A rainy day on the Outer Banks doesn't have to mean staring at the ceiling of your rental. The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is the classic move — river otters, sharks, sea turtles, and hands-on tanks that easily fill a half-day.
Other good bets: the Wright Brothers National Memorial museum, the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras, indoor mini-golf and arcades along the Beach Road, escape rooms in Kill Devil Hills, and the Roanoke Island Festival Park's indoor exhibits.
Rainy afternoons are also perfect for a lazy lunch at a locally-owned spot — try a soundside restaurant with big windows so you can still watch the weather roll through.