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Cape Hatteras National Seashore, photo 1 of 3

Photo: Milo Woodbridge Williams / Public domain · source

Beaches

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Buxton, NC · Outer BanksFreeFree to enter; Bodie Island Lighthouse climb $10 for adults

About

More than 70 miles of the Outer Banks are national seashore, from Nags Head south to Ocracoke, on three barrier islands with a lighthouse on each. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton is the tallest brick lighthouse in the country, but the one open to climb is Bodie Island's, just over 200 steps, from late April to early November. Tickets for it are sold only on Recreation.gov, at 7 a.m. for that day's climbs. Rip currents are common, so swim where lifeguards work from Memorial Day to Labor Day: Coquina, Rodanthe, Old Lighthouse, Frisco or Ocracoke. Ocracoke is ferry-only, about 70 minutes from Hatteras Village with no reservation needed, and you can watch its pony herd from two decks at the Pony Pen.

Highlights

Cape Hatteras, the tallest brick lighthouseClimb the Bodie Island Lighthouse in seasonSwim and surf the open Atlantic beachesSurf fishing and pier fishingWindsurfing and kiteboardingShelling on the ocean beachesOcracoke ponies at the Pony Pen

Getting there

46379 Lighthouse Road, Buxton, NC 27920

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