Downtown Manteo's harborside walk, tracing Shallowbag Bay from the shops to the water's edge
The Waterfront Boardwalk runs along Shallowbag Bay in downtown Manteo, the walkable stretch that gives Roanoke Island its own character apart from the beach towns on the far side of the Washington Baum Bridge. It's less a single destination than the connective thread of downtown — the path that ties the harbor, the shops, and the restaurants together along the water's edge.
The boardwalk puts you right at the edge of a working harbor: sailboats, charter boats, and day cruisers share the water, and there's usually enough activity to make a slow walk worth it any time of day. Mornings tend to be quiet, good for coffee and a look at the boats getting ready to head out; evenings bring the light spreading low over Shallowbag Bay as traffic eases back in for the night. Roanoke Island Festival Park sits just across the water, so the boardwalk doubles as a natural vantage point before or after a visit there.
18 reviews
5 months ago
This is actually one of the best regional type board walks I have visited. lots of things to explore. There is great parking (when I went). And, lots of places to sit. Awesome. NOTE: They are working on certain sections of the boardwalk, but it's still very nice and worth the trip.
2 years ago
This was a cute area. We went over to the little lighthouse, walked in to a few shops and had some ice cream. I thought the shops were going to be along the actual boardwalk so we were a little confused at first but we found them on the streets leading up to that area. My personal favorite was the Dare Art Gallery. If you get a chance, definitely stop in for a peek. The boardwalk area is right next door to the Festival Park which has a pirate ship and looks like it would be a great place for kids. It is hard to find parking in the area near the boardwalk. There is a gazebo that we didn't go over to but it looked pretty. There is also a really cool looking kids playground area. The view from where the lighthouse is overlooking the water is beautiful. It would probably be awesome at sunset.
4 years ago
Historic. Cool. Small. The playground area is cool for kids, and with some careful digging, they'll likely find some small shark teeth in the gravel. Manteo is a great OBX day trip
3 weeks ago
A good boardwalk with an amazing view of the water
2 years ago
This is a beautiful boardwalk! Many restaurants and shops nearby. Great views of the water.