Manteo Historic Walking Tour: Explore Living History
4.9
193 Ratings
Manteo
Join retired Police Chief D'Ambra for the Manteo Historic Candlelight Walking Tour and explore 450+ years of living history. Discover fascinating stories of The Lost Colony, Pirates, The Underground Railroad, Wright Brothers, and more. Voted “Favorite Outdoor Activity” and featured on PBS and in The Sheffield Star. Don't miss this must-see experience in OBX!
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Manteo Waterfront Park - The original Manteo Walking Tour is back! Join Manteo’s retired Police Chief for an evening sroll through the Historic Waterfront of Old Manteo. We will explore 400+ years of living history as he shares with guests an entertaining mix of the many “firsts”, lore, tales & history that make Dare County “The Land of Beginnings”. The Chief highlights stories from The Lost Colony, Pirates, The Underground Railroad, The Wright Brothers, and the modern era. Colorfully, he shares personal stories of the real Mayberry, USA that inspired the classic TV series “The Andy Griffith Show”. He shares his relationship with several celebrities and many space heroes who have made Manteo such a unique and special place to visit. This highly acclaimed tour has been featured on PBS show “NC Weekend”. “The Sheffield Star” newspaper in the UK had this to say about this tour, “The historical significance of this small island in America is truly astonishing. It’s a Must See when you are in the states!”
What's Included
- All fees and taxes included
What's Not Included
- Mother Vine Muscadine Preserves
Additional Information
Embark on a captivating journey through time with retired Police Chief D’Ambra on the Manteo Historic Candlelight Walking Tour. As night falls, amble across Manteo’s scenic Historic Waterfront, established by Chief D’Ambra in 2004. The tour offers a glimpse into over 450 years of vibrant living history. With a blend of more than 21 pioneering tales and historical facts, Chief D’Ambra paints vivid imagery of Manteo, also known as ‘The Land of Beginnings’. Enthralling narratives about The Lost Colony, Pirates, The Underground Railroad, Wright Brothers, and Buffaloes City’s moonshine production promise a delightful experience. The tales are not just historical; Chief D’Ambra also reveals first-hand anecdotes of the real-life Mayberry, USA that gave birth to the iconic television series ‘The Andy Griffith Show’. He discusses his interactions with numerous celebrities and space legends that shaped Manteo’s one-of-a-kind history. Recognized by ‘NC Weekend’ on PBS and ‘The Sheffield Star’ newspaper in the UK, the tour also garnered the accolade of ‘Favorite Outdoor Activity’ and bagged the Coastland Gold 2022 People’s Choice Award. A visit to OBX is incomplete without this tour!
Location
101 Budleigh St
Budleigh Street
We meet on the corner of Budleigh St. and Queen Elizabeth Ave. at The Gourmet Olive Company.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(193 Ratings)
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Lisa_b
Apr 11, 2024
Manteo walking tour - Pocahontas and her story. Chief D was very knowledgeable, interesting and funny. Would highly recommend this tour!!
Review provided by Viator
Swim_pal_ca
Apr 6, 2024
Don’t Miss Tour in Manteo - Chief does a great job storytelling the history of Manteo and the Outerbanks going back to the 1500s thru modern day trivia. He is informative and engaging. We learned so much about this small town and the surrounding area. A must do for locals and tourists alike!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Camper720690
Apr 3, 2024
Entertaining for the whole family! - What a passionate, knowledgeable and entertaining storyteller the Chief is!! He shared so much history of the unique Roanoke Island in such a short time. My 9 and 11 year old kids were not disappointed with the tales of Blackbeard. Other notable moments in history built on what they’ve learned in school and it was fun to see them connect some dots in being in a place with such rich past. Chief D’Ambra communicated early and clearly with us when there was some unpredictable weather around our tour time and we’re happy it worked to go during our short stay in OBX. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laneyr2023
Apr 3, 2024
Best Tour in Manteo - We decided to do the walking tour and we are so glad we did. It was one of the highlights of our trip to outer banks. We stayed right in Manteo, so it was interesting to hear about all the rich history this town has to offer. Our tour guide was amazing, and since he was previously the chief of police, he knows a lot about the town. If I could give this tour more than 5 stars I would. I highly recommend doing this during your stay. It’s worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Voyager644218
Oct 17, 2023
Don't Miss This! - The "Man" is truly the Man when it comes to history. What a Great time we had. This was not (by far) the most money we spent at the OBX but it was most certainly the best. If not a word or a step would be different, I would gladly pay to do this again. If you are going to be in the OBX area and miss this, then that is on you.
THANKS Chief!
kw & aw from TN.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ashleypx3710on
Sep 15, 2023
So much information! - Chief is so knowledgeable and passionate about the history of OBX! We learned so much on the tour and can’t wait to visit the places outside Manteo that he recommended! Such an amazing experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lancejudy
Sep 6, 2023
So much history, truly enjoyable - We really enjoyed our walking tour. Chief was so knowledgeable and a lot of fun too. We had no idea the area is so incredibly historic. Definitely a must do if you're in the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Timothy_g
Aug 27, 2023
Excellent tour - Excellent tour by "The Chief" so much history in Manteo and he made ot so interesting. It was a beautiful night and we are ao glad we did the tour!
Review provided by Viator
Karla_m
Sep 14, 2023
Educational but … - Was very interesting and educational. Learned a lot of interesting history that we would not have picked up on otherwise during our week in the Outer Banks, however, it’s really not that much of a walking tour. We basically spent about 2 1/2 hours standing in one of three locations. It’s mostly after dark so there’s not really a whole lot to see. I did really enjoy hearing all of the different aspects of history pulled together, and the Chief is very entertaining. Be prepared to be on your feet the whole time. It was also quite warm and mosquitoes were an issue.
Review provided by Viator
50ishtraveler
Nov 5, 2023
OK tour - Would recommend, but be prepared to stand in one spot for too long a period of time. It would have been nice to walk and see more of the town (and guessing there's more history about the town). Lots of history was heard, which we enjoyed, but didn't need the long (drawn out a little) personal stories. Not a lot to see as it was dark before getting too far. All in all, a decent tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor