Jennette's Pier

When Warren Jennette and his family built the first pier here in 1939, ocean fishing piers were the social heart of the Outer Banks, places where visitors and locals alike came to fish, to watch the water, and to escape the summer heat on the breeze at the end of the deck. Jennette's grew into a beloved fixture, but the same sea that drew people to it also wore at it, storm after storm, over more than sixty years.

Hurricane Isabel destroyed most of the wooden structure in September 2003. Instead of losing the pier for good, the North Carolina Aquarium Society acquired it and, after years of planning, rebuilt it in reinforced concrete engineered to stand up to the storms that had claimed its predecessor. The new pier, at a thousand feet, is longer than the old one and designed to be an educational and environmental landmark as much as a place to fish.

Anglers still come to Jennette's for the same reason they always have. From the deck they cast for the fish that run these waters through the seasons, among them red drum, Spanish and king mackerel, bluefish, flounder, sea mullet, and croaker, with the catch shifting as the water warms and cools through the year. The pier sells tackle and bait, and newcomers can learn the ropes from the regulars who know the rail.

The water beneath the pier is a whole world of its own. Pilings gather barnacles and small fish, which draw larger fish and the pelicans and gulls that patrol overhead, and dolphins are a common sight offshore. From the end of the deck on a clear morning, the ocean stretches unbroken to the horizon, and the sunrise over the water is one of the great open spectacles of the Outer Banks.

Because the pier is operated by the North Carolina Aquariums, the pier house holds a set of saltwater tanks and hands-on exhibits that make it a small aquarium in its own right. Visitors can meet local sea creatures up close, learn about the fish and the ecosystems just offshore, and join the education programs the aquarium runs throughout the year.

The three wind turbines that turn over the parking lot are part of the same idea. They help power the building and stand as a visible lesson in coastal sustainability, a fitting symbol for a pier that was destroyed by a storm and deliberately rebuilt to be tougher, greener, and more useful than the one before it.

Nags Head is one of the oldest resort towns on the Outer Banks, a strip of beach cottages, restaurants, and shops along the barrier island where the Atlantic meets Roanoke Sound. Jennette's Pier sits toward the south end of town, an easy landmark on the oceanfront road, with wide public beaches stretching in both directions.

The pier makes a natural stop on a longer tour of the northern Outer Banks. The towering sand dunes of Jockey's Ridge rise nearby, the Wright Brothers National Memorial marks the first flight just up the coast, and across the sound the town of Manteo holds the state aquarium on Roanoke Island and the story of the lost Roanoke colony.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Jennette's Pier, in Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, is a beloved oceanfront fishing pier and educational attraction, the oldest fishing pier on the Outer Banks, rebuilt as a modern concrete pier. Stretching far out over the Atlantic, the pier offers excellent saltwater fishing, sweeping ocean views, and a place to stroll above the waves, while its pier house features aquariums, exhibits on marine life and coastal ecology, and educational programs. Blending classic pier fishing with learning and stunning ocean vistas, it delights anglers, families, and sightseers alike. With its fishing pier and ocean views, Jennette's Pier offers a delightful destination in North Carolina.

You can fish from the long ocean pier, stroll far out over the Atlantic for sweeping views and to watch the waves and surfers, visit the pier house with its aquariums and exhibits on marine life and coastal ecology, join educational programs, and simply enjoy the sea breeze. The pier fishing, the ocean views, the marine exhibits, and the chance to walk out over the water are the draws, making it a rewarding stop for anglers, families, and sightseers. A fee may apply for fishing or walking the pier. With its pier and exhibits, Jennette's Pier offers an enjoyable experience in North Carolina.

No, you do not need to fish to enjoy Jennette's Pier, as visitors can walk out on the pier for the ocean views and sea air, visit the pier house with its aquariums and educational exhibits, and watch anglers, surfers, and the waves, though a small fee may apply to walk the pier or to fish. The pier welcomes sightseers and families as well as anglers, and its exhibits make it educational. Checking current hours and any fees before you go is wise. With its walkable pier, views, and exhibits, Jennette's Pier offers something for everyone in North Carolina.

The warm months of late spring through early fall are the liveliest season for fishing, walking the pier, and enjoying the ocean, with fishing often best in the warmer water, though the pier and its exhibits can be enjoyed in milder seasons too. Summer is busiest on the Outer Banks. Sunrise over the Atlantic from the pier is spectacular any season. For the liveliest fishing and beach weather aim for late spring through early fall, or visit off-season for a quieter pier, at Jennette's Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Jennette's Pier is in Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, within reach of Jockey's Ridge State Park, the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island, the Outer Banks beaches, and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse to the south. That makes Jennette's Pier a delightful stop to combine with Jockey's Ridge State Park and the other attractions of the Outer Banks on a visit to North Carolina.