Manteo Historic Walking Tour: Explore Living History
4.9
220 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 learn more
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
300 Queen Elizabeth Ave
Queen Elizabeth Avenue
We meet on the corner of Budleigh St. and Queen Elizabeth Ave.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(220 Ratings)
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Laura_o
Aug 13, 2024
So fun 😁 - It was a great tour with many great local lure stories, just the experience you want to connect you to the region.
Review provided by Viator
L8082vwkimb
Aug 2, 2024
Fun Historical Tour - This is a very informative tour. It was filled with interesting facts and history spanning over more than 400 years. Many “firsts” occurred in Manteo and these were imparted in a very fun and interesting way along with the other historical information. Would definitely recommend this tour to anyone wanting to know more about the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dorothy
Jul 25, 2024
A historic walking tour rather than a ghost tour - Our guide knew the area and history well. he was an expert on Andy Griffith, who had a house there, and fashioned the TV show Mayberry after the town of Manteo.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
631jimh
Jul 22, 2024
History made on Roanoke Island - A great 2 hours, more than worth the price. This will expand your knowledge of a surprising amount of US history. Told in a humorous way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kurtsu9446hg
Jul 12, 2024
Learning about Manteo, Roanoke Island, and the Wright Brothers - Enjoyed the Historic Walking Tour - the Chief was incredibly knowledgeable, and told our group stories that must have required a massive amount of research - loved the explanations of the Wright brothers, the Underground Railroad, and the Lost Colony - highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Journey62145775138
Jul 4, 2024
Amazing tour! - The tour was awesome! The Chief was so enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and entertaining. We’ve been coming to the Outer Banks for many years and I thought I knew a lot of the local history, but I was amazed by this informative tour! I highly recommend it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Latonya
Jun 26, 2024
Tour set the tone for our trip!! - What a great experience. I was so impressed with our guide Cheif D. He’s the former police Cheif of the town and extremely knowledge about the area. He communicated with us early in the day before the tour due to potential rain but we were able to go on this great tour after all. He was very personable and full of laughs. So glad we were able to book a tour with him. I HIGHLY recommend doing this tour before anything as this will set the tone for our trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passport17332504546
Jun 21, 2024
June 2024 Family Vacation to OBX - Chief, name of our tour guide, was super knowledgeable about the history of the local area. He was personable which made the experience even grander. I could tell he really took pride in his knowledge of the local area. He tied in history to current topics which synced very well. Being a native to the area, he was able to speak from experience. He tied in personal stories about the Andy Griffith origins which my family LOVED. Overall, my family had an awesome time and it was all the talk on the way back. I highly recommend this historical tour. Thank you, Chief. Date of visit: 21June2024
Review provided by Tripadvisor
S8877toamandab
Jun 20, 2024
Prioritize this one on your trip! - If you are going to Manteo you need to take this tour! So much fun and a lot of fascinating history. We learned so many things on this tour and heard some really interesting personal stories from the Chief about the people he's met and events that have taken place here. It's very family-friendly and is a slow-paced walk. We really enjoyed strolling around downtown Manteo on a beautiful night hearing all about its history and the Outer Banks. The Chief is a wonderful storyteller and very entertaining, definitely passionate about history and the area. He's very friendly and you will have a wonderful time and laugh a lot too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kelvinb711
Jun 18, 2024
Very pleased with the tour! - We had a very knowledgeable tour guide. Former chief of police of Manteo. Had very detailed information on a lot of things that had happened there first. Good stories to share. The weather was perfect. Thank you Chief!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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