Twenty years before Jamestown, there was Roanoke Island. Board our representative 16th century sailing ship, the Elizabeth II, explore the Settlement Site, Museum, American Indian Town and more!
If you are interested in Outer Banks history, nature, recreation, and family activities, Roanoke Island Festival Park is an ideal choice. This Roanoke Island attraction, across from the Manteo waterfront and just 5 miles from Nags Head and 30 minutes from Hatteras Island and Kitty Hawk, is a 25-acre interactive historic site representing the first English settlement attempt in 1585.
Imagine a land with Algonquin Indian culture. The land was vast, pristine, and natural. This was Roanoke Island when English explorers stepped off their ships.
Roanoke Island Festival Park offers a winding, wooded trail with stops at the American Indian Town, the Settlement Site, and the Elizabeth II, a 16th century representative ship. Costumed and speaking in a 16th century manner, living history interpreters interact with visitors of all ages at the Settlement Site and the ship, recounting their experiences on the voyage and upon arrival to the New World. The tour is ideal for children offering excitement and fun with educational components.
Explore over 400 years of Roanoke Island history in the interactive Roanoke Adventure Museum. Play and discover in the Fossil Pit. Experience breathtaking water views and see wildlife while strolling on the Boardwalk which surrounds the cultural site.
The park also hosts many performances throughout the year in the Indoor Theatre and concerts at the Outdoor Pavilion. Several venues at the park can be rented for weddings, receptions, meetings and corporate retreats. Group Tour rates are available.
Roanoke Island Festival Park is a vibrant place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina where history, the arts, family gatherings, multiple activities and environment combine to make a memorable Outer Banks stop.
