Jennette's Pier

Jennette's Pier stretches out over the Atlantic in Nags Head, a concrete pier built to survive what the original wooden one couldn't. The first pier here opened in 1939 and stood for decades before Hurricane Isabel destroyed it in 2003. What replaced it, rebuilt as part of the North Carolina Aquariums system and reopened in 2011, was designed with storm resilience and coastal science in mind, not just a spot to cast a line.

What's There

• A pier house with rod and tackle rentals and bait for anyone who shows up without gear
• Educational programs tied to the NC Aquarium system, geared toward families and school groups as much as serious anglers
• Open pier access for surf fishing, and plenty of room to just walk out over the ocean without a rod in hand
• One of the better sunrise spots on this stretch of coast, and a place locals watch the swell build before a storm during hurricane season (June-November)

The pier is open daily, with hours running from early morning into the evening, which makes it work equally well for a dawn fishing trip or an after-dinner walk with the Atlantic stretched out in front of you. It sits directly on the Beach Road corridor in Nags Head, an easy stop alongside the rest of the northern Outer Banks strip.