Visit the site of America's first English colony

A full 23 years before Jamestown, an English settlement on the Outer Banks made history in its existence and disappearance. Sir Walter Raleigh led the expedition that created the first English colony in America, saw the birth of the first English child in America, and resulted in a 400-year-old mystery still pursued by scholars. Visitors can tour the earthworks from the original colonies at Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, take part in the daily activities of a settler at Roanoke Island Festival Park, and witness the mysterious story played out in the nation’s longest-running outdoor drama, The Lost Colony, which celebrated its 80th season in 2017. At the Festival Park, visitors also can board and explore Elizabeth II, a representation of one of seven English ships from the Roanoke Voyage of 1585.