Roanoke Voyages Corridor

Step back to the very dawn of English America along North Carolina’s Roanoke Voyages Corridor, a scenic byway that traces the waterways and landscapes where Sir Walter Raleigh’s explorers first set foot on the continent. Winding through the Outer Banks and surrounding coastal lowlands, this route immerses travelers in salt marshes, maritime forests, and sweeping views of the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds.

The corridor connects some of North Carolina’s most historically significant sites, including Fort Raleigh National Historic Site — home of the legendary Lost Colony — and the Elizabethan Gardens, a living tribute to the first English settlers. Along the way, you’ll pass through charming waterfront towns, wildlife refuges teeming with shorebirds, and quiet stretches of coastline largely unchanged since the 1580s.

Stop at Roanoke Island Festival Park to explore a replica 16th-century sailing vessel and living-history exhibits that bring the era vividly to life. Fresh local seafood awaits at nearly every turn.

The best time to drive is late spring through early fall, when mild weather and long daylight hours let you linger. Allow a full day to explore — this is a journey meant to be savored, not rushed.

Explore Nearby

• Wood Thrush Trail — Public Land in Virginia
• Smith Mountain Lake State Park — State Park in Virginia
• Blue Mountain Forest State Scenic Corridor — State Park in Oregon
• George Washington and Jefferson National Forest — National Forest in Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky
• Monongahela National Forest — National Forest in West Virginia