Beachscape

Nags Head is the oldest among Outer Banks resorts, and to many people it is the Outer Banks. Since the middle of the 19th Century, families have been spending their summers in the oceanfront cottages that cover the area. There are also hotels, but mostly of the small variety. Happily, the shadows of high-rises do not loom across the sands of the Outer Banks. Even the areas of thickest development cannot rival the density of those beaches with skyscraper hotels.

There are several stories explaining the origin of the name of Nags Head. The one most often told is that early residents used to tie lanterns to the heads of old horses and parade them up and down the beach at night. The moving lights would be mistaken for another vessel by passing ships, luring them onto the beach and providing salvage, or plunder, for the beach dwellers. With the development of bridges and highways, locals can use much milder inducements for visitors to share their wealth.