North Carolina's Outer Banks Fishing Pier Is A Scenic Stop For Great Catches And Lovely Sunrises

While many people on North Carolina's coastline choose to embrace the seaside setting by getting out on the water, sticking to the state's piers can be equally prolific for fishing and sightseeing alike. The state's Outer Banks are particularly ideal for enthralling land-based adventures, home to places like Currituck National Wildlife Refuge with its pristine beaches, dunes, and wild horses. But if it's great fishing, sunrises, and seaside recreation you're seeking, you might want to check out Avalon Pier.

Known predominantly as a fishing destination, Avalon Pier also offers entertainment, dining, and spectacular Atlantic Ocean scenery. It's located in Kill Devil Hills, an underrated North Carolina beach town with sand dunes and shops about 200 miles east of Raleigh and 90 miles south of Virginia Beach. Family-friendly fishing takes center stage here most days of the year, with croaker, mullet, bluefish, speckled trout, and other species caught off the pier. If you want to reel in some of the bigger catches, such as mackerel and cobia, you often have more luck at the end of the pier.

At about 700 feet long, there's ample space for anglers to spread out, though many end up clustering towards the end where the water hits about 12 to 15 feet deep. This is quite a rustic pier, dating back to 1958, but it has a good width and ample supporting structures, as well as some timber seating and cleaning stations. You can bring your own rods or rent them from the pier for a flat $8 day rate. This is in addition to the $17.50 pier entry fee for adults ($6 for children 17 or younger) who want to fish.

Avalon Pier attracts more than just anglers. For a nominal entry fee of $2, you can spend all day on the pier, soaking up the ocean sights, sounds, and smells. One of the main reasons people pay is to watch the sun rise over the ocean. It often turns the sky into a kaleidoscope of colors and makes the ocean a beautiful cobalt blue as it slowly ascends. You can watch sunrises at Avalon Pier during spring, fall, and summer, when it's open from 6 a.m.

The sunsets and marine life spotting opportunities aren't too shabby either. "We had so much fun fishing off the pier that we visited two days in a row," one visitor wrote on Google. "The sunset was gorgeous. We saw huge manta rays in the water." Visitors can also enjoy live music, refreshing beer, and bar snacks on the pier at Stonefish BeachBar. Grab a table outside on the LoTide or High Tide decks for sweeping ocean views. Avalon Pier also has an on-site arcade where you can win prizes playing pinball, skee-ball, air hockey, and more.

You can stay in Kill Devil Hills at various hotels and resorts along the beachfront on either side of Avalon Pier. Travelers can opt for the aforementioned fishing day pass to the pier or get more value on three- or seven-day passes if they're staying longer. Keep in mind, you can only bring three rods per person onto the pier. Although you don't need a state fishing license (Avalon Pier covers that), you will have to adhere to state-mandated catch limits. If you're keen on fishing or just visiting the various piers of North Carolina, check out the ones at Kure Beach, Oak Island, and Sunset Beach. They're just three of North Carolina's five best piers.