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With the best views around and the quickest access to dolphins, Paradise Dolphin Cruises is committed to offering you one of the most amazing experiences of your life! Climb aboard the Kokomo, our 40-passenger catarmaran and the area’s newest dolphin boat­, with a canopied top, cushioned seats and restroom.

Sunset Dolphin Cruises runs daily and departs from the Wanchese Docks on Roanoke Island. Get ready to see some of the most beautiful wildlife you have ever seen!

Reservations are required so please book ahead of time to be sure space is available.

Book Now!

A family of passengers aboard Paradise Dolphin Cruises

The Kokomo boards in Wanchese on the Outer Banks and cruises the scenic Roanoke Sound in exploration of the magnificent paradise we call home. Our North Carolina shores offer breathtaking beauty that becomes a serene portrait aboard the Kokomo. Our goal for our guests is to search for bottlenose dolphins and local species of birds while taking pleasure in the splendid scenery along the way.  

A family of passengers aboard Paradise Dolphin Cruises

Bottlenose dolphins are well known for their intelligence, friendly disposition, and “smiling” faces. Dolphins have been interacting with humans for centuries and seem to have as much interest in us as we have in them. They often swim near the Kokomo, lifting their heads out of the water to get a glance at all the people onboard. As you embark on our 2 hour journey into the inland waters, we will witness some of the most spectacular scenes ever seen.  

The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse on the east side of Roanoke Island stands watch over the quaint Manteo Waterfront. The Bodie Island Lighthouse is a majestic view from the Kokomo as we cruise south on the Roanoke Sound in search for dolphins.

The Osprey, also known as the fish hawk is always a welcomed sight from the Kokomo. Many say that the Osprey rule the Outer Banks, being a constant presence as they fly over our waters in search for their next meal.  The OBX is home to a wide variety of birds of prey, waterfowl, wading birds, terns and gulls, and shorebirds. The spectacular Outer Banks sunsets make our sunset cruises a fabulous way to end your day and begin your evening.

Dolphin sighting from Paradise Dolphin Cruises

Dolphin sighting from Paradise Dolphin Cruises

See what others are saying about us!

A view of Bodie Island Lighthouse from Paradise Dolphin Cruises

Passengers spot a dolphin from a Paradise Dolphin Cruise

Reservations are required so please book ahead of time to be sure space is available. A credit card is required to hold your reservation. Book Now!

Times:
Sunset Cruise times can vary.
Please call 252.573.0547 for more information.

Monday – Friday – 4 cruises including the Sunset Cruise
10:00am   1:00pm   3:30pm   6:30pm

Saturday – 2 cruises
10:00am   6:30pm

Arrival:
You MUST arrive 30 minutes prior to the cruise time.
If you arrive past the time of your scheduled cruise you could miss out.
If you are running late, please call us so we will know how to handle the reservation.

Questions? Click on the FAQ link!

Wanchese
252-573-0547
Hours
*Off-season hours may vary*
Call 252-573-0547 for current hours.
  • Monday10:00am-6:30pm
  • Tuesday10:00am-6:30pm
  • Wednesday10:00am-6:30pm
  • Thursday10:00am-6:30pm
  • Friday10:00am-6:30pm
  • Saturday10:00am-6:30pm
Categories
Activities
Big Buck's Homemade Ice Cream

Big Buck's Homemade Ice Cream

Serving our customers on the Outer Banks since 1994, Big Buck's ice Cream is dedicated serving you “The Best.” We offer a full line of super-premium ice cream products, smoothies, chocolates, and custom-made ice cream cakes! 2 locations are open all year: Duck  and Manteo, at The Waterfront Shops.

 

We offer a full line of Espresso Drinks from Hot Vanilla Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolate to Iced Caramel Lattes & Frozen Mochas, all made to order. Big Buck’s fresh fruit smoothies are lactose-free and made to order. Also offering lactose-free sorbets made from the best fruits available. Old time favorites are sure to please! Choose from a delicious collection of milkshakes, sundaes and banana splits.

 

Savor the moment with our Homemade Chocolate! Chocolates are made daily in each location. We offer a large selection from Dark to Milk to White. Milk Chocolate Oreos & Almond Toffee, Dark Chocolate Berries and Cherries Clusters & Hand-dipped Peppermint Patties with a Drizzle of White Chocolate, Extra-Dark Sea Salt Caramels & our famous homemade caramel chocolate pretzels oh & don’t forget the ever-popular caramel pecan turtle, just to name a few treats!

 

Belinda Pleva grew up serving ice cream out of her parent’s shop. She loved being part of what she calls “a happy business.” “I love it when people come into the shop and you hand them something, and it makes them smile,” Pleva says. “That moment when you hand an ice cream cone over to a little kid and their eyes just light up. That’s what I love about the ice cream business.”

 

In 1994, Pleva opened up her own ice cream and chocolate shop, Big Buck’s Ice Cream, in the brand-new Timbuk II Shopping Center in Corolla. Business was good, but something was missing.

 

“I was never satisfied with the ingredients in the ice creams and chocolates you could purchase back then. I wanted to serve my customers delicious flavors with ingredients they could actually pronounce,” Pleva says.

 

Pleva took a trip to Italy to study the gelaterias. She fell in love with the incredible flavors, and when she returned home to the Outer Banks, she began working tirelessly to perfect the flavors in her own ice cream.

 

Big Buck’s homemade ice cream combined the flavors of the Italian gelaterias and the richness of American ice cream. It quickly became a tourist favorite. After having the same unsatisfactory experience with the readymade chocolates she was selling, she also took a trip to Brussels to learn more about making handmade chocolates. Pleva brought the chocolate-making experience right back with her, and the result was the finest quality of chocolates on the Outer Banks.

 

After her huge success in the Corolla shop, Pleva was able to open up three more shops—one in Kitty Hawk, one in Manteo and one in Duck.

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