Reviews of Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Tourist Attraction)

Matthew Nyce

This beach is great! If you get a permit you can drive in and set up for the day, and fish and swim. I'd you go in the morning there are shells all over the beach and the sand is firm for walking on. Just make sure you follow the rules regarding sea turtle nesting sites. They're pretty clearly marked with tape and signs. Can recommend for sure!

Kyle Koontz

Amazing town full of wonderful people. And there's no shortage of things to do. If you love the beach no matter if its laying g in the sand, fishing, or just relaxing this place is the place for you. Breath taking sun rise as well, seeing those deep shades of orange and pink come over the ocean, beautiful.

Ben Havlicek

Beautiful just as I remembered. This is my first time seeing it at the new site. I came here as a boy with my father in the early 90s and I am privilaged to do the same with my kids. Take the walk up to the top for sure! Open 9am-5pm and must be 48" tall and able to do it without assistance. It's a haul but worth the effort! Priceless views!

Ian Moone

Great beach for people who Love the ocean and not all the fake B.S. that Myrtle and Va Beach has. Very laid back.

Malcolm MX Taylor

Fun place with great beaches (even after hurricane Dorian had passed just a week before)

Steve Emmett

Absolutely beautiful place, I love going there just to get away from all the craziness in Myrtle Beach.

Joseph Pienta

Favorite place on Earth. Won't go anywhere else on vacation. Beaches are always clean. Everyone cleans up after themselves. Very family friendly.

Tom G

Great place! Just a few people and plenty of space

Connie Hough

If you're into beach riding (permit required) it's great fun. The campgrounds are nice, and not very far from the beach.

Obrad Milutinovich

Our happy place! Have been coming here for 37 years! Most beautiful place and the locals are amazing! This year is my 32nd year bringing my own family! Still tent camping and loving it!

Michele Prevette

Beach area access that you can enter after you've parked in the small parking lot or you can drive on the beach with a permit. I recommend driving on the beach if you have a 4wd. There are no public bathrooms. Nothing fancy. Just beautiful, quiet beaches.

Bob Taylor

Normally park rangers are excited to be there, we met several that were grumpy and having a bad day. The park is interesting, long beaches that if you get the offroading permit allow you to be on a stretch of beach by yourself in September. I highly recommend getting the offroading permit but you should have a 4wd (not awd) and a high clearance since the sand can be soft and you can easily find yourself in over a foot of sand- go with someone experienced driving on the beach and take the correct equipment. You will need to air down your tires to 18-19 psi. Takeoff and landing UAVs on park property is prohibited so most fly from the towns located along NC-12.

Taylor Stewart

I absolutely love every single mile of the cape harreras national seashore. I love having the open beach, nothing but sand, dunes, and water. No houses, no hotels, no stores, just nature. I like that during off season ( with a permit ) you can drive on the beaches. Its definitely my favorite beach to visit. I have found so many beautiful shells, sand dollars, and sea glass while exploring the beautiful coasts. It's almost like a fairytale, it seems like endless beauty. Great place for vacations, camping, fishing, photography, and most of all Solitude.

Tom Martin

Beautiful place to stay or just enjoy a ride at the coast. Great scenery and breezes .

Tim Rich

Very nice, open beach that is not too busy. It is super windy and perfect for kites. Not necessarily the best place to lay on the beach due to the wind. The water can be cold depending on the currents, but is usually pretty warm. There are plenty of access points onto the beach.

Ross Clark

Great for relaxing and escaping for the week, don't expect any bar scene or shopping center.

Laura ntk

I make it a point to visit as many lighthouses as I can. This one was beautiful.

Yacob Burns

Awesome views, great history, amazing lighthouse. Get there before 5 and check out the gift shop, the out buildings and climb to the top. This is one of my favorite places, be sure to visit if you can.

Ron Pitts

Beautiful relaxing place to be. Not crowded. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Love this place.

Charlie Jeep

Have been going there for years and just love it. Dorian chased us out this year but will be back

Daniel Stoneback

This our favorite beach destination. We love the little shops and the beautiful beaches. The beaches are never over crowded and very family friendly and just an overall great experience.

Derrek Billings

It's beautiful and peaceful. The sky, at night, is so dark and no light pollution that you can easily see the Andromeda Galaxy naked eyes. The milky way is really bright. You can see open clusters and nebulas in the milky way, as well as the dust lanes. The sky is filled with stars, like strown diamonds against black felt. The beaches are beautiful, with plenty of access points. The fishing here is really great, with lots of charters for both inshore and for going out the the gulf stream. Will I come back, you bet ya.

Rachael Madden

It is a wonderful place to be. I love having a 2nd home here to come visit whenever we wish

Andrew Henry

Best beach I've been to! I love how they keep it natural and dont groom the beach or allow developers to ruin it with dirty Jersey style high rises and boardwalks

Marc Ness

Stopped by the Avon Sound parking lot. Great facility with adequate parking and restrooms. The beach is sandy, rather narrow at high tide. You can wade for yards and it's still shallow. Great for small kids because of the depth and, it's super calm because it's on the Sound side. This is a good put-in for kayaks and canoes. Depending on the wind direction, the water can be several degrees warmer than the ocean side.

Johnny Smith

Nice place. Was 2 minutes till time to go up and it thundered so they postponed it for thirty minutes. Never got to go up. Maybe next year.

TF Farrow

The most beautiful and untouched beaches on the Atlantic coast" besides being my native home, these beaches are full of history, wonderful fishing, beautiful birds, great boating, shellseeking and is free to all, native and vacationers which is in itself a rare find. Check it out, but please take your garbage, respect what we love and for those who do not take time to read before driving the beach, get your tires to at least 15-18 pounds of air..or you will be calling a tow company. Enjoy the sun rising and the late night stars.. its beauty in all seasons is worthy of it all""

Vanessa Kumor

Beautiful spot. Exactly what you picture when you think of the Outer Banks! There were several well marked public beach access points along hwy 12.

Amanda Lelieveld-Amiro

Such stunning natural beauty. So many things to do and so many beautiful beaches to relax on. Great family vacation!

Strider Mountain

This is a precious resource to the state of NC and to the whole country. Hatteras Island is my favorite part of the National Seashore. There are so many things to do besides shopping, including museums, teaching about the island's history, the ships wrecked in the waters just offshore, known as the "Graveyard Of The Atlantic"because of the treacherous conditions. There's also lots of pirate history, depicted pretty accurately in the museums. The surf and sound are beautiful, wild and full of activities as well.

Lars Rasmussen

Great place surrounded by the ocean. Campground we stayed in has no shade, be prepared. Quiet and first come first served registration @ the Cape Point campground late in Sept/early October. Sea breeze often and at night can see numerous stars & the milky way. Lighthouse is huge!

Louis Calachino

This is one of the coolest places along the coast. Turtle nests everywhere and protected. The only thing that would have made this trip better was if we saw them hatch, but no luck there. The beaches were beautiful and if you have 4 wheel drive you can pull right up to your spot on the beach like we did. It’s awesome, no lugging everything for a hundred yards... just pull up and unload... fishing, body surfing, boogie boarding and picnicking right there. We enjoyed every day there!

Reese Wilkins

Beautiful national treasure. Truly one of the most magical zones on the eastern seaboard. Great surfing, kitesurfing, fishing, and beach combing. This is definitely one of the best places on the east coast to find sea shells, good waves, and strong steady winds.

Kody Hittle

Friendly staff and amazing place to visit. Took time to make my kids a junior seashore ranger. Must see place will be back

Gregg Weber

Awesome fishing. Nice campground. Ramps to beach kept in good shape. Must visit HATTERAS LIGHT HOUSE WHEN VISITING . PARK SERVICE STAFF AWSOME TO DEAL WITH

Ava Zimmerman

Beautiful.... What more can I say. If you go DON'T LEAVE ANY TRASH OR YOU ARE TRASH!

Robert Ronan

Nice isolated beaches. Can definitely avoid the crowds. 1 hour hop to ocracoke and can be even more isolated on the water. Nice beaches and people are great. We also like to give our hard-earned money to local communities and the families that use it as they should. Love it

Crystal Corona

Our first time out in OBX & we had a great time! Love that there's no charge for parking and there are actual bathrooms with baby changing table & showers. Will definitely be coming back over the summer ☀️

Kilby Ritter

Cape Hatteras, as small as it is, contains a lot of U.S. history. Civil War history, World War 2 history and even 21st century history with the moving of the famous lighthouse. Of course there are beautiful beaches (mind the turtle nest and keep it clean people), small village stores and local eateries. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is located in the village of Hatteras. This museum contains artifacts from ships lost within the infamous Graveyard. Other activities one can participate in include surfing, paddle boarding, fishing, horseback riding, kite boarding, kayaking and hiking.

Liam Palmer

Absolutely gorgeous. Hatteras is full of history, culture, and amazing (also endangered) wildlife. I can't imagine a year when I don't visit.

G Hur

Amazing campground. Electric RV sites. Best kept secret in the Outer Banks!

Kathie Hardin

After 20 years, was able to come back to climb. Great

MARI Lopez

Amazing Beach ! Just be aware of the riptide and the waves no life saver so you Swin at your own rush but it is beautiful and relaxing

Rick McClure

Nice, quiet beach with a great place to fish. Riding the beach in a four wheel drive vehicle is just fantastic. Hopefully, the storms will stay away and not destroy this little slice of heaven.

Jamie Woods

A beautiful, peaceful place! My sister had her wedding at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, so we got to spend a week at the Seashore. I didn't want to come home!

Jessica Keeton

It's impossible to review this entire park. I've been 3 times now and each visit I see something new. If you're looking for pristine, quiet beaches that are remarkably varied in their characteristics, this is the place. There is also tons of history and great museums and lighthouses to visit.

Joe Cephus

Absolutely beautiful! Miles of seashore where you can find beach with no one in sight even in the busy season. So much to see and do on the island. Excellent offshore and inshore fishing.

Patrick Mchose

I mean what's not to like? I've been visiting for the past 27 years. I surf fish in fall and summer searching for the elusive Drum. Finally my son nailed one. With its rich history and truly laid back culture this is my home away from home.

Kevin Horvath

Remarkable place for vacation. Sun, beach, foods, everything including the people are amazing

Art Seagraves

Wonderful place to vacation. Was 5 star but government rules have limited access.

oldguyrocker

Just wow. It's a great vibe from Nag's Head to Ocracoke (that's all the further I've been). Awesome beaches, food, people, fishing, chillin, partying... EVERYTHING! If you ever have a chance to go, TAKE IT!

Elizabeth Coggins

The land of yester-year! My favorite place to vacation any season. If you want a low key vacation, where you can get away from it all, go to this shoreline. Plenty of space on the beach to enjoy the sun, without feeling crowded. Visit the lighthouse near by. A week here will make you feel like yourself again.

Jessica Decker

Impressive lighthouse. Great view and sense of accomplishment after climbing to the top. Guides were all friendly. Take it slow and take some water if you need to!

Ben Leavey

Love it here. So many great memories. Can't wait to return.

Kerri Sweeris

Peaceful water and super nice people make Hatteras Island my #1 vacation destination!

Aimee Lim

Spending our day in this area is priceless. It was not crowded and weather was good. We had fun.

michelle bradley

Love to go to Hatteras and drive on the beaches and enjoy the ocean and beach. Nice weather most of the time and perfect for sunbathing, swimming, and just walking in the ocean. Love the sunrise and sunsets they are so gorgeous with all the colors. A must go if you live the beach. Fishermen have fun fishing in the surf, I have not had any luck.

Taushana Keeton

Beautiful beaches and loads of shells.... even better w a snorkel to look in the water along the shell line.

Debra Roberts

Cape Hatteras is one of the most beautiful places on the planet. As a regular visitor since 1972, I'm in awe of this island every time I'm here. It's truly a very special place.

Scott Heemann

A wonderful unspoiled and sparsely developed beach on the east coast. Great for bonfires and star gazing at night; no city lights! Wonderfully maintained by the NPS and adjacent local environs by Dare County.

Roxanne Rice

Just a beautiful place! One of a kind! Absolutely love it here.

Tup the Clone

We stayed in Salvo. It's great if you like deserted beaches and nothing else! The beach is wide and clean, but you do have to walk over the Sandy dunes. It's not good for small kids or people who have trouble getting around.

Maria Christina Leite Barbosa Motta

Wonderful place. Lots of history. Very friendly staff. Would recommend for families

j hud

Theres too much to put in this review. You must experience it for yourself. Visiting since I was in diapers, the last 30 years have been quite memorable visiting here. Been to OCMD, Cape May, and VA beach but Pea/Hatteras Island always has a reserved spot for my vacations.

Rafael Burgos

What difference 30 minutes drive can make. All the towns south of Nags Head have so much more beach town vibe. Beaches in Avon, Frisco, etc are nicer for swimmers and anyone that makes it this far looking for a beach.

Angela Morris

Absolutely stunning. We made it late in the evening. Although we couldn’t buy tickets we enjoyed its view from a certain distance. Briefly read about its history and only remember it was moved. We returned next day. You only have to pay if you are a super athlete to get inside to climb 248 spiral steps, 12 story building. Bare in mind tight stair case with people coming down as well. I am sorry that I didn’t walk over to see closely the care keepers houses. The families of these house keepers live around the area. Having visited ancient sites I have to admit in the morning the light house looked magnificent. Very impressive and beautiful structure. I emphasize it’s free. Go see it, I personally guarantee, you will love it.

Michael Peters

Beautiful sand and water. 4 wheel drive on the beach with lunch. Really great

MARK WHITSON WHITSON

Cape Hatteras is my wife and I's place to go. We really enjoy it there. Praise the Lord.

Amanda Carpenter

Quiet strech of beach, not for swimming. Seashell lovers Paradise!! Watched dolphin's two mornings in a row there!!

Roger Candee

Quiet (now). A few campers. Close to the sea. Been here many times. Love it!!

Jayme Wertz

We've been going here for years. It's our favorite vacation spot. If you have a 4x4 vehicle you can get to some really good beach spots.

Connie Gunsley

Very disappointing due to hurricane Dorian. I feel they called to evacuate WAY to early. Will not return any time soon.

Robert Caldwell

Most magical place on the planet, please don't tell anyone about it. I've been coming here since I was 2 years old.

Daniel Snider

So beautiful so wonderful words just cannot begin to describe the awesomeness of the National Seashore a treasure that must truly be preserved for generations to come

John Cather

Had a great time down here this week

Shannon Bailey

One of the best lighthouses we have ever visited! Beautiful park with impressive history!

Anzu Nakadai

Great place to go looking for seashells! Found a nice little quiet spot and camped out there for the day. I got to relax and listen to the waves and birds.

Rebecca Welch

The Cape Hatteras lighthouse was moved in 1999 about 2900 ft inland due to erosion. Impressive information of how it was accomplished at the museum and thru a Ranger talk. Beautiful area well worth a visit.

C Sherman

Best beaches on the East Coast and maybe in the country, short of Hawaii. Though, in general, it is not cheap, there is not expensive upscale feel about most of the outer banks. The down side, is it is quite a commitment to get out there in terms of time and distance. It does not lend itself to a day trip.

Mike D

Amazing beaches, beautiful views, and dog friendly. Hands down the best beaches on the east coast to take your Jeep!

Megan Nicole

The single most beautiful beach. It was clean and not crowded at all.

Alexis Alvarez

Really nice place , everyone in cape hatteras was really kindly nothing to say

Liliana Urquia

Here to stay a while doing Hurricane aftermath debris removal; tired after driving all night, can't find anything open to serve food..not even a cup of coffee for our crew...Beach is beach everywhere...sand-water-sun- but workers need a place to rest, sleep and eat. Show us some love

Richard Kopec

A great area to check out. My jeep had no problem going over the sand. The waves were perfect.

Pamela Renton

We love coming to Cape Hatteras. The sun to he beach and everyone is so friendly and happy. A little slice of heaven.

Ethan Cloud

These beaches are beautiful and on our trip not very crowded. The sand is very fine and not sharp however it will get into every little crevice in your vehicle. There is lots of wildlife to see if your paying attention besides the typical seagulls and pelicans. The water was super clear on all the Outer Banks beaches we were on. Be sure if you’re going to drive on the beaches you follow the laws and prepare for higher fuel consumption. All in all, it was a great trip and would go again at some time.

James Beach

This is an awesome National Park. Getting there from Newport was half the great adventure. We took the land route which didn't leave us a lot of time at the lighthouse. Plan to stay somewhere nearby and enjoy the sites. Be sure to plan on 3 or 4 hours to tour the lighthouse complex and get in on the Ranger talks and video. We did not get to go into the lighthouse itself because of lightning within 5 miles of the park. But the rest of the park was open and it was an really great tour.

Kai Hsu

I love the outer banks. Pricey rental homes and too much mosquitoes at night time are the only negatives. But lots of fun on the bay side and ocean side beach. We did kayaking, swimming, water boarding, collect seashells, fishing, crabbing, found lots of hermit crabs, a horseshoe crab, and lots of little fishes for the kids to chase.

Haywood M. Smith Jr.

Awesome place to visit. I would recommend taking the time to visit Cape Hatteras National Park . This is part of our history and we all need to preserve our Nation's monuments for future generations. I would recommend this park to all travelers.

George Gallis

Me and my family started going to the Outer Banks 4 years ago. Absolutely love the feel of being out here. Just make sure you listen to park rangers and AIR DOWN!

Victoria Harp

Beautiful light house. If you plan to get pictures after dark be sure to come very prepared for mosquitos! If not you will get eaten alive. It just happened to be a full moon the night we visited the light house, it make for some beautiful shots.

Wally Eaton

Great family vacation with some of the best and most remote beaches on East Coast. Have been bringing family and friends for over 25 years

Tamara R

Beautiful, serene, peaceful place! We camped at Cape Point. No lights out there so we could see the all the stars at night. It is like the edge of the world, it is awesome to visit. No hotels to block natural shore. Love it!

Tom Chan

It's been 30+years since our last visit. The lighthouse is as beautiful as it was. The climb to the top costs $4 for senior and 248 steps for your legs. On a clear sunny day, the view is breathtaking, and you can stay as long as you want so you can rest up for the journey down. The museum and gift shop definitely worth a visit and it's right next to the lighthouse.

Peter Cordero

Beautiful lighthouse and view. It's a great climb for all who wish to tackle it.

David Zeller

What a great place if you love to fish. We hit fish every day we were there

Herbert Earnest

It was a perfect day for a walk on the beach. There were a few people walking dogs or lounging in chairs. I highly recommend this place for a relaxing departure from reality.

Robert Moskowitz

Best non comerical beach in the USA. Outside of the villages you can have a whole beach to your self

S Black

Love Cape Hatteras, especially the point, ramp 44. Great fishing, great shells great beach. We went this time close to sunset which was also high tide. The fishermen were packed in so tight you couldn't drive through. Stood and watched one guy wrestle a massive fish, just when he had it close to shore, the line snapped and the crowd audibly groaned.

Matthew Larder

Great fishing, wonderful beach..not over crowded, clean..i will be back.

Michael Roe

Best place to be on the east coast if you don’t like overcrowded beaches and fishing!

r k

Beautiful and fun place to visit. Highly recommend going here if given the chance. There are tons of entertaing activities and attractions for any and every type of person. This place has a lot of historical significance. Of all the beaches in North Carolina it is one of my favorite and definitely one of the best in the humble opinion of myself and many many others.

ROBERT BALDZHIEV

This place is beautiful. Not too crowded. I usually go with my Family and our dog. I can fish from the beach and kids play on the beach dog can have a lot of fun.

Mark Neville

I loved the sea air and taking a walk on the island. Very relaxing

Emma Estes

Beautiful beaches! Great people all throughout the island! The gift shops are a must while visiting!

Charles Fischer

It's a pleasent drive from Virginia Beach and has a great view of the ocean.

Bobby V

It was an experience that comes just once in a lifetime. I wish that I could have been able to spend more time there. Learning about history eating awesome food and of course fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. I loved everything about the outer banks of North Carolina and can't wait to go back.

Cody Carpenter

Great place to visit. Lots of seashells and wildlife on the beaches to spend the day looking at and finding. This week has been nice and windy so the kites have been out, big and small alike. This has been a great place to come the last 27 years of my life and I plan to come back even more in years to come. OBPA!

Jody Ruehl

So neat to see and read the history of the lighthouse. Got there a little late and the museum was closed. You still walk up the lighthouse but would have loved to see the inside of it.

Crystal Parks

Beautiful section of the Outer Banks! The lighthouse is a gorgeous sight and beautiful piece of NC history, but the entire island is gorgeous. Great place to stay for vacation, or to drive through as you're vacationing.

Peter E

This is our fourth visit in the past eight years. We've spent time in Avon and Hatteras village during their 'off' seasons and enjoyed both immensely. It's a place to disconnect, reset and synchronized back up with your surroundings....the tides, the rising and setting of the sun. I don't want to say too much for fear of attracting too many people, as a highlight for us is the laid back, non commercial nature of the area...but if you're looking for a quiet getaway, this might be for you.

Roger Gray

Beautiful. A must see. I am so glad I made the trip

Rebecca Burgess

This place is breathtaking! What a nice drive up and back. There are a few weird roadside things along the way such as a UFO situation on the side of the road and an old beetle car painted wildly, pretty neat!

Richard Heschke

A wild place for exercises with the tide coming in and out. Nice clean Beach. Family loved it. We wish our beach house was next to the shore.

Jeff Farinholt

Perfect customer service. Upon initial greeting with Ray, it was like being with your own family. Will call on him again when visiting Ocracoke or Hatteras.

Attie Heunis

If you want authentic people, stunning sunsets, clean & accessible beaches and superb seafood, go to Cape Hatteras.

Megan Bach

It's the best beach to relax and enjoy what the island offers. It's my favorite vacation spot!

Tom Hunts

We saw the newly renovated area down there. It all looks so very nice