Hatteras Island Recreation On North Carolina's Outer Banks

Hatteras Tours

Hatteras Island
(252) 475-4477

For a local historian’s perspective of Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, you won’t want to miss this bus tour of Hatteras Island. Island native Danny Couch leads tours in a 25-passenger mini-bus, telling fascinating stories and bits of island history along the way. Couch grew up on the island and is passionate about its history. The stories he tells will intrigue you. Tours include Chicamacomico (Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo), Kinnakeet (Avon), The Cape (Buxton), Hatteras Village, Ocracoke Island and Roanoke Island. Family groups are encouraged. Call ahead for more information or to organize a custom tour. Ticket prices range from $45 to $60, depending on the season and the tour. Call the number above for more information or to reserve your seat.

Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry

End of N.C. Highway 12
Hatteras Village
(252) 986-2353, (800) BY FERRY

For a free boat ride, drive onto the ferry at the south end of Hatteras Island. You’ll cross Hatteras Inlet and end up on the absolutely charming island of Ocracoke, where you’ll definitely want to spend a few hours or a whole day exploring the village shops, restaurants and historic sites (and pick up a copy of our sister paper, the Ocracoke Island newspaper, or click on the Ocracoke tab at the top of this page ). The ferry ride is about 40 minutes long. Once you get off the ferry onto Ocracoke Island, you’ll need transportation — your car or a bicycle — because it’s about 13 miles from the ferry dock to the village. But you can walk over to the pristine beaches of Ocracoke right from the ferry docks. The ferry is free. In the summer (April 19 to October 11), the ferry runs every hour from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., every 30 minutes between 7:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. and every hour between 8 p.m. and midnight. Off-season hours are every hour from 5 a.m. to midnight. This ride may not be free forever (the state may need the money someday), so be sure to enjoy it while it is!

Haulover Day Use Area

N.C. Highway 12
Rodanthe

The Haulover Day Use Area is also known as Canadian Hole because it is a hotspot for windsurfers and kiteboarders, many of whom hail from Canada. This soundside access makes a day on the sound very convenient. There’s lots of parking plus a bathhouse with rinse-off showers, changing rooms and restrooms. This little beach can be quite the scene when it’s packed with windsurfers and kiteboarders, but a lot of families come here, too, to swim, kayak, paddleboard and sit on the beach.

In Touch Massage & Wellness Center

50840 N.C. Highway 12
Frisco
(252) 995-4067

In Touch Massage and Wellness Center is a haven of peace and rejuvenation on Hatteras Island. The center offers holistic massage and spa treatments using only natural and organic products. Pamper yourself with a sugar or salt scrub or choose a Chinese herbal facial. Allow the highly trained therapists to create a custom massage to meet your individual needs. Four treatment rooms accommodate group appointments with ease. An acupuncturist offers services here as well. The center offers organic skin and body products, Jane Iredale mineral make-up, natural supplements and homeopathic remedies. In Touch is located in the same building as Indiantown Gallery and a coffee shop, so be sure to visit all three.

Indian Town Gallery and Gifts

50840 N.C. Highway 12
Frisco
(252) 995-5181

In addition to selling art by some of the best local and regional artists, Indian Town Gallery offers weekly classes in watercolor painting, beading, sea-glass wrapping and other media. Be sure to call or check in for the weekly class schedule.

Island Cruisers

26248 N.C. Highway 12
Salvo
(252) 987-1250, (252) 202-8388

Island Cruisers offers car rentals on Hatteras Island, including four-wheel-drive vehicles. RV campers who need a car to get around like this service. You can also rent a classic VW–powered fiberglass convertible Buggy that’s a blast to drive. Or you can rent a regular car — economy size to multi-passenger mini-vans. All their vehicles are street legal and get excellent gas mileage. Fishing gear packages are available to rent as well. Reservations are required.

Island Time Cups and Cones

40146 N.C. Highway 12
Avon
(252) 995-0202

Island Time Cups and Cones shows a family-friendly movie outside every night in the summer starting at dark, usually about 9 p.m. Sit outside on a blanket or lawn chair, or pull your car up like the days of drive-in theaters. While you’re there, enjoy a Hawaiian ice, ice cream, shake, smoothie, Italian ice or coffee. They also make great custom ice-cream cakes. Island Time is open every day until 11 p.m.

Kitty Hawk Surf Co.

24502 N.C. Highway 12, Waves Village Kiteboarding Resort
Rodanthe
(252) 987-2297

Kitty Hawk Surf Co. offers gear and equipment for surfing, standup paddleboarding, kayaking and skimboarding. Ask about surf lessons. Kitty Hawk Surf Co. also carries the surf brands everybody wants: Quiksilver, Billabong, Volcom, O’Neill, Roxy, The North Face and many more for men, women and children.

Miss Hatteras—Dolphin and Wildlife Sunset Cruise

57878 N.C. Highway 12, Oden’s Dock
Hatteras Village
(252) 986-2365

This 75-foot head boat makes daily full or half-day trips to the fishing grounds, but if you don’t want to fish, you can join them for a Dolphin and Wildlife Sunset Cruise from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. You just relax and enjoy the breezes and spectacular Hatteras sunset while the crew points out dolphin, native birds and other local wildlife. Miss Hatteras also is available for private charter for weddings, parties and other events.

Natural Art Surf Shop

47331 N.C. Highway 12
Buxton
(252) 995-5682

Natural Art has been a fixture on the island surfing scene since 1977, and it’s all about serious surfing. They shape custom boards and create custom artwork so you can design your own. They sell new and used surfboards and skimboards and rent surfboards, bodyboards and wetsuits. They also repair surfboards. All the surfing support gear is here too: clothing, footwear, wetsuits, rash guards, accessories, sunscreen, art, you name it.

New Inlet Boat Ramp

Pea Island Wildlife Refuge
Rodanthe

The New Inlet ramp is for small boats only, and you may launch here for free. It’s in the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, and it’s a beautiful place to launch a boat, especially a kayak or canoe.

Oregon Inlet Fishing Center

98 N.C. Highway 12
Oregon Inlet
(252) 441-6301

The Fishing Center is located on the north side of Oregon Inlet on Bodie Island. It’s free to use the boat launch here, and there’s plenty of parking for vehicles and trailers. The Fishing Center sells fuel (there are pumps for boats in the water and for cars on land) and has air for filling up your tires after a day of driving on the beach. There are also restrooms and a store selling bait and tackle, clothing, food and snacks, ice and beverages. It’s fun to come here and watch the anglers from the offshore boats unloading their catches of the day in the late afternoon, but anytime you come you’ll be treated to the sight of the colorful Carolina-style sportfishing boats that dock here.

Outer Banks Kiting

Avon Harbor
Avon
(252) 305-6839

Jay Crawford, owner of Outer Banks Kiting, is an expert in this sport. He’s lived on Hatteras Island for a long time so he knows the winds and waters well, and he’s been a coach for decades so he understands how to encourage and challenge his students. At this kiteboarding business, students of all skill levels can learn, improve or master this sport through the various classes offered. Emphasis is on making sure all students are safe and can build their skills in a step-by-step manner. They’re sponsored by Naish International, Jimmy Lewis and Carolina Skiff, providing the newest and most technologically advanced equipment available, but you’re also welcome to bring your own, which they’ll check out for you before you hit the water. Lessons last 2 to 2.5 hours and camps usually go for about 4 to 5 hours a day. In addition to kiting, they also offer sunset cruises —- perfect for those non-windy days — and wakeboarding lessons, which is a great way to learn moves you use in kiting.

Outer Banks Marathon / Outer Banks Sporting Events

Throughout the Outer Banks
(252) 255-6273

If you’re a runner or walker, or if you like to swim-bike-run, you don’t want to miss out on these events on a mainly flat course with awesome scenery and the spirited residents of the Outer Banks cheering for you all along the way. On November 12 and 13, 2011, you can participate in the sixth annual Outer Banks Marathon, Half-Marathon or a 8K or 5K. The course for the marathon begins in Kitty Hawk, travels on through Kill Devil Hills and around the Wright Memorial, goes through Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. The Half-Marathon begins in Nags Head and ends on Roanoke Island. Walkers are welcome. There is a $25,000 prize purse for the marathon. Several other events are held on Saturday, November 13, including an 8K, 5K and a 1-mile Fun Run. The Outer Banks Triathlon is scheduled for September 10 and 11, 2011, and includes Sprint, Half and Olympic distances. The Triathlon races start on Roanoke Island. On April 14 and 15, 2012, the Flying Pirate Half-Marathon and First Flight 5K are held on the central beaches. For information and to register, go to www.obxmarathon.org.

RC Hatteras Movies 4

41934 N.C. Highway 12, Hatteras Island Plaza
Avon
(252) 995-9060

RC Theatres offers four first-run movies daily in the summer months, and they close in the off-season. Beware the rainy day, when the theater is most crowded — you can buy advance tickets on those days. For movie info, call the hotline at the number above or rely on your phone app.

REAL Watersports

25676 N.C. Highway 12
Waves
(252) 987-6000; (866) REAL-548

REAL Watersports teaches kiteboarding, surfing and standup paddleboarding lessons and camps seven days a week. REAL’s Zero 2 Hero camp program is ranked by Outside Magazine among the Top 10 Adventure Camps in the World. New for 2011 REAL offers exciting Jet Ski Tours on the Pamlico Sound. Inside REAL, you’ll find hundreds of kites, kiteboards, surfboards and standup paddleboards for sale as well as a fully stocked rental shop to get you geared up for your next session. After your session, join the fun at MOJOs Sunset Café with waterfront seating and live entertainment. REAL is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Ride Hatteras

40168 N.C. Highway 12
Avon
(252) 995-6755

Ride Hatteras offers surfing, windsurfing and kiteboarding lessons for beginner, intermediate or advanced riders. Equipment is tailored to meet the needs of the student and the wind conditions of the day. Kids’ lessons are available, and class sizes are small. You can rent equipment for standup paddleboarding, windsurfing, surfing, bodyboarding,skimboarding and kayaking here, and they sell other essential gear.

Rodanthe Surf Shop

23580 N.C. Highway 12
Rodanthe
(252) 987-2412

Rodanthe Surf Shop exists for the love of surfing alone. They rent body, surf and skimboards and offer surf lessons and sell name-brand surf wear and accessories.

Sailing OBX

24170 N.C. Highway 12
Rodanthe
(252) 216-9283

Sailing OBX is the sailing component of Rodanthe Watersports. You can rent a 16-foot Hobie cat, an 18-foot American daysailer or a Sunfish to sail on your own, and they’ll give you lessons if you need them. If you prefer to let someone else do the sailing, they offer sunset charters on the American 18-foot Daysailor. Sailing OBX can deliver two of its sailboat models — a Hobie 16 or a Lightning Daysailor 19 — to your location.

Salvo Day Use Area

N.C. Highway 12
Rodanthe

This is a very cool spot for hanging out by the sound. The site is a former National Park Service Campground that was closed due to lack of funds. The former campground area is a little overgrown, but the roads and soundside beach are kept up nicely. When you turn in, head to the right to the northwest corner of the lot. There you’ll find a parking area and restroom facilities next to a small cemetery. The sound beach is an awesome spot for fishing, launching a kiteboard, sailboard, paddleboard or kayak, swimming or sitting in the sun. It’s usually not very crowded, and the calm water is great for kids when the ocean is rough. Be sure to walk through the little cemetery before you leave. Some of the oldest island names are on the headstones.

Sandbar and Grille

49250 N.C. Highway 12
Buxton
(252) 995-3413

The Sandbar restaurant has a whole level devoted to its game room. You’ll find a pool table, video games and more. Parents get to enjoy a quiet meal in the restaurants (see Restaurants section) with an awesome sound view while the kids play in the game room.

Scotch Bonnet Boat Ramp and Dock

51684 N.C. Highway 12
Frisco
(252) 995-4242

The marina next to the Scotch Bonnet gift shop offers a boat ramp, which can be used for a $10 fee; parking for vehicles with trailers is available.

Sunsational Designs Gallery, Coffee and Beads

53255 N.C. Highway 12
Frisco
(252) 995-5960

This gallery, owned by a native Hatteras Island family for more than 20 years, is not an ordinary art gallery. Sure, they offer paintings and other artwork by their family of artists, including the jewelry of Sarah Jackson, but they also offer rock art, buoy art and fun gifts like hats and T-shirts. They also sell thousands of beads, so this is a great place to make your own custom jewelry. Sunsational now offers gourmet coffee and espresso-based drinks and specialty teas.

Teach’s Lair Marina

58646 N.C. Highway 12
Hatteras Village
(252) 986-2460

Teach’s Lair full-service marina has a ramp for launching boats that can be used for a $10 fee, and there is parking across the street.

The Glass Bead

39774 N.C. Highway 12, Dairy Queen Shopping Center
Avon
(252) 995-7020

Let your creative streak shine at this make-your-own-jewelry store. The Glass Bead has thousands of beads, including handmade beads, crystals, semiprecious stones, charms and seed beads, plus hemp for designing your own necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other jewelry. You can make the jewelry here, and lessons are offered. All the supplies you need are available, including cording, thread, clasps and idea books. Pre-made jewelry is for sale as well. Java Junction, a coffee shop and internet café, is right next door.