Manteo

Part of Roanoke Island, which includes the towns of Manteo and Wanchese, is rich in history (Virginia Dare, the first European born in the Americas, was born here), and it is the site of America’s earliest unsolved mystery: the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony in the 16th century. Thankfully, the “Lost Colony” didn’t dissuade anyone from calling this place home, and it now is a thriving waterfront community that is extremely popular with tourists who enjoy its picturesque downtown area, which is full of an assortment of shops and restaurants.