Hatteras Island Recreation
Hatteras Island’s recreation is a magnet for people who love sporting by the sea: surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, standup paddleboarding, sport fishing, bird watching, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, camping and roaming the miles of Outer Banks beaches.
The active crowd loves participating in Cape Hatteras’ recreation offerings for a number of reasons -– mild temperatures for about 10 months of the year, abundant and accessible ocean and sound beaches, numerous outfitters catering to the various activities and the very laid-back lifestyle. Most important to Hatteras Island recreation and the outdoorsy personality, however, is Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a 72-mile park that includes parts of Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands and is left in its almost completely natural state. The National Seashore offers undeveloped ocean and sound beaches where eco-friendly outdoor recreation is encouraged and wildlife can be seen in its natural habitat.
In the seven Hatteras Island villages -– Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village —you’ll find many Hatteras Island recreation outfitters offering all the gear, rentals and lessons you’ll need to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors, barrier island style. The villages also offer other recreational opportunities, like mini-golf, movies and bike rentals.
Just a note: Lots of people refer to this entire area as Cape Hatteras. Others call it Hatteras Island. It’s one and the same in the generalized way of thinking about it. So Cape Hatteras recreation is the same as Hatteras Island recreation. Tomaaato, tomoooto.
Hatteras Island Beaches
In North Carolina, all of the beach below the high-tide mark is public property. So you can enjoy any part of the beach as long as you get there legally. Public beach accesses are located along N.C. Highway 12 throughout Cape Hatteras National Seashore and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, and there are numerous accesses in the villages. Do not access the beach via private property, i.e., cutting through private oceanfront yards to get there.
The only life-guarded beach on Hatteras Island is at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse beach in the summer months. Otherwise, swimming is at your own risk. Many visitors are surprisingly unaware of the dangers of ocean swimming. Always regard the ocean with a sense of caution, no matter how good a swimmer you are.
Rip currents, which suck objects and people from shore toward sea, are the biggest threat swimmers may encounter. The most important thing to remember about rip currents is not to try to swim against them directly back to shore. Let the rip carry you out, then swim parallel to the beach to get out of the current, then swim diagonally into shore. Educational materials about rip currents and other ocean dangers are available in local visitor centers. It’s a good idea to carry some sort of flotation device with you when swimming, like a surfboard, body board or raft, but you can’t totally depend on those for safety. Drownings have occurred when non-swimmers lost the rafts or body boards they were depending on for flotation.
Another important thing about ocean swimming: Never take your eyes off your children, even if they’re just wading in the surf. Children can be knocked down by waves and washed into the sea in the blink of an eye. We’re not trying to discourage anyone from ocean swimming. Most days on Hatteras Island, ocean swimming is safe and wonderful. Just be cautious and educated before going into the water.
If you are unsure about ocean swimming or if the day is particularly rough, you can also swim in the shallower, calmer waters of the Pamlico Sound. The sound is a good place for children and not-so-strong swimmers. It’s a good idea to wear some kind of water shoes, however, so you won’t cut your feet on oyster shells. There are several soundside beaches within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The most easily accessible are the Salvo Day Use area just south of Salvo and the Haulover area just south of Avon. Otherwise, if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, there are several sand trails in Cape Hatteras National Seashore that lead back to soundside beaches. Pick up an Off-Road Driving Map, available at National Park Service Visitor Centers.
Note: For disabled visitors, Cape Hatteras National Seashore loans out beach wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis. For information call (252) 441-5711 or (252) 995-4474.
Cap’N Clam—Children’s Pirate Cruise
- 57878 N.C. Highway 12, Oden's Dock
- Hatteras Village
- (252) 986-2365
In addition to fishing charters, Cap’N Clam hosts a Children’s Pirate Cruise for all the rowdy mateys in your bunch. Several nights a week, this cruise promises lots of pirate-style shenanigans on the seas of the Pamlico Sound. For celebrations or special events, consider a custom charter of the Cap’N Clam.
Fox Watersports
- 47108 N.C. Highway 12
- Buxton
- (252) 995-4372
Fox specializes in windsurfing and surfing. You can buy all the gear you’ll need for these sports plus take lessons if you need them. You can also rent windsurfing equipment, surfboards, kayaks and body boards and purchase skim boards, sunglasses, clothes, flip-flops or a wetsuit. Sailboard and surfboard repair are offered.
Hatteras Watersports
- 27130 N.C. Highway 12
- Salvo
- (252) 987-2306
Hatteras Watersports rents Yamaha 4-stroke Waverunners and Jet Skis for launching in the sound right on site. They also rent sound and ocean kayaks, which you can launch here or take to your own location, and they lead kayak eco-tours in the sound. Hobie Wave 14-foot sailboats are available for rent as well. Between your adventures on the water, this is a great place to hang out, with a big lawn, sound beach, volleyball court, picnic area and restroom with hot showers. The house is actually the former Pea Island Life Saving Station.
Kitty Hawk Kites Climbing Wall
- Hatteras Landing, Marina Way
- Hatteras Village
- (252) 986-1446; (877) FLY-THIS
If all this flat land has you craving a vertical view of things, Kitty Hawk Kites has a sport rock-climbing wall set up on the porch at Hatteras Landing Marina. It tops out at 32 feet high, and there are beginner and advanced routes. The staff is there to assist beginners with their first climb. It’s usually only open in the summer season, so call before stopping by.
Kitty Hawk Kites Hatteras Island Kiteboarding Resort
- N.C. Highway 12
- Rodanthe
- (252) 441-4124, (877) FLY-THIS
Whether you want to learn the sport or refine your skills, Kitty Hawk Kites’ newest Kiteboarding Center offers several types of classes, including private and group lessons. Their fast-track kiteboarding camp is two days of group instruction. This center is on the sound, so lessons are on site. Kayak rentals and standup paddleboard rentals are also offered here. There’s a restaurant on site in case you need to refuel.
Ocean Atlantic Rentals
- N.C. Highway 12
- Avon
- (252) 995-5868
Ocean Atlantic Rentals rents bikes for the whole family. They have large and small frame bikes for men and women plus kids’ bikes, pull-behind carts, child seats, tricycles and helmets for adults and children. They also rent kayaks, surf boards, boogie boards and beach gear. Delivery and pickup are offered to all Hatteras Island villages, for free on orders over $99 and for a small charge for orders less than that amount.
OceanAir Sports
- 39450 N.C. Highway 12
- Avon
- (252) 995-5000
Whether you want to learn a new watersport, rent some gear or just hang out with some like-minded people who love and appreciate the Hatteras Island watersports scene, OceanAir Sports is good spot to be. OceanAir Sports, formerly Windsurfing Hatteras, is a full-service watersports facility offering lessons and rentals for windsurfing, kiteboarding, standup paddleboarding, surfing, kayaks, sailing and Waverunners. The staff and instructors are experienced, trusted locals who practice their sports regularly and keep up with the latest technical information and trends; they are enthusiastic about sharing their love of the sports with people who stop by. The scene is unintimidating; beginners in all sports will feel welcome here but there’s plenty for experienced kiters and sailors as well. OceanAir sells gear from premier brands like Cabrinha, North Kiteboarding, DaKine, O’Neill, North Sails, Mistral, JP, Ezzy Sails, NoLimitz, Oakley, Smith Optics, Reef Sandals and clothing. It’s located directly on the Pamlico Sound, so you can launch right from their dock.
Outer Banks Diving
- 57540 N.C. Highway 12
- Hatteras Village
- (252) 986-1056
For expert guiding and charters to the Graveyard of the Atlantic wrecks, certified divers should contact Capt. Johnny and Amy Pieno at Outer Banks Diving. This full-service dive shop offers single, group and multi-day rates for trips aboard their large, comfortable U.S. Coast Guard–certified vessel, the Flying Fish. Shipwrecks are predominantly of WWII vintage in the 70- to 110-foot-deep range. The boat is docked at Teach’s Lair Marina, and the shop is about a mile north of there. The shop rents and sells gear for snorkeling and diving, including masks, fins, snorkels, wetsuits and more, and they make repairs. Stop in to ask about their options for snorkeling, which is a great family activity. The gift shop is really neat—you’ll find giant sharks’ teeth, nautical items and souvenirs.
Studio 12 Paint Our Pottery
- 40534 N.C. Highway 12
- Avon
- (252) 995-7899
When you’re looking for something to do beyond the beach, get creative at this pottery-painting studio. You select an item, paint it to your heart’s content, and they’ll fire and glaze it for you to pick up later in the week. They also offer all the supplies you’ll need to design and craft your own mosaics. It’s open Monday through Saturday or by appointment for parties. Studio 12 also crafts custom hand-painted tiles and tile murals.
Angelo’s Pizza Arcade
- 46903 N.C. Highway 12
- Buxton
- (252) 995-6364
The game room and arcade at this restaurant is enormous, great for kids and adults who are looking for something to do. There are several pool tables, air hockey and tons of video games.
Avon Golf
- 41001 N.C. Highway 12, Avon Fishing Pier
- Avon
- (252) 995-5480
To practice your putting skills, head over to Avon Golf. This 18-hole, natural-grass putting green is on the oceanfront. Unlimited, all-day play is available for one low price, and you can come and go as you please. Get your tickets at the Avon Fishing Pier.
Avon Surf Shop
- 40136 N.C. Highway 12
- Rodanthe
- (252) 995-4783
Avon Surf Shop rents and sells surfboards. They also offer individual surf lessons for all ages and all levels. The owners are longtime surfers dedicated to the sport, so you’ll know you’re in good hands. They also have a full skate shop with a large clothing section. It’s located just south of the Dolphin Den in north Avon.
Beach Driving
- Hatteras Island
Driving on the beach is allowed in many areas of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. However, some areas of the beach may be closed to driving (but open to pedestrians) during the bird-breeding and turtle nesting seasons (mid-March to late August for birds and as late as November for turtles).
You may have heard rumors that all of the Hatteras Island beaches are closed to beach driving, but that simply is not true. In July 2008, in the height of bird-breeding season, Cape Hatteras National Seashore still had more than 25 miles of beach open for ORV use and more than 50 miles of beaches open to pedestrians. Only about 12 miles of beach were closed for resource protection in 2008.
To protect nesting sea turtles, night driving (10 p.m. to 6 a.m.) is not allowed on any Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches between May 1 and September 15. Night-driving permits will be available for beach drivers between September 16 and November 15. See the National Park Service website for full details.
These beach-driving closures are in effect to protect the breeding birds and turtle nests, so the areas of closed beaches vary greatly depending on where the birds and turtles decide to breed and nest each season. To see the most up-to-date information about closed beach areas, visit www.nps.gov/caha and under the QUICKLINKS section on the home page, select Off-Road Vehicle Use. There you will find a Frequently Asked Questions page, a Google Earth Interactive Beach Access Map and much more. The website is updated continuously, so it is the best source of current information. If you don’t have access to the web, call the National Park Service Headquarters at (252) 473-2111.
Off-Road Driving Maps are available at the National Seashore Visitors Centers at Bodie Island Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse or the campgrounds. You can access the beach by vehicle at one of several sand ramps along the island. Be sure to read any signage concerning beach driving! There are also several soundside off-road-vehicle trails listed on the maps. Driving on the ocean beach or the soundside trails can be very convenient, especially for anglers looking for the perfect spot to fish. It’s also nice for families to be able to park a car next to the water and set up camp for the day.
Four-wheel-drive vehicles are an absolute necessity when driving in sand. You’ll certainly be the subject of derisive snickering if you attempt it in a two-wheel-drive car and get stuck. But even four-wheel-drive vehicles get stuck from time to time. If you’re going to attempt driving in sand, most people recommend lowering the air pressure in your tires to about 20 to 25 pounds to give the vehicle a little flotation on the sand. Try to follow in the tracks of vehicles that were there before you, and try to maintain a steady pace in the softer, deeper sand. If you do get stuck, a fellow off-roader will usually help you out. If not, call Cape Point Exxon Towing Service in Buxton at (252) 995-5695.
Big Wave Dave’s
- 40618 N.C. Highway 12, next to Village Grocery
- Rodanthe
- (252) 995-7033
Big Wave Dave’s convenience store has an unexpected feature: a cool theater space where you can catch a movie or live music and enjoy a beer or glass of wine. It’s an intimate theater – only 32 seats – and they show independent, up-and-coming movies that you won’t see at the blockbuster theaters. Stop by or call to get the movie and live music schedule. In the off-season you might catch a televised sporting event in the theater. The theater is also available to rent.
Blue Marlin Display
- 57690 N.C. Highway 12, Hatteras Village Library and Community Center
- Hatteras Village
Hatteras Village is the offshore fishing capital of the Outer Banks. Big-game marlin fishing began here in the 1930s. To see a blue marlin (one that’s been mounted and preserved), go over to the Hatteras Village Library and Community Center. On the outside wall, encased in a glass box, is a world-record, 810-pound blue marlin that was caught on June 11, 1962, off Hatteras Island. The world record has since been broken, but this is still an impressive specimen.
Burrus Flying Service
- 57094 Kohler Drive, Billy Mitchell Airport
- Frisco
- (252) 986-2679
For a totally different perspective on Hatteras Island, see it from the air. Burrus offers air tours over Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, for sightseeing, aerial photography or historical tours. Air tours prices are reasonable, starting at $45 per person for a party of three and varying from there depending on your chosen tour. The owners will do custom tours of the Outer Banks (prices vary).
Buxton Woods – National Park Service Nature Trail
- Lighthouse Road
- Buxton
- (252) 995-4474
Near the lighthouse on the NPS grounds is a 3/4-mile trail through the maritime forest of Buxton Woods. From N.C. Highway 12, turn onto Lighthouse Road and continue around the curve to the right past the lighthouse. The trailhead is on the right at the picnic area. A pine needle-covered path leads back into the forest. Along the way there are informational signs about the maritime forest ecosystem and the health of Buxton Woods. You’ll pass Jennette’s Sedge, a naturally occurring freshwater pond. This is a mostly flat, easy walk, though it’s not recommended for the disabled because of slightly rough terrain.
Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve
- Off N.C. Highway 12
- Buxton
- Contact the North Carolina Coastal Reserve office in Kitty Hawk at: (252) 261-8891
Buxton Woods is the largest remaining maritime forest in the Southeast. It consists of pine- and oak-covered dune ridges interspersed with maritime swamp forest and unique marshy wetlands known locally as sedges.
It’s a very rare ecosystem for a barrier island, and most visitors don’t even realize it exists. The North Carolina Coastal Reserve, a program of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, maintains more than 900 acres of the woods for research, education and recreation and offers some great hiking trails for the public to experience this amazing ecosystem.
On a walk here you might see one of 360 species of birds, including bald eagles and peregrine falcons, along with gray fox, white-tailed deer, mink, river otter, box turtles, salamanders or snakes.
A great hiking trail can be found just south of Buxton. Off N.C. Highway 12, turn east onto Old Doctor’s Road. If you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle, keep heading straight back on that sand road until it dead ends. If you don’t have four-wheel-drive, park your car on the little turnout off to the side of Old Doctor’s Road. At the end of the sand road is a trailhead sign for a 1/3-mile hike that takes you up to a high dune ridge. From this ridge you can look down at Jennette’s Sedge, a beautiful interdunal pond teeming with life. If you walk from the beginning of the road to the trail and back, it will take you about an hour.
Another trail through Buxton Woods is a little south of the one on Old Doctor’s Road. Turn south on Water Association Road and take the road all the way back until you reach a 90-degree bend in the road. At the corner of Water Association Road and Great Ridge Road, you’ll find the trailhead. Park there. If you take a right, you’ll follow a 2-mile loop through the woods and back around to your car at Great Ridge Road. If you take a left, you’ll go through forest and over dunes to the beach. You’ll need to be able to walk in deep sand and over fallen trees and the like. Then you’ll turn around come back the way you came, and the entire walk is about 3 miles.
Though trail use is restricted to walkers and some designated trails to horses, some traditional use is accommodated within the reserve. Seasonal hunting is allowed, per state and local regulations (call the reserve office for additional information). Licensed vehicles are allowed only on the dirt roads within the reserve. Target shooting and camping are prohibited.
The Coastal Reserve staff maintains two kiosks to make these trails more user-friendly. Both contain hiking trail maps. One is on Old Doctor’s Road and the other is down Water Association Road. Buxton Woods does not offer any facilities so please wear appropriate clothing to protect against biting insects and poisonous plants. Bring water, snacks and sunscreen to ensure an enjoyable visit to the woods.
For additional information about hiking, hunting permits and reserve rules please call the reserve office in Kitty Hawk at (252) 261-8891.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
- 46379 N.C. Highway 12 and Lighthouse Road
- Buxton
- (252) 995-4474
If any one thing represents all of Hatteras Island, it has to be the famous black-and-white, spiral-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse has become the icon of the island, representing the hopeful, stalwart, survivalist attitude that is so pervasive among the people of Hatteras. This is one of the most famous lighthouses in the nation, especially since it survived a controversial, precarious move in 1999. Now in the hands of the National Park Service, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is open to the public.
Visitors 42 inches and taller can climb the spiral staircase up to the top of the lighthouse for an unforgettable view of the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Hatteras and Buxton. For the 2009 season, the climb will cost $7 for adults and $3.50 for children younger than 12 and seniors age 62 and older. The lighthouse is open from the third Friday in April through Columbus Day. Lighthouse tours begin at 9 a.m. daily and run every 10 minutes with a limit of 30 visitors per tour. The last tickets of the day are sold at 5:40 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day and 4:40 p.m. other times of the year. This is a very popular attraction and no advance tickets are sold, so the best thing to do is to get there early (before noon) and visit the ticket booth to buy a ticket, which will state the time of your tour. The ticket booth opens at 8:15 a.m. Be sure to be at the gate five minutes before your tour time. A museum about lighthouses and the history of the Outer Banks is located inside the historic Double Keepers’ Quarters Building just across the lawn from the lighthouse. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore/Hatteras Island Visitor Center
- 46379 N.C. Highway 12 and Lighthouse Road, at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
- Buxton
- (252) 995-4474
The National Park Service’s Hatteras Island Visitor Center is located at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse site. Maps, informational brochures and the park newspaper are available here, and staff can answer any questions you have about visiting Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Lots of parking and restrooms are on site. There’s also a bookstore with gifts. Inquire at the Visitor Center about the ranger-led history and nature programs that are held regularly from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer months and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year.
Cape Hatteras Secondary School Tennis Courts
- 48576 N.C. Highway 12
- Buxton
- No phone
Cape Hatteras Secondary School has tennis courts that are open to the public in daylight after school hours.
Chicamacomico Life Saving Station
- 23645 N.C. Highway 12, MP 39.5
- Rodanthe
- (252) 987-1552
The Chicamacomico Life Saving Station is the nation’s most complete existing example of the life saving stations that were built along the coast in the late 19th century, the age of shipping, to attend to shipwrecks and rescue survivors. The 1874 station was the first operational life saving station built in North Carolina, serving until 1954. Chicamacomico has been partially restored, thanks to numerous volunteers who formed a nonprofit organization to save it, and it is now a fine museum and historic site; all structures are original buildings.
On a visit here you’ll see the 1874 Station, the 1911 Station, two cookhouses, water tanks and cistern, a stable, a tractor shed, the smaller boathouse (now the Visitors Center) and a village home built in 1907. In the museum, you’ll learn about the U.S. Life Saving Service and some of the rescues that occurred here. Artifacts, uniforms, rescue equipment, displays and video presentations abound, and self-guided tours help complete your knowledge of place and history. The gift shop is full of unique nautical items and works by local craftspeople plus books and old-fashioned toys.
June through August, try to catch any of the special programs offered Monday through Friday at 2 p.m. Mondays, hear about the movie Nights in Rodanthe, which was filmed on Hatteras Island. Tuesdays hear true shipwreck and rescue stories. Wednesdays hear native Hatteras Islander Carol Dillon speak about being the real-life inspiration for the book Taffy of Torpedo Junction. Thursdays is the popular historic Beach Apparatus Drill Re-enactment – the only Breeches Buoy demonstration in the country performed by active-duty U.S. Coast Guard personnel. Fridays hear author Scott Dawson’s ideas about what really happened to the Lost Colony. Programs are free with paid admission to the site.
The site is open from mid-April through Thanksgiving weekend, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission fees are charged.
Coastal Kayak Touring Company
- Locations throughout the Outer Banks
- Hatteras Island
- (252) 261-6262, (252) 441-3393
You haven’t seen the Outer Banks until you’ve seen it from the water, and Coastal Kayak can take you there. They offer trips to four different areas of the Outer Banks: Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary (between Corolla and Duck), Kitty Hawk Woods, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island and the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge on the Dare County mainland. Tours last two to three hours. The guides offer kayaking instruction if you need it, plus they narrate about the local history and ecology along the way. Single and tandem kayaks are available. Children are welcome, as long they are at least 30 pounds, but certain trips are better for kids than others. Reservations are required.
DVO/Duck Village Outfitters
- 26689 N.C. Highway 12
- Salvo
- (252) 987-1222
A surf shop staple in Duck for decades, DVO now has a location on Hatteras Island. DVO rents bikes, kayaks, surfboards and paddleboards and offers kayak tours and surf lessons for all ages. The surf shop sells major brands of clothing for men, women and children, including Billabong, Hurley, Quicksilver and more.
Equine Adventures
- 52173 Piney Ridge Road
- Frisco
- (252) 995-4897
Equine Adventures offers two-hour guided horseback rides through the scenic trails of Frisco Woods and on the beach. All levels of riders are accommodated, but children younger than 12 or people weighing more than 250 pounds are not accepted. Rides are offered year round. You must make reservations in advance. Call for prices.
