Lighthouses, Life Savers, and Cape Hatteras History

Take in the scenery from above on this full-day Outer Banks lighthouse route, with stops at Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras, historic rescue stations, coastal museums, and Ocracoke Island.

This is a long day of travel through Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The featured stops include Bodie Island Lighthouse, Chicamacomico Life Saving Station, Pea Island Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, and Ocracoke Island.

Full-Day Itinerary

8:00am — Breakfast

Begin with breakfast at your hotel, or choose a local family restaurant for a classic southern morning meal.

9:00am — Bodie Island Lighthouse (30 minutes)

Visit Bodie Island Lighthouse, a 156-foot beacon that started service in 1872. The Original Fresnel Lens remains in use today.

10:30am — Chicamacomico Life Saving Station (1 hour)

Explore the historic structure and boathouse that once supported the service that came before the United States Coast Guard. The stop shares stories of courageous ocean rescues carried out by men whose lives were tied to the sea.

12:00pm — Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (1 hour)

Stop at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick beacon on the American coast, standing at 208 feet high. Discover its remarkable past, including the half-mile relocation completed in 2000 to move it away from the ocean.

1:45pm — Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry Terminal

Arrive at the Hatteras-Ocracoke Ferry Terminal. Before lining up for the ferry, make a quick stop at Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. Set beside the ferry docks, the museum is still developing, with current exhibits that include artifacts from historical shipwrecks, unusual finds from the beach, and locally carved ships’ models. It is also a convenient bathroom stop before the ferry trip to Ocracoke Island.

2:00pm — Ferry to Ocracoke Island

Board the ferry for a 45-minute free ferry ride to historic Ocracoke Island. This island is associated with the famous pirate Blackbeard, who raided many ships and was ultimately beheaded by a British naval captain in 1718 in a slough near the island. Reservations are recommended, but not required for this free ferry.

3:15pm — Ocracoke Island Visitor Center

Arrive at the Ocracoke Island Visitor Center. A tour should be arranged ahead of time with a National Park Service interpreter, who can share the history and mystery of this small fishing village.

Ocracoke Lighthouse — Windshield Tour

Pause at Ocracoke Lighthouse. Located in the fishing village beside Silver Lake, the whitewashed tower is described as the oldest and shortest. Built in 1823, it is the oldest operating lighthouse on the North Carolina Coast and the second oldest in the nation. It also received the first Fresnel lenses.

Other Ocracoke Island points of interest include:

• Teach’s Hole – Blackbeard Exhibit and Pirate Specialty Shop
• British Cemetery – located on Howard Street
• Banker Ponies – pins are located on NC 12 on the way to village
• Ocracoke Preservation Museum

5:00pm — Ocracoke/Hatteras Ferry to Hatteras Village

Take the free Ocracoke/Hatteras Ferry back to Hatteras Village. If there was not enough time on the way to Ocracoke Island, visit Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum on the return.

6:00pm — Dinner on Hatteras Island

As you travel back toward your hotel, stop for fresh seafood from the Atlantic Gulf Stream waters at one of the many locally owned restaurants.

9:00pm — Return to Hotel