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Hatteras Island is a barrier island located off the coast of North Carolina. The island divides the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound and is part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Hatteras Island includes seven communities located along 50 miles of coastline and include Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras. This area contains the largest part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

For our vacation, we stayed in Hatteras. This area is one of the least populated areas of the Outer Banks and is one of the reasons I fell in love with this quaint village. Quiet walks on the beach, starry nights, and beautiful sunrises make Hatteras Village the ideal destination for your next family vacation. Read on to find out more about where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in the Outer Banks.

The Perfect Blend

Hatteras Island offers the perfect blend of places to visit, unique shops, mom and pop restaurants, miles and miles of unspoiled beaches, and plenty of opportunities to relax and unwind. I have listed some of the places we visited and provided links to websites if you’d like more information. We were only there a week and could have easily stayed much longer.

Getting There

If you’re driving to the Outer Banks, click here to read my post on What to Pack on you next Road Trip. If you’re wanting to fly, click on the image below to discover the best rates on flights. Look for flights into Norfolk International Airport (82 miles) or Raleigh Durham International Airport (192 miles). Find Deals Now

Where to Stay

Hatteras Island offers several different options for your stay depending on your family’s needs and preferences. If you’re only planning to stay a few days, a hotel would be your best option. As a couple, you may choose to rent a small condo if you’re staying for the week. We opted to rent a large beach house using VRBO to help us find the perfect rental property. If you too end up renting your vacation home, check-out my Vacation Rental Packing List to be sure you don’t forget a thing!

It took only a few days and many text messages amongst family members to decide on our house. Thanks to VRBO we were able to find a property on the water (sound side with views of the ocean), pet-friendly with an elevator and enough beds for 18. The kitchen and main living space was on the top floor of the house, giving us a panoramic view of the ocean and sound. In addition, all of the bedrooms had balconies to provide even more opportunities to take in the breathtaking scenery. See it for yourself here. Need help using VRBO to find your dream vacation rental? Click here to read my post, How to Use VRBO.

Places to Go

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Climbing the 257 steps of the tallest lighthouse in the country (second in the world) was exhilarating. Once we got to the top, the view was incredible and well worth the effort to get there. The cost is $8.00 for adults, children (must be over 42″) and seniors $4.00. Climbs start at 9:00 am and occur every 10 minutes. For safety reasons, no more than 30 climbers are allowed at a time. Be sure to visit the museum and gift shop after your climb. If you happen to be in the area during a full moon, reserve your tickets in advance for the special full moon tour. This was one of the highlights of our trip. My husband has always had a fascination with lighthouses and to see Cape Hatteras in person made for some very special memories.

Ocracoke Island

My family climbed aboard the Ocracoke Express for the 70-minute ferry ride from Hatteras (passengers only). There are additional ferry options if you want to take your car to the island. Once we docked, we walked across the street to catch the free tram that stops at 8 different locations and loops around the island from 10:30 am – 8:00 pm in 30-minute intervals. The ferry docks close enough to shops and restaurants if you prefer to start your day on foot. You can also rent a golf cart or bikes near the ferry terminal. The Ocracoke Express departs Hatteras at 9:30, 1:00, and 4:30. It returns from Ocracoke at 11:00, 3:00, and 8:00. The ferry gives you an option of sitting on top for the best views or sitting below in the air conditioned cabin where you can purchase drinks and snacks or use the restroom. The interior of the ferry is comfortable and allows a party of 6 to sit facing each other with a table in the middle. For more information on the ferry, click here. The island has a laid-back feel much like Hatteras and is dotted with quaint little gift shops, galleries, locally owned restaurants, ice cream shops, and coffee shops. My only regret is not getting to the island earlier in the day. The next time we go, we’ll take an earlier ferry to take advantage of all there is to see and do around the island. Nature/outdoor enthusiasts will love kayaking, wind sailing, parasailing, surfing, paddle boarding, and kite boarding. If you’d enjoy something more relaxing, there are 16 miles of white, sandy beaches to sink your toes into while you bask in the sun.

Since we were late getting to the island, we only had time to eat at Jason’s Restaurant (a local favorite), grab some ice cream, and head back to the ferry terminal. The ferry ride back to Hatteras did not disappoint, as it provided us with an amazing sunset and views of the Hatteras Lighthouse at night.

Hatteras Landing

Hatteras Landing is a full-service marina with shops and restaurants. We visited one of our favorite retailers, Life is Good, and found several items to commemorate our vacation. After a little shopping, we ate lunch at The Wreck Tiki Bar and Food. There are plenty of places to sit outside and dine while looking out at the marina. We chose to sit inside and cool-off in the AC but made sure to take plenty of pictures by the dock when we finished.

Click here to view the complete list of shops and restaurants at Hatteras Landing.

Hatteras Island Beaches

One of the many benefits of staying on Hatteras Island is getting to enjoy the beach without the crowds you experience in Nags Head or other more populated areas of the Outer Banks. There were mornings I passed no more than two people when walking on the beach. The picture below was taken on one of my morning walks with no one in sight for as far as I could see. Whether I was walking with my son looking for shells or sitting on the sand staring out at the ocean, it was as peaceful and beautiful as any beach I’ve been to. The beach (and ferry) is dog-friendly so don’t forget to bring along your furry family member on vacation.

Public beach access can be found by looking for numbered ramps marked for pedestrian or off-road vehicle use. Parking is free at Hatteras Beach access points and many offer bathrooms, shower facilities and handicap access. Fortunately, our beach house was located across the street from the ocean with only a sand dune standing in our way of accessing this beautiful and pristine beach.

Restaurants

The Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop

I had read about this coffee shop on Pinterest before our vacation and luckily we were staying just a few miles away. The atmosphere is warm and friendly and there’s a comfortable area to sit and enjoy your drinks. We left with a bag of coffee, two drinks, and a few items from their gift shop. The coffee we brought home was Hazelnut and it’s delicious. It’s the right blend of smoothness and sweetness (but not too sweet). I highly recommend their iced coffee if you go, it was a refreshing treat on a really hot day.

The Gingerbread House Bakery

Don’t let the name fool you! This place is a bakery, but it is also a really good pizzeria. So good in fact we had it twice. We ordered 12 pizzas for our party of 18 and both times we were able to pick it up in 30 minutes. The staff was very friendly and our order came out right every time. The slices are big so you can easily fill-up on two pieces. Pizza crust comes in white, whole wheat, stuffed crust, thin or thick. Now, it wouldn’t be right to leave the Gingerbread House Bakery without something sweet, so my husband came home with a light and flaky eclair for dessert. It was big enough for both of us and we even had left-overs.

Buxton Seafood

With such a large group, we found it easier most nights to order take-out or cook ourselves. Buxton Seafood steamed the crab legs and we opted to cook the shrimp and scallops ourselves. Be sure to order your crab legs the day before you plan on eating so you don’t miss out. The crab legs go quickly and early!

Start Planning Today

It’s never too soon (or too late) to start planning your vacation to the Outer Banks. There are many more things to do in the Outer Banks and I hope someday to experience them all. Have you ever visited the OBX? Let me know in the comments below what you loved about your trip. Click on the pictures below to download your free vacation planners.

Happy & Safe Travels!