Once a place for land pirates to hide out in  the high sand dunes and lure unsuspecting ships ashore during storms at sea, Nags Head later became known as a fine resort area in the nineteenth century.

Today, vacation homes and rentals surround  beautiful Jocky Ridge State Park, a 420 acre natural area in the center of Nags  Head,  and travelers are lured by its sandy beaches, nature trails, wildlife  refuges, historic sites, and sports that include golf and world-class fishing.

Pirate legacy lives on too, with shipwreck  remains, and tales of Blackbeard and other sea-faring miscreants.