Cape Hatteras National Seashore - , North Carolina

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, located in North Carolina, United States, is a nature preserve that offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities. With its pristine shorelines, towering dunes, and abundant wildlife, this seashore is a sanctuary for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and families seeking a memorable vacation.

Location: The seashore stretches across 70 miles of coastline, from the northern tip of the Outer Banks in North Carolina to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It includes three developed areas: Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Buxton.

Contact Information:
Phone: 252-473-2111
Website: nps.gov

Specialties

The primary specialty of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is its preservation and protection of the natural environment. Here, visitors can enjoy:

• Pristine beaches and dunes
• Wildlife viewing, including various bird species and sea turtles
• Hiking, both on the beach and through nature trails
• Historic sites, such as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

On-Site Services and Facilities

The seashore provides a range of on-site services and facilities to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable visit. These include:

• Picnic tables and areas
• Wheelchair-accessible car park and entrance
• Public toilets
• Credit and debit card payment options
• Kid-friendly hikes and activities
• Dogs allowed on leash in designated areas

visitor Opinions and Experiences

With an average opinion of 4.8/5 from 408 reviews on Google My Business, visitors have praised the seashore for its natural beauty and diverse range of activities. Some highlights from visitor experiences include:

• The opportunity to explore lighthouses, beaches, dunes, and water activities
• The pristine feel of the water and shores
• The possibility of driving trucks or SUVs on the beach with a proper ORV permit
• The breathtaking views of the waves, shore, and dune hiking

Visitors have also appreciated the seashore's management and maintenance, with one reviewer commenting, "What an absolutely gem. Throw your truck or suv in 4 wheel drive and hit the beach Don't forget your ORV permit tho"

Another visitor highlighted the seashore's appeal for families: "Beautiful So much to see. The waves and shore and dune hiking was amazing."

In summary, Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor activities, making it an ideal destination for nature lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, and families seeking a memorable vacation.

👍 Reviews of Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Alex M.

5/5

Awesome seashore with so much to do from Lighthouses to beaches to dunes and water activities. The water and shores have a more pristine feel to them.

Mark P.

5/5

What an absolutely gem. Throw your truck or suv in 4 wheel drive and hit the beach! Don't forget your ORV permit tho!

Kimber B.

5/5

Beautiful! So much to see. The waves and shore and dune hiking was amazing.

rodney M.

5/5

A coastal storm, came together with an astronomical (full moon ) tide and caused a wash over. 3:30 AM I woke to the sounds of thundering breakers sixty feet in front of our beach front efficiency unit along with the beep, beep, beep of the excavator plowing away tons of sand to prevent the tidal surge from running down rt 12 and flooding the town. At nine AM, I called the motel office. I said, "Good morning. Well, the cable TV is out, There's no water, the stairs got washed off, there's pipes and planks all over the sand, four feet of which is covering the parking lot and the building's been swaying in the strong winds and it's been shuddering as the waves crash into the pilings." They told me the building is designed to do that and that this is Cape Hatteras. This happens all the time. So, if you want to make your vacation a little more adventurous, stay in a beach front unit in Buxton on Cape Hatteras in North Carolina in November. Fishing and birdwatching opportunities abound. But fishing is grudgingly giving way to surfing, sail boarding kite boarding and para surfing as a new wave of sport enthusiasts come here to harness the energy of the wind and waves. There's raw beauty here and real weather as the Labrador and Gulf Stream currents converge on the easternmost point of Cape Hatteras. Everyone has high clearance 4wd vehicles. Here, those big pickup trucks are more than just phallic symbols. They allow you to drive the beaches, even when those beaches cover the roads.

Joshua S.

5/5

Excellent natural beach. Driving on the beach requires an ORV Permit and there are rules to it, follow them and you'll have a blast!

Renee

4/5

Unfortunately the lighthouse was under the construction. It was covered with scaffolding, but the park ranger gave an excellent presentation on sea turtles and blew off. Some of the area visited the the gift shop and visitor center chatted with some of the park ranges. Did not tour much of it and maybe we'll be able to next time we visit, but we enjoyed what we did do. Also the mosquitoes enjoyed me LOL

pumpkin S.

4/5

Beautiful! The water wasn’t extremely clear but it was a marvelous beach nonetheless! 🌊☀️ there weren’t a lot of people around either!

Adriana V.

5/5

Wow a day! Bought our Annual Beach Permit, and today's weather was amazing. One of our favorite beaches and always clean! Everyone was respectful. It was so clean!

Alex M.

5/5

Awesome seashore with so much to do from Lighthouses to beaches to dunes and water activities. The water and shores have a more pristine feel to them.

Mark P.

5/5

What an absolutely gem. Throw your truck or suv in 4 wheel drive and hit the beach! Don't forget your ORV permit tho!

Kimber B.

5/5

Beautiful! So much to see. The waves and shore and dune hiking was amazing.

rodney M.

5/5

A coastal storm, came together with an astronomical (full moon ) tide and caused a wash over. 3:30 AM I woke to the sounds of thundering breakers sixty feet in front of our beach front efficiency unit along with the beep, beep, beep of the excavator plowing away tons of sand to prevent the tidal surge from running down rt 12 and flooding the town. At nine AM, I called the motel office. I said, "Good morning. Well, the cable TV is out, There's no water, the stairs got washed off, there's pipes and planks all over the sand, four feet of which is covering the parking lot and the building's been swaying in the strong winds and it's been shuddering as the waves crash into the pilings." They told me the building is designed to do that and that this is Cape Hatteras. This happens all the time. So, if you want to make your vacation a little more adventurous, stay in a beach front unit in Buxton on Cape Hatteras in North Carolina in November. Fishing and birdwatching opportunities abound. But fishing is grudgingly giving way to surfing, sail boarding kite boarding and para surfing as a new wave of sport enthusiasts come here to harness the energy of the wind and waves. There's raw beauty here and real weather as the Labrador and Gulf Stream currents converge on the easternmost point of Cape Hatteras. Everyone has high clearance 4wd vehicles. Here, those big pickup trucks are more than just phallic symbols. They allow you to drive the beaches, even when those beaches cover the roads.

Joshua S.

5/5

Excellent natural beach. Driving on the beach requires an ORV Permit and there are rules to it, follow them and you'll have a blast!