The Outer Banks are full of stories. This string of barrier islands off North Carolina, known simply as OBX, is where the Wright brothers made their first flight at Kill Devil Hills, where Blackbeard fought his final battle off Ocracoke, and where the Lost Colony vanished from Roanoke Island near Manteo without a trace.

You don't have to be a history buff to fall for it, though. Anglers, windsurfers and wildlife watchers love it here, and divers come to explore some of the roughly 3,000 shipwrecks that earned these waters the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic. Families head for wide beaches, mini golf and the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. Each stretch has its own personality: historic lighthouses, wild dunes and quiet beaches to the south, with vacation homes, water sports and fun beach shops to the north.

OBX is perfect if you'd rather skip overbuilt resort towns. There's not much nightlife, but there's natural beauty everywhere, and even in summer it's easy to find space to spread out. I'll help you choose the right town and rental for your group, whether that's a big family beach house or a quiet hideaway.