Reviews of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (Tourist Attraction)

will s

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a fun family outing if your at the outer Banks. Fun Fact the light shed from the lighthouse is visible every 7 seconds! If you have little ones which can't walk and need to be carried then you cannot walk to the top. That being said you do not need to visit the top to enjoy. The ranger station has a lot of fun info on it's origins and more on when they moved locations. Very close off the main road, easy to find.

Tracey Krska

Fun to climb and the view is incredible all the way around. Worth the rubber legs to the top. The story and history super interesting especially since they had to move it!

Erik Gavin

Love the Hatteras area! If you are in the OBX are, try and visit the area! If possible, visit Ocracoke too!

Sylvester Prusik

Pretty good climb up but manageable with rest stops at each landing. Awesome views from the top.

Kristy Mccamish

This was the first lighthouse I really got to see up close. I was amazed. We climbed all the way up to the top to see the amazing views. We didn't get to walk out around the top because their was too much wind the day we visited. But we did get to look out the door and snap a few pictures. We went to the museum as well and bought a few souvenirs at the gift shop. We had a great day here.

William Butts

Great, too hot to climb to top. Closes I been, walked right up to it. Would have climbed to top had'nt been so hot & crowned.

Malcolm MX Taylor

What a great place to see on the outer banks!!! Very tall lighthouse with great views of the outer and inner coastlines. Will deffo come back again

Jimmy Carroll

We loved the light house so much we got married there!

George Randy Bass

Beautiful, well maintained grounds and facilities. Staff was exceptional!

William Jantsch

This is an iconic historical monument in the national tradition, and should not be missed if you are out in the far reaches of the Outer Banks. For a mere $8, you can be afforded the privilege of climbing up over 200 steps to the top of the 1870's tower that provides magnificent views of Hatteras. The climb only takes a few minutes, unless you need CPR along the way. The gift shop/museum is really nothing special.

Miranda Oliver

We loved and enjoyed visiting the lighthouse....so beautiful there!! If you go to Cape Hatteras Area,you gotta visit the lighthouse even if you don't wanna go inside,you still gotta see the lighthouse and visit the museum....you'll be glad you did!❤

Michele Prevette

Wonderful lighthouse. We climbed to the top. Great views. The staff were all really friendly too.

Kathy Stacy

It wasn't a hard climb as u may think and the staff was awesome... Great viewing if you can get on the landing but the day I was there they has to stop viewing because of 45 miles per hr winds,But I still got some good shots from the door..

Melissa Jacobs

The guide at the bottom of the lighthouse was very informative. After a LONG walk up 200+ stairs we wete rewarded with great views.

Stephanie Mancinelli

We got to visit the tallest light house in the US one week after Hurricane Dorian. It was incredibly beautiful! Definitely spend time visiting the lighthouse museum and take time to watch the movie showing how the lighthouse was moved from its original location due to the encroaching seawater. It is fascinating! Also be sure to look at the maps of the shipwrecks that have happened through the years off the Outer Banks. There are sooo many! There is also the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Beach, which is beautiful and allows you to see the lighthouse and ocean at the same time while getting sun and splashing in the ocean.

sumit sharma

great place to spend 2 hours, beautiful pics... you can walk to the beach... but note that it all closes at 5, so arrive before that. not great for kids under the age of 7.. to go inside the lighthouse.. enjoy, this is one of the best !!

Hope Bailey

Very welcoming and informative rangers. The view is amazing and totally worth the climb!

Tim Rich

Very fun lighthouse to visit. The climb to the top can be a chore so I would suggest to do it shortly after it opens. It can get very hot in the interior during the afternoon. The view from the deck is very pretty and well worth the climb. The historic house for the keeper have been converted into a museum that is small, but interesting.

Lauren Brutosky

Very cool experience climbing to the top of the tallest lighthouse of North and or South America today! Beautiful views from the top! Highly recommend it if you're visiting the OBX

jmiller1776

Very cool sight to see, worth visiting if in the outer banks!

Evelyn Howard

Had a great afternoon visiting this area of the Outer Banks. Information about the Histoty of the Lighthouse amazing

John Barrera

Amazing place! The lighthouse is simply amazing! The staff is friendly and very helpful. The facilities are clean and we'll kept.

Max O'Grady

Incredible views from a beautiful lighthouse. There are quite a few stairs up to the top so do be conscious of that, but it wasn’t too bad. Worth the climb

Jessica Faul

The walk up to the top by myself was exhilarating and totally worth the burn in my legs. I had heard stories of my family climbing the lighthouse when they went to the banks for vacation, but the first hand experience was just as good as the stories

Cher Coatney

Very nice facility, beautiful grounds. The lighthouse is impressive. Worth the drive. And there is a water fountain for the dog!

David Berry

Beautiful, Only wish we could have made it before they closed. Will be back to do the full tour of the lighthouse and buildings.

Jesyka Rabit

A beautiful piece of history that I’m glad they’ve preserved.

Dirk Roelofs

A must see. If you're in good shape walk to the top. Fantastic view. Very knowledgeable rangers.

Bill Flere

Incredible view from the observation deck up on this 165 foot engineering marvel. Fascinating to see how this structure was moved in 1999.

Johnathan Vaughan

Beautiful landmark full of rich history! Loved seeing where it was originally built and then moved to!

madhu y n

They say its the second tallest in the world! And they moved it from sea shore to little bit inside the land. That engineering itself is marvelous. You will see a beautiful panorama from the top of the lighthouse.

Dan Frazier

My family has visited this lighthouse multiple times. It always makes for a fun day and gives us a little exercise. The museum on site is interesting. It's worth watching the video on how the Lighthouse was moved. What an amazing endeavor!

John Couture

Yes, I am 61 years old and made it the entire flight of stairs without a problem. Windows let in a nice breeze and the view just gets better the higher you go. Rangers are so nice with info and answers. Great story of lighthouse history in general and this one in particular. Fun!

Jonathan Hanichak

Extremely gorgeous. The inside of the buildings do close at a specific time. But the grounds are open all the time to the General Public including free public restrooms up beside the building. Come out and enjoy a beautiful sunrise, sunset! Or what I did which was stay for the Stars! Sometimes it feels just a little bit crowded.

M L

Great historical structure with tremendous local pride. Main ticket center offers off road permits for seashore driving. So much history and many park rangers to teach you about it. Not for small kids (to climb lighthouse), but they will probably sense the significance once you're on site. Museum and park grounds are very well-kept, as is the main structure.

stephanie midanek

Its definitely break taking once you reach the top of the light house. Its 257 steps to the top, so it's like climbing a 12 story building. It's one of the tallest light houses in north and south America. The tallest one is in Poland. Children under 42 inches can not climb so come prepared with help to watch little ones. Leave everything in the car except a cell phone to take pics and a water bottle!. Otherwise it was a great memory for me and my son.

Leilani Palmer

Very nice & well maintained. Park Rangers were available inside and out. It gets very humid in there so make sure to be hydrated. Wonderful view!

Shawn Mitchell

Make sure you climb to the top, as the view is amazing. And the museum is very cool, as there's a lot of more history to the area than you would expect. The parts about the Civil War and U-boats operating off the coast during WW1 and WW2 were particularly interesting to me.

Pamela Lehman

Cool place to visit..can climb for small fee, as long as it's not inclement weather, for safety reasons

Hendrik Burger

Rangers where extremely helpful and kind! learned so much about the history of the lighthouse by asking the stationed rangers, and even saw some fossils embedded in the historical lighthouse! Must see of the outer banks!

David Decker

Gotta climb it! Outstanding views of the cape, Buxton and Hatteras from the top. The Ranger at the top was more than willing to answer questions as he got routine read outs of wind speed. The climb to the top features lots of landings for you to catch your breath. Museum is a must see for all it's civil engineering and historical info and artifacts.

Traci Brown

Loved visiting this and learning the history. The staff was very friendly. A must see place when on the island.

Patsy Kravitz

Fabulous! Peaceful comfortable and the park rangers allow you to climb the stairs at your own pace. who knew that this was the tallest lighthouse in all of North and South America? Go and cross it off your bucket list! The admission prices are very reasonable.

tamara moiseyeva

Beautiful and had a great history museum. Bummer couldn't climb with our toddler. Safety first

MARI Lopez

Beautiful anytime of the day !!! Just make sure you are in shape to take all the steps up and small children are definitely not allowed to go up but it makes a great background for family pictures

chris schmied

Really good place to visit. It's well taken care of, and it's the tallest all brick lighthouse in America. The crew quarters have been restored and turned into a museum. The lighthouse is in great shape. During season, you can walk to the 240+ steps that's equivalent to walking up a 12 story building.

Jamie Woods

My sister had her wedding here. The lighthouse and grounds are gorgeous! There is also a lot of history. We were able to learn about some of our nation's history that we never knew. All of the Park Rangers were very friendly and helpful.

Luis Braz-Ruivo

This is a must see. Fantastic structure and fantastic feat of engineering when they moved the lighthouse from its original location to the current one. The move was due to the fact that these barrier islands are always changing in size and shape depending on the storms/weather.

Chris Taylor

A beautiful light house with an interesting museum. The museum had a number of interesting exhibits about the history of the light house and the surrounding area. There was information on the Civil War and World War Two. There was an exhibit about the moving of the lighthouse as well. Going up the lighthouse should be done on a cool day.

John DiClementi

Just majestic too see in person. I loved seeing this wonderful lighthouse, such a national treasure. Park was very clean and parking was readily available. Also be sure to visit the original lighthouse location to see just how amazing the move was

Muriel Longstaff Siddoway

This lighthouse was super cool! At first driving up to the monument I was nervous it would be boring but it wasn’t at all! There are breaks as you climb to the top, and the view is amazing. I learned a lot about why this area is called “The graveyard of the Atlantic” considering the history and the moving sandbars under the water. It’s astounding too that they moved the entire lighthouse in 1999 because of the encroaching shore. Super cool piece of history right here!

Melvin Armstrong

One of the true iconic structures on the NC coast. She is a marvel to behold. The history of the lighthouse is great in itself but the new history with the move from the original site is a true engineering achievement and something that adds awe to the lighthouse. My kids (4yr & 5yr old) climbed the lighthouse with ease. (They loved it!) There are plenty of landings for breaks during the climb so even if you are not in the best of shape, it’s very doable. It can get hot in there so save the climb for windy days if you are sensitive to heat. For years climbing the lighthouse was closed so I encourage you to make the climb while it’s available.

Joe Cephus

This is my favorite lighthouse of all. Tallest brick lighthouse in US and you can climb it at a reasonable charge. You can see many miles from the top on a clear day.

MrsJK K

Very neat place to visit!! Would like to heard more of the history before went in. Very nice staff. Made it to the top! Great view, I highly recommend it!!

net poser

One of the most iconic US lighthouses. And go see it at night and marvel at the night sky. In the summer you can see the Milky Way in the night sky.

Hannah Spiesman

Went to the Full Moon Guided Climb. It was awesome. Beautiful views at the top. Got to work off the ice cream I ate just prior to climbing which was a plus. I would recommend both bringing a water bottle and READING THE POLICIES regarding the lighthouse. There is a strict height requirement that the rangers adhere to among other things.

Trey Ethridge

I rode my bike to the lighthouse as a day trip. The park is really nice and well staffed. I recommend calling to confirm that you can tour the lighthouse if that is important to you. The lighthouse isn't always open in the off-season. Today the lighthouse keepers house was open, but I couldn't tour the lighthouse. You can always walk around the grounds.

Aimee Lim

The staff are friendly. The climb is a bit workout but when youre on the top, the view is awesome. The place is well maintained. Nice little walk around. Place not to be miss while in Outerbanks.

Zachary Briggs

Plan to come back again one day we had a good visit and the staff is exceptional

Jonathan Wilson

Well worth the visit, there are some cool things to check out in the little gift shop.

Brandon Shiflett

Great place to visit while on vacation, plus if you are brave enough climb the lighthouse to see great views of the coastline and your quads will thank you later for it! Great museum on the property that gives not only the history of the lighthouse but the great project it was to move the lighthouse just a 1/2 mile from the old sight. Then while you are there check out where the old site was very cool and informative information there on how our coastline is ever changing.

Kimberly Yull

Beautiful and worth the stop. Really...that whole end of the OBX is stunningly beautiful!

Scott Kozloff

Even in the rain, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a fantastic place to take children and the entire family. It is an historical lighthouse, first in the nation, all of the Rangers at the station are very well-versed on the history and would be happy to share. I would recommend if you are in the area to make sure you stop by and see the small Museum as well as the lighthouse itself.

Damien K

The climb is worth the view at the top. Make sure you can make the climb before getting the ticket. You can go into the base of the light house without a ticket.

Soumya Ghosh

A must visit ! Well maintained, the climb is fun, friendly & knowledgeable park rangers

Jitka Kacerova

Three rangers keeping an eye on you while you explore the lighthouse, safety first! They were all very friendly and informative. The views are stunning!!! Fantastic piece of history.

j hud

I have made this a yearly experience since I was able to climb it decades ago. I've witnessed the old site/climb, the moving of the lighthouse itself, and have climbed it in its sitting location. For each year the island is open for travelers, the experience renews each time for me and it will for you as well.

Dan Sharar

Second visit as inspiring as the first. View and breezes at the top are fantastic. Note that climbers must be at least 42 inches tall - no exceptions. Cooler days are ideal to climb the almost 200 feet to the top. Suggest taking bottled water on hotter days. Rangers were friendly and informative.

Mike Orndoff

A great time was had by everyone in our group. 257 steps to the top of the lighthouse. I recommend getting to the park early as it gets hot as you climb the lighthouse. Take lots of pictures as it will be a memory and experience that you will not forget.

Steve Witek

Great place to go for views, family time and some history. Staff is knowledgeable and courteous. Climb is not bad if you are in decent shape. Make sure you visit other museums on site. Does cost money to go up and they have groups spaced out every 15 min. Water only allowed up top.

frank novick

Great place full of history nice beach near by. The staff is very friendly and full of information you can also climb to the top for a small fee

Megan Kitzmiller

This is a stunning structure, inside and out that provides beautiful views and great exercise! I enjoyed visiting the grounds, the museum, and the gift shop. A nice stop that can be as quick or as long as you want.

Hal Chaffins

This is just a beautiful lighthouse. The whole Cape Hatteras area is beautiful. I highly recommend a visit.

Michael Elledge

Finally got to climb to the top. Beautiful view. The rangers were very informative.

Kelsey Hines

Beautiful landmark with lots of history. The guides were very friendly and informative

Justin McHone

Beautiful views from the top well worth the climb and has a great museum and gift shop!

Review Account

Nice lighthouse with nice views from the top, however, they could and should be charging $1-2/adult! Or $5/family. Not $8/adult and $4/child. We also weren't allowed to carry our baby (on our back in a carrier) up to the top, so we had to go up separately so one of us could stay down and watch the baby. We don't think the overall experience was worth $16. You don't even see the actual light in the top, you just catch a small glimpse of it overhead from an open slot. But... We can recommend the free beach nearby! You can see the lighthouse from it. And we saw 4 dolphins jumping and swimming, pretty close to shore, around 3pm! :)

Blaine Eicher

Cool to see it! Definitely check out the museum... lots of info on how they moved the lighthouse.

Daniel Lee

A nice place to get an up close look at a real lighthouse. You can purchase a ticket for a few dollars and climb it if your up to the challenge.

Melissa Bunch

Really enjoyed and had fun looking at the lighthouse and going in the museum. Very interesting knowing about the history there

Ron Abell

Beautiful piece of history that is a must see. We climbed to the top in very hot temperatures. There are places to rest as you climb.

Dan Deatrich

Was closed due to lightning. It costs $8 if you want to climb up to the top. Nothing to do if the lighthouse is temporary closed.

C Sherman

One of America's most historic lighthouses and the tallest free standing one in North America. The museum has a nice description, with pictures, of how the lighthouse was moved to its new location. The museum has some displays regarding maritime history in the area, some maritime artifacts regarding the lighthouse, and general item of interest. There is also your classic small National Park gift shop. Restrooms were well maintained. The water fountain had the capability to fill water bottles which was nice. You can climb the lighthouse. It is over 260 steps which is the equivalent of climbing 12-14 stories. In summer 2019, the cost for a ticket to make the climb was $8 dollars per person, $4 for seniors and children. There was a minimum height requirement of 42" to climb the lighthouse. There was a couple of bike racks for cyclists.

Mark Farrer

Another great NC lighthouse. This is the tallest brick lighthouse in all of North and South America. Over 1 million bricks.

Mike H

Spectacular view from the lighthouse. The NPS did a great job preserving the nostalgia of the site. Highly recommended.

David Salzman

Very majestic very peaceful wonderful place to visit. The climb is definitely a must!

Jeff Barnaby

Beautiful, historic, on some really cool geography, extremely photogenic. What mire could any traveler want? If you've not seen it, see it.

Pamela Barnes

Just watch the hurricane forecast! Full moon tour was awesome.

Pattie Parker

I call this lighthoouse the queen. She is the tallest in the U.S. My great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper in 1887, Christopher Columbus Miller. My family lived here and I made my first trip to Buxton in July of 1953. I'm 66 now. Do the math. I usually visit Buxton 20 weeks a year. It is absolutely my happiest place in this whole wide world!!!!!

Earnest Maloyed

Love this lighthouse! Absolutely stunning to see in person.

Rican Redneck

Awesome views from top. The climb was not too bad since it was a beautiful cloudy day. Took my two kids that were 5 and 6 and were both fine with the climb up. A must see if in the area.

Adam Phelps

What a great time walking around the park and climbing the lighthouse. The old lighthouse keepers house has been transformed into a museum and a history center that offers a ton of background information on the area and the life of a lighthouse keeper. The hike to the top of the lighthouse is very doable for most individuals and the 360 view is worth the trip to the top. My family and I really enjoyed our time together at the lighthouse.

Lovie Harden

As a guest, it was truly awesome! I enjoyed the staff, especially how encouraging and friendly they were. Shoutout to Ranger Dave for being approachable and informative! Getting to trek up the lighthouse gave me a new appreciation for the history of the structure and those that labored there.

Carroll Harris

The wind was too high for us to go out on the deck at the top. However, it was an amazing place to visit. The rangers are all knowledgeable and helpful. It was a hard hike up the 257 steps but worth it. Just be ready to climb!

Ryan Jimenez

Clean bathrooms, nice museum and gift shop. The walk up was worth the $8 for the experience and the view. no real place to sit and eat (we had brought a lunch and ate at the tailgate)

Desi Ferich

We took the drive from Duck to Cape Hatteras. The road trip was half the fun because the scenery was beautiful and there are plenty of places to stop along the way. Lighthouse was beautiful. Bathrooms were clean and they even had a fountain for our dog to drink out of. We hit the ww2 graveyard on our way out. Beautiful day, clean grounds.

aCeidra

Great little National Park spot, the lighthouse climb is totally worth it! The view is wonderful and the breeze is glorious no matter how hot the climb!

Dennis Thurman

Very interesting place. Second tallest in the world if i heard correctly.

David Zeller

Very interesting. Nice thing to do when you are here

Ignasi Tobella

The most beautiful lighthouse I’ve ever seen.

Wilbur Yuen

Cool landmark to bring kids. 200+ steps to climb to the top and get the energy out. Your children will be worn out on the car ride home. Museum is free as well. My legs are tired but we'll worth the views of the sound and ocean. Also there's a junior ranger program to send kids off on their own side quest.

Srihari Radhakrishnan

Beautiful view of the Atlantic from up here. Lovely brick lighthouse of historical significance. Ask the rangers for a brief history of the lighthouse!

Alyssa Saldivar

Rangers were very friendly, especially Rodney at the ticket stand. Make sure to take your time so you truly enjoy getting to the top. Stay for a program which are given throughout the day.

Richy Stokely

Very nice laid back place to spend a couple days on your way out there is a pond on the right side stop check out the turtles especially in May and june

Michelle Ross

I have an avid fear of heights. I was able to climb these with ease, except my knees are now killing me hahaha. Great views, knowledgeable rangers. The breeze at the top was perfect.

Joshua Walton

A neat place to visit full of interesting history and great guides. We stopped here on our way to a brutish cemetery and ended up staying here for over an hour. The lighthouse took a while to climb up but the view was amazing and I would recommend it to anyone in the area especially if history interests you.

Ray Prill

No other place like it. Great views from the top. Excellent history. Don't miss the story (and film) of the 1999 move. Then go to the top and gaze at where it moved from.

Gaurika Wijeratne

Very nice place. Nice views from different sides. You can go up , ticket is $8 , if they hear a thunder they close it for 30 minutes.

Nikhil Sanil

Beautiful lighthouse. I didn't know it was the second tallest one in the world. The tallest is in Poland. The lighthouse was moved and they have a museum with information on how it was done which was cool.

Brandi Scott

Climb every year we come down to obx am always a beautiful view

cara silvasman

We visited in January. Off season and in my opinion, the best time to go to photograph. It's like we had the whole outer Banks to ourselves. Beautiful place. We will be back.

Andrew Henshaw

Amazing place. Must see for everyone. Great history as well. I go every year

Charlotte Clive

Beautiful park, well maintained, helpful, insightful, and dedicated rangers made the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse a wonderful place to visit.

Jenna Spangler

Beautiful grounds. Interesting museum. Helpful and friendly park rangers who were truly interested in their area and knowledgeable. This was a great opportunity to learn about lighthouses and the area's history. Love this place.

Jeremy Whited

This is something that should definitely be at the top of your list to do while in the Outer Banks. If able, make sure to make the climb to the top. The view is definitely worth it!

David Pilz

Nice day to visit. Beach is nearby and nice. Lighthouse has nice places for pictures. Parking is amble and close by Very nice and clean restrooms. Somewhat pricey to walk up in a lighthouse. Wheelchair friendly around lighthouse but not in lighthouse.

Gwen Goedeke

Larger than life amazing lighthouse to see. Came during off season so it wasn’t crowded or hot. Keepers house was informative and a great little gift shop for items you won’t find out in town. Would recommend this as your must see stop of lighthouse tours!

Ashley Graham

Worth the drive, but climbing one lighthouse in your life seems to be enough.

John Rosenkrans

Was there for the 20th anniversary of the move, complete with a free climb. Helpful and knowledgeable rangers everywhere. Well worth the trip.

JD Schroeder

Very cool. Not very expensive and definitely worth it to do the climb. Lot of outer banks naval history to learn about. The history of them moving the lighthouse is very interesting

Pia Boje

Always awesome to visit this lighthouse, it is one of my favorites. We went after hours so we didn't get to climb up on top but I did this a few years ago and can only recommend it. The surroundings are very clean, there are bathrooms by the visitor center, you can fill up your water bottles as well. Good parking possibilities. Definitely a great stop to take pictures and enjoy being by the ocean. A must for all lighthouse lovers.

sarah noll

Beautiful but be prepared to walk. The sign said it is equivalent to 12 stories (there are landings at every turn). It is well preserved and the Park Rangers were knowledgeable and friendly.

Rafael Avila

Great place to do some sightseeing! Good exercise ascending all those stairs.

julio nieves

We loved it. But be ready for the steps. Over 230 steps. But a beautiful view on top. Kids loved it so much. Also bring a bottle of water when going up those stairs.

Carrie Williams

MAKE SURE YOU STRETCH BEFORE YOU CLIMB TO THE TOP! Legs are killing me 2 days later. I would also recommend bringing water. A bit pricey just to climb but was overall beautiful views. Inside really shows the age of the lighthouse and the beauty of architecture and hard work.

Jen T

It's hot, it's narrow but the view at the top is amazing and the rangers are fantastic!

Ruby Crumpler

Always a great place to go. Today my 5 yr. old g.. granddaughter walked all the steps to the top. Proud of her.

Lisa Maxwell

It was a great experience. I love lighthouses. The staff were really nice.