Nags Head named among top travel destinations for 2015

Nags Head is ranked No. 2 on a domestic destinations list that includes Wildwood, N.J., Telluride, Colo., Prescott, Ariz., and Pompano Beach, Fla. The top international destinations are Vietnam, Cambodia, Cyprus, Thailand and Turkey.

Nags Head was highlighted for its 11 miles of shoreline, 12 hotels, 72 restaurants and 47 attractions. And of course, Dare County is where the Wright brothers tested the first flight.

“That brought us a lot of national attention for a long period of time,” County Commissioner Warren Judge said.

He’s not surprised by the TripAdvisor accolade. He said the Outer Banks hasn’t succumbed to the “commercial carnival type of atmosphere” that plagues so many beach towns across the country.

Tourist Chris Shumway, who visited with his wife and four children, also gives Nags Head a thumbs up.

“You can see the water – it’s very gorgeous, very beautiful. A lot of fun, excitement and things to do,” he said.

The winners were determined using an algorithm that measured the yearly increase in positive reviews on TripAdvisor.

“The TripAdvisor community has helped surface some unheralded destinations across the globe that are receiving rave reviews from travelers worldwide,” Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, said in a statement.