or Currituck Sound. Road access to the northern Outer Banks ends in Corolla, North Carolina, with communities such as Carova Beach accessible only by four-wheel drive vehicles.