Unincorporated Hatteras Island and Ocracoke Island are home to a variety of unique beach communities including Rodanthe, Buxton, Waves, Salvo, Avon and Cape Hatteras. Visitors to these destinations crave the unregulated experience, where shopping and fine dining take a back seat to individual adventure and quiet exploration.
Hatteras Island
One of the longest islands in the contiguous United States, Hatteras offers nearly 50 miles of pristine beach on the ocean side for sunbathers and surfers, and fantastic opportunities for bird watchers and kiteboard, kayak and personal watercraft enthusiasts on the sound side. In addition, because the island is located where the Gulf Stream meets the cooler Labrador Current, Hatteras is known as the “blue marlin capital of the world,” providing exciting sport-fishing prospects for anglers of all ages.
Hatteras is home to a number of warm and inviting towns including Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, and Rodanthe—a town that is now world-famous thanks to the best-selling novel and major motion picture, "Nights in Rodanthe." As part of the nation’s first National Seashore, Hatteras Island is one of the country’s most visited National Parks. Bikers can enjoy the long stretches of scenic roadways connecting the towns, while history lovers can visit both the Bodie Island lighthouse and the Cape Hatteras Light—recognized by the National Park Service as the tallest lighthouse in America. A number of campgrounds are available for a true outdoor experience, but many of the towns also feature hotels and B&Bs for those who are interested in a little pampering.
Ocracoke
Once the favorite hangout of the most notorious pirate in history, the treasure of Edward Teach (a.k.a. Blackbeard) is still rumored to be buried somewhere on the island of Ocracoke.
If you’re more interested in relaxing on the beach than digging for gold, Ocracoke has a gem of a shoreline that was rated #1 in the United States (yes, beating out even Florida and Hawaii) on Dr. Beach’s annual America’s Best Beaches List of 2007. The designation was based on sand color and quality, number and size of waves, color and condition of water and more.
Accessible by ferry or small plane, Ocracoke features a large beachside campground for sun worshippers and surf casters, as well as a pony pen and observation deck that allows visitors to catch a glimpse of some of the famous wild horses that inhabit the island.
The town of Ocracoke itself is situated on a small harbor called Silver Lake. Visitors will find a number of surprisingly excellent restaurants, several bars, comfortable accommodations, shops, a number of deep-sea fishing charter opportunities, the only non-British soil in the United States (a cemetery) and the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina (the second oldest in the United States).
