Roanoke Island Nature

Cross the short Cora Mae Basnight Bridge from the Manteo waterfront and enter the green grounds of Roanoke Island Festival Park. Sir Walter Raleigh roses line the street and greet guests. Camellias, oleanders, and weeping willows lace the walkway. Tall longleaf pines, crepe and wax myrtles, and cherry trees garnish the parking lot. A brown bunny or two might hop across the path that leads to the attraction. Dizzy hydrangeas bob their brilliant blue and pink heads in the breeze as guests pass up the wooden boardwalk planks to the Visitor’s Center. An array of flowers trims the park’s porch deck, from bright orange lantana and wild cone flowers, to lovely leopard plants that bloom in autumn. Potted pepper plants, petunias and potato vines sit in the sun. Wisteria winds up the overhang. Behind the buildings, visitors enjoy the shade of wild foliage that’s native to North Carolina as they wander toward the park’s 16th century representative ship and settlement site. Guests stroll along the boardwalk that lines the 25-acre island and watch marsh grasses and cattails lilt in the breeze. The well groomed grounds at Roanoke Island Festival Park are a delightful surprise to first-time visitors, and inspire locals to frequent the park, often as part of their daily routine and outdoor recreation. For more information, call 252-475-1500 or visit roanokeisland.com.

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