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Getting
Here
Hatteras Island has changed a lot in the four decades since the Bonner
Bridge was built over Oregon Inlet to connect the island with the northern
Outer Banks. In that time, visitation has steadily increased so that
the island economy is now almost entirely centered on tourism dollars.
But the most dramatic changes on Cape Hatteras have really occurred
in the last five or so years, as developers and stock-market-burnouts-turned-real-estate-investors
have scooped up the last remaining island properties and built thousands
of new, luxury rental homes, luring more tourists who in turn require
more amenities like shopping centers, restaurants and things to do.
Yet the Hatteras villages haven’t seen nearly the development
of the northern Outer Banks resort towns of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills,
Duck and Corolla. When Hatteras Islanders find themselves complaining
about the development on their own island, they often end the conversation
by saying “at least we aren’t like Nags Head,” with
a great sigh of relief.
Some of the island natives and longtime residents and visitors are upset
about the rapid changes on Cape Hatteras, but many locals welcome progress
and the increased opportunity it brings. After all, tourism allows many
people to live and work in this place that they love. Many of the current
Hatteras Island residents vacationed here first then fulfilled a dream
to move to the island when work became available. This was easier to
do five years ago, however. Since then, real estate prices have skyrocketed.
And the development on Hatteras Island can only go so far. Sixty-three
percent of the island is federal park that will never be developed,
while another 14 percent belongs to the state and another 11 percent
is wetlands. This leaves only 12 percent of the island open to private
ownership and development.
The permanent, year-round population of Hatteras Island is around 4,000.
The island residents are independent yet tight-knit, eager to help each
out in the face of hurricanes and other hardships. There are two schools
on the island – Cape Hatteras Elementary and Cape Hatteras Secondary
(middle and high school combined). Both schools are in Buxton and draw
students from all seven of the island villages.
For outsiders and visitors, Hatteras Island will always be a heavenly
retreat far removed from the rest of the world. Visitors welcome the
chance to enjoy this long, thin island that offers access to sea and
sound, and more than three million of them visit Cape Hatteras National
Seashore every year. The seven island villages maintain their quaintness
and charm, thanks to Cape Hatteras National Seashore, which contributes
greatly to the Hatteras’s appeal.
Cape
Hatteras visitors love the casual and laid-back style of the island.
In the sun and the sand, in bathing suits and flip-flops, everyone is
equal. The time of high tide matters, what one is wearing does not.
Which direction the wind is going to blow tomorrow matters, how much
money one makes does not. On Hatteras Island, residents and visitors
live a stripped-down existence, in tune with the elements and the natural
world, not the material world.
Hatteras Island visitors love the great outdoors. Those who are happiest
here are those who love being close to nature. Anglers, windsurfers,
kiteboarders, surfers, paddlers, swimmers, birders, beachcombers —
these are the people who appreciate Hatteras Island the most. Hatteras
Island vacationers love being outside all day then settling down for
a great North Carolina seafood dinner at night. They love the fact that
nightlife consists of an acoustic band at the local restaurant, a moonlit
walk on the beach or going to bed early.
Visitors love the fact that there are only three stoplights on the entire
island and that the main traffic artery is a two-lane road with many
ocean and sound views. They love the locally owned businesses and the
lack of homogenous superstores and chain restaurants. They love the
locals, who are friendly and helpful as long as people are friendly
and respectful to them.
In summer the villages swell to capacity, and there is a sense of excitement
in the air. Locals stay busy — teaching kiteboarding lessons,
leading kayak tours, waiting tables, cleaning rental cottages, booking
hotel rooms, cutting fish down at the docks, answering questions about
the lighthouse, giving directions. Many islanders do double duty in
the summer, taking on more than one job to build a stockpile of money
for the winter, when things slow down. The restaurants and shops are
full and the grocery store lines are a nightmare. But it’s all
part of the fun of summer.
Many people say fall is the best time of year to visit Hatteras Island
because the crowds are gone, the weather is still warm, all the businesses
are open and accommodations prices drop. Anglers typically prefer fall
to summer as fishing is far better in the autumn months. Winter is pretty
quiet on Hatteras Island, but you’d be surprised how many accommodations
and businesses are still open to serve locals and tourists. In the spring,
visitors start to trickle back in. Businesses that have been closed
all winter offer good deals to visitors who come early in the season.
Directions
and Orientation
You
can get to Hatteras Island by car, boat or small plane. The vast majority
of visitors arrive by car from the north on N.C. Highway 12. Other car
travelers arrive on the ferry from the southwest via Ocracoke Island.
Some people arrive at Hatteras Island by boat from the mainland, the
Intracoastal Waterway or the Atlantic Ocean. Marinas are available to
boaters in Hatteras Village, at the southern end of the island by Hatteras
Inlet. Flying to Hatteras Island is possible. Small planes can land
at the National Park Service’s Billy Mitchell Airfield in Frisco.
Once you get to the island, you will almost certainly need your own
form of transportation. There is no public transportation on the island,
and the villages are separated by long stretches of Cape Hatteras National
Seashore. If you want to get from village to village you’ll need
a car. A bicycle is fine for getting around in the individual villages,
though bicycling between the villages is not highly recommended because
of the lack of a bike lane and the high speed of traffic.
On the north end of the island, about 12 miles from Oregon Inlet, are
the three villages of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo, which are all lumped
together and feel more like one village than three. These are the simplest
and most laid-back of the seven villages, though all the amenities anyone
could need are there. Several miles south is the village of Avon, which
feels like the commercial hub of the island because it has a major grocery
store, movie theater, lots of stores and services, and numerous luxury
rental homes. South of Avon is the village of Buxton, home of the Cape
Hatteras Lighthouse, the prime surf-fishing grounds of the cape and
the most hotels on the island. South of Buxton is Frisco, a very small,
quiet village with lots of rental homes and a few shops and restaurants.
Hatteras Village, on the south end of the island, leads a dual life
now – partly a historic fishing village and partly an upscale
vacation resort.
Those looking for the most watersports opportunities should stay in
Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo or Avon. Those looking for the most peace and
quiet should stay in Frisco, Waves or Salvo. Those who like to have
a lot of restaurants and shops nearby should stay in Avon or Buxton.
Serious anglers like staying in Hatteras Village, where all the marinas
and offshore fishing boats are located.
If you’re ready to start enjoying all that Hatteras Island has
to offer, read on. The pages that follow are filled with all the hotels
and motels, campgrounds, vacation rental companies, shops, restaurants,
attractions and recreational opportunities on Hatteras Island. We have
organized the businesses in this guide geographically from north to
south, starting in Rodanthe and ending in Hatteras Village. Enjoy your
stay!
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