Driving Directions to Outer Banks
Find driving directions to the Outer Banks of North Carolina from all major cities, plus information on Ocracoke Island Ferry, nearby airports.
Driving Directions to Outer Banks
All rights reserved. Map images on this website are copyrighted and may not be used or reproduced without permission. Contact us to request use.
Arriving from the North
Follow I-95 S to Richmond, VA. Take I-64 E toward Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Va. Take I-64 or I-664 to Chesapeake, Va. From I-64, take Exit 291B to Route 168, the Chesapeake Expressway. Go south on VA-168 to the NC border. Once in North Carolina, 168 turns into US-158 East. Stay on this road. Follow US-158 to the Outer Banks.
Arriving from the West
Take I-95 into North Carolina. Take US-64 East towards Rocky Mount. Follow US-64 East through Williamston and Plymouth, NC. From Plymouth, NC keep going east onto Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks.
Arriving from the South
Coming from South Carolina take I-95 to Wilson NC. Take US-264 East through Greenville and Washington, NC. From Washington, take State Route 30 to Plymouth, NC and follow the directions above via US-64 East to Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks.
Arriving from Norfolk International Airport (ORF)
From Norfolk Airport (ORF) take 64 East for approximately 8 miles to 291B Exit, the Nag Head exit, which will put you onto Route 168 South. Go south on VA-168 to the NC border. Once in North Carolina, 168 turns into US-158 East. Stay on this road. Follow US-158 to the Outer Banks.
Ferry Schedules
Hatteras-Ocracoke: On the Ferry System’s most popular summer route, motorists who arrive at Hatteras before 10am or after 3pm will generally avoid the daily crowds, as will travelers who get to Ocracoke’s South Dock before 2pm or after 7pm. In addition, the busiest summer days on the Hatteras Inlet route are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. People who make their day trips on Monday or Friday stand a much better chance of avoiding long waits. In summer, the ferry runs every 30 minutes beginning at 5am. Here is the ferry schedule.
Milepost System
You’ll notice that streets and businesses are marked by “Milepost” (MP) signs. The Mileposts start at Wright Bridge in Kitty Hawk and continue south to MP 20 near Oregon Inlet. No Milepost markers are posted north of Kitty Hawk or South of Nags Head.
Additional Maps
