The Soundside Boardwalk meanders past Duck Town Park’s amphitheater, playground, and gazebo before crossing through some of the town’s commercial district. photograph by Chris Hannant

Duck

Soundside Boardwalk provides visitors easy access to Duck’s shops and restaurants while offering a panoramic view of Currituck Sound. In the soft light of dusk, customers make their last purchases and then follow the walkway — illuminated by 285 solar-powered lights — home.

Near Duck Town Park, the boardwalk extends out into a kayak launch. While folks paddle along the glassy surface of Currituck Sound, a resident great blue heron (left) keeps watch. photograph by Chris Hannant

A maritime deciduous forest filled with pignut hickory, southern red oak, Darlington oak, and sweet gum trees creates an umbrella of greenery over Duck’s Soundside Boardwalk.

photograph by Chris Hannant

Gray’s Outer Banks Lifestyle Clothing Co.

Established in Duck in 1983, Gray’s is now run by a second generation of the Gray family. For many, browsing the shop for beachwear and gifts has become an Outer Banks tradition.

1236 Duck Road, Waterfront Shops No. 102

photograph by Chris Hannant

Kitty Hawk Surf Co.

Choose your own adventure! At Kitty Hawk Surf Co., vacationers can rent surfboards, skimboards, bodyboards, stand-up paddleboards, kayaks, and jet skis — prime ways to experience a day out on the water.

1216 Duck Road

photograph by Chris Hannant

Dockside ’n Duck Seafood Market

Mahi mahi (held by Dockside owner Brooks Keith) is one of many freshly caught offerings at this family-run market. Take home a few of the homemade appetizers and sides — hush puppies, anyone? — and you’ve got dinner sorted.

1216 Duck Road

Turn off U.S. Highway 64 (right) to access the boardwalk behind the Tyrrell County Visitors Center and the Walter B. Jones Sr. Center for the Sounds. photograph by Chris Hannant

Columbia

For nearly a mile, the Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk showcases the natural beauty — and commerce — in this small Tyrrell County town. Managed by Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, the boardwalk leads into downtown Columbia after looping through a cypress swamp and along the river.

Designated a National Recreation Trail in 2005, the Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk has informational signs to encourage passersby to look for and learn about local wildlife. photograph by Chris Hannant

Columbia’s boardwalk winds through a cypress swamp and over the tea-colored waters of the Scuppernong River, where turtles may pop up to say “hello.”

The looped Scuppernong River Interpretive Boardwalk beckons people to keep walking — or sitting and sunbathing — as long as they wish. photograph by Chris Hannant

While fishing, hiking, and birding are encouraged along the boardwalk, taking a moment to soak up the sunlight and listen to the wind whistling across the river is sometimes all summer afternoons call for.

Sunshine gives the cedar shake Tranquil House Inn a golden glow. Anyone is welcome to stop by the inn’s 1587 Restaurant & Lounge for dinner or a cocktail, but reservations are recommended. photograph by Chris Hannant

Manteo

Stalks of marsh grass brush back and forth against the Manteo boardwalk as it arcs along the town’s waterfront. It borders the outskirts of downtown, jutting out to the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and continuing to a children’s playground and gazebo before ending at Cora Mae Daniels Basnight Bridge. When boaters aren’t pulling into a slip at the waterfront, the surface of Shallowbag Bay mirrors the sky, inviting walkers to stop and take in the beauty of Roanoke Island.

In the 1980s, when describing what Manteo could become, Andy Griffith reportedly said: “Come sit on our front porch; let me tell you of the dreams we keep.” The boardwalk that was later built embodies that hope.

photograph by Chris Hannant

The Tranquil House Inn

This stately inn has been a landmark in Manteo for more than 30 years. Its proximity to the boardwalk provides guests with the perfect place to stretch their legs.

405 Queen Elizabeth Avenue

photograph by Chris Hannant

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Dedicated in 2004, this lighthouse is a museum and replica of the station that guided sailors and fishermen to Roanoke Island in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

104 Fernando Street

photograph by Chris Hannant

Roanoke Island Festival Park

After crossing the Cora Mae Daniels Basnight Bridge, the boardwalk leads to this park, where interactive exhibits about the first English settlers and the representational Elizabeth II await.

1 Festival Park

photograph by Jeff Janowski

Wilmington

Stretching nearly two miles along the Cape Fear River, Wilmington’s Riverwalk acts as the nerve center to historic downtown. At the south end, the walkway starts at Nun Street and extends north to the Isabel Holmes Bridge. Along the way, it connects to the River to the Sea Bikeway, East Coast Greenway, Cape Fear Historic Byway, and plenty of shops, restaurants, museums, parks, and other attractions.

In 2017, Wilmington completed the Riverwalk, offering easier access — by foot or water taxi — to local shops and landmarks like the Battleship North Carolina. photograph by Matt Ray Photography, Eric Alter Photography

The Riverwalk took more than 30 years to complete. Its beauty lies in its ability to bring together art, recreation, and history while showcasing the landscape of the Port City.

Photography courtesy of Visitnc.com; Postcard: “Portion of Boardwalk and Pavilion, Carolina Beach, N.C.” in Durwood Barbour Collection of North Carolina Postcards (P077), North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill

Carolina Beach

Originally built in 1887, then rebuilt and renovated many times — most recently in 2014 — the Carolina Beach Boardwalk was one of the first tourist attractions for vacationers who flocked to our state. The boardwalk is also one of the few that borders a North Carolina beach. Nearly 140 years later, it’s still a quintessential experience for people who visit each summer: They look forward to strolling the walkway, browsing the shops, and stopping to rock on one of the swings.

Carolina Beach celebrates summer with weekly fireworks — and the boardwalk offers the best seat in the house.

The boardwalk engages all of the senses: from hearing laughter around the carousel to smelling freshly fried funnel cake to seeing colorful signs and lights.

This story was published on May 26, 2025