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Nags Head Dolphin Watch Tours

Scientists run these dolphin tours as part of their research on these beloved aquatic animals, so you know this will be an interesting trip. Passengers will be able to see how researchers with the Outer Banks Center for Dolphin Research, a nonprofit organization, conduct their research and hear about some of the discoveries from more than a decade of studies and monitoring. Some of the hundreds of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in the area show up so frequently they’ve even been given names, like “Rake,” “Scarlet,” and “Onion.”

Phoenix –  Nags Head Causeway // Kitty Hawk Kites/Whalebone

Located at 7517 South Virginia Dare Trail on the south side of NC 64 Hwy that connects Nags Head and Roanoke Island.  You will board the Phoenix at the Kitty Hawk Kites Whalebone Watersports site - yellow building with a blue roof.  Also available at this site you can rent kayaks, standup paddleboards and jet skis so make a day of it.  Next door is Fresh Fit Cafe,  serving breakfast, lunch and great smoothies. Book Now!

Safari – South Nags Head // Oregon Inlet Fishing Center

This is our newest and largest boat!  The SAFARI is in the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center located at 8770 Oregon Inlet Road, Nags Head, NC  27959 (some mapping programs find us at 98 NC Hwy 12, Nags Head, NC  27959).  This is a full service marina and ships store with snacks, drinks, souvenirs and tackle.  On Site are 46 charter boats and "head boat" to meet all your fishing needs.  Also, there is a NC Fish & Wildlife Boat Ramp for launching your own boat. Book Now!

Miss Bodie Island – Manteo //Shallowbag Bay Marina

You will board the Miss Bodie Island at Shallow Bag Bay Marina located at 700  N. Bay Club Drive, Manteo, NC  27954 (between Darryl's Restaurant and McDonald's).  Park in any non-reserved parking space.  We are at the floating dock in front of the pool and clubhouse area.  For added convenience to our guests, Stripers Bar and Grill is located onsite so you can enjoy a great meal or a cool drink on the waterfront deck before or after your dolphin tour.  Don't forget to visit Historic Downtown Manteo while you are here. Book Now!

A dolphin - Nags Head Dolphin Watch

Along the way, researchers will talk about their work and share their discoveries from their ongoing study.

Nags Head Dolphin Watch

While the boat is moving, dolphins will be playing in their natural habitat alongside the vessel. Passengers will also learn about the pelicans, osprey and other birds that congregate in the sounds, as well as the ecology and history of this dynamic area.

Nags Head Dolphin Watch Tours are given twice daily on Monday and Saturday, and three times daily Tuesday through Friday.

Call ahead at 252-441-4124 or toll free at (877)FLY-THIS for times and reservations.

Book Now!

View of a dolphin from Nags Head Dolphin Watch

NOW WITH TWO LOCATIONS!

Three dolphins - Nags Head Dolphin Watch

Adventurers watch and photograph dolphins from a Nags Head Dolphin Watch tour

THANK YOU for Voting Us a Winner in the BEST OF OBX Contest!

2024 Silver Winner for Best Dolphin Tour

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Manteo
252-449-8999
Nags Head
252-449-8999
Nags Head
252-449-8999
Hours
*Off-season hours may vary*
Call 252-449-8999 for current hours.
  • Monday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Tuesday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Wednesday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Thursday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Friday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Saturday07:00AM-10:00PM
  • Sunday07:00AM-10:00PM
Categories
Activities
The Cotton Gin

The Cotton Gin

For those traveling to the Outer Banks, The Cotton Gin is a beloved landmark with its large windmill and picturesque gardens. The Cotton Gin has stood in the same location since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing to a gift store with 4 locations. Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience in our main store in Jarvisburg, as well as our beach stores in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head. Explore room after room filled with décor for your home and coastal fashions for both men and women. Discover the brands you really want, like, Vera Bradley, Vineyard Vines, La Mer Luex, Simply Southern, Lindsay Phillips, Scout, Pandora, Kameleon, Brighton, Spartina, Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide and Salt Life and Old Guys Rule - all under one roof!

 

Don’t forget the gourmet market, or shop our beautiful linens for your bedroom and bath. We also feature coastal books and fine art, or just a whimsical fun gift to bring home to family and friends. Stop by soon and don’t forget to try our estate grown wines in our stores or visit our vineyard and winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, located adjacent to the original Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg.

 

Most know The Cotton Gin as a must-stop shop for fine gifts, beachwear, souvenirs and so much more, but this retailer has a long-standing history within the Outer Banks. A local landmark that holds almost a century of memories, The Cotton Gin started from humble beginnings and continues to adapt to the times and tourists. Tommy Wright’s family has been in the Outer Banks for nearly 200 years. His great-great grandfather, Jacob Francis Wright, shipwrecked in Duck back in the early 1800s. Calling these barrier islands his new home, Wright and his family acclimated to their new environment.

 

Adaptation is a common theme for the Wright family. Tommy and his wife Candace, who continue to steer The Cotton Gin, have seen not only their business change with the times, but the Outer Banks as a vacation destination as well. A farm market in Jarvisburg eventually transformed and flourished into several retail locations dotting the Outer Banks.

 

“As the area changed and tourism took off in the 1960s, the family saw people coming for vacations, so they began to grow vegetables and things developed from there,” says Tommy Wright. The Wright family expanded upon the farm market and began to remodel a working cotton gin, later transforming the gin into The Cotton Gin general store in the late 1960s. While the additions to the farm store drew visitors, it was their encounters with the Wright family that kept people coming back year after year, which is something that remains true today.

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