I am planning a trip to the Outer Banks this summer and have never been there before. I would appreciate any referrals as to central location to visit as many lights as possible. Thanks in advance for the help.

Rich

Hello Rich
I have been to the Outerbanks, and would like to tell you about it.
I was there Last Mermorial Day. I decided to go at the last minute and was very glad I went.
I saw 5 lighthouses is a day and 1/2. I was traveling alone and everything was so easy to find.
Leaving Tennessee about 4 pm I arrived to the Outerbanks about midnight on Saturday night.
I was up and ready about 6:30 Sunday morning.
Drove to Bodie Island first. 7 am, the quiet of the area that early was nice. You can not climb it so about an 1 hour is all you need to get some beautiful pictures. Don't forget to take one from Hwy 12. The sun will be behind you and you will get a great shot.
I then went back to Corrolla to see Currituck. It doesn't take long to drive, just tht the speed limit is only 35-40 through Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Duck and Corrolla. I arrived there 9:15 just in time to get some shots of the light without people on it. It doesn't open until 9:30, you can climb it for $5 and overlook the ocean and the Currituck Sound.
Backtrack some and go past Bodie Island again and wave as you head to Cape Hatteras.
You will be lucky to see it in the new location. When I was there I saw it just before it was moved and then went to the new location. You will have no trouble finding this one.... Take time to walk on the beach while there, it is wonderful.
Moving on to Ocracoke... You will take a ferry from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke, they run often and will take about 1/2 hour.
When you get on Ocracoke the streets are narrow and winding but you will have no trouble.
Now the ferry back to the mainland is something else. YOU MUST MAKE A RESERVATION FOR THIS. It is booked. An you will need to make it ASAP.
It take 2-1/2 hours. So make it your last thing of the evening and you can rest on the ride.
You will dock at Cedar Island. Make a reservation at Harkers Island for the night. The next morning you will be set to go to Cape Lookout. Plenty of ferries that take people only to Cape Lookout. You can spend 1 hour or all day and they will come back to get you when you say so. You pack your own food and water and of course your camera. Be sure to get a shot of the lighthouse as you approach it. You may be as lucky as I was and capture the reflection of the lighthouse and the keepers home in the water.
My time was short and had to come home but you could go right on down to Oak Island and Old Baldie seeing all the NC lights.
Three pieces of advice.
1. DO NOT FORGET THE BUG SPRAY....you will need it!
2. Make reservations for ferries, and rooms (I had to sleep in the car as there were no accommodation to be had)
3. Eat well up around Nags Head, and pack plenty of snacks and beverages in your car. You will not find many places to eat.
Hope you find this helpful
E-mail me if you like and I can give you other details. Have fun, I know I did.
Pam

Rich,

You might want to consider Nag's Head if you really want to work out of a single camp. As Pam said, be prepared for a lot of backtracking though.

Here's how I did the Banks (and more) this past Memorial Day:

http://216.46.163.97/forums/Forum15/HTML/000051.html

Hope it helps. Have a great trip!

------------------
-Art

Rich,

My daughter and I also visited the Outer Banks last summer. That part of the trip was 3 days, with the middle day being a very bad weather day (figures). We used our Forum Friend Art's travelogue as a guide
http://216.46.163.97/forums/Forum15/HTML/000051.html
The NC State Ferry System is excellent, but if you go at a busy time you want those reservations if you want to keep to a schedule. Coming from Atlanta you may be able to reverse the trip.

What Pam says about the speed limit on the northern part of the Outer Banks is a gross understatement. North of Kitty Hawk * 158 come onto the Outer Banks, the speed limit can be a low one digit number. It took us over an hour to go around 20 miles and I am an agressive driver. Too many people not paying attention & walking / riding bikes down the middle of the road, along with about a zillion other cars. Currituck was most definitely worth the aggrevation to get to it (and the hour plus wait in line to climb the tower).

A great trip, and one that I want to repeat in a try for better weather.

Dave

Thanks for the reminising about this trip, Pam and Art. I've done parts of both and look foward to repeating it very soon.

Thanks for all the great information. I'll let you know how it goes.

Rich

Rich -

The Outer Banks is my second home (we own a cottage there) so I can share a few tips with you regarding visiting the lighthouses there. Currituck Beach Light (Corolla) is the northern most light and the drive from Nags Head to Corolla can be murder in the summer. Forget about driving to Corolla on Saturday or Sunday unless you go VERY early in the morning. Sat. & Sun. are check-in days for all the rental cottages so between 8-10AM and 2-6PM the single lane road from Nags Head to Corolla is positively clogged with vacationers arriving or leaving. Plan to visit Currituck Light during the week and anticipate a 40 minute min. drive from Nags Head to Corolla.
Bodie Island Light is rarely crowded and you can get some great photos at dusk just as the beacon light comes on and before the park service gates close. There is a great beach across the road from the lighthouse entrance. Coquina Beach is a great place to take the kids, pack a picnic lunch (they have picnic tables, showers and bathrooms)and enjoy a swim on a life guarded beach.
Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke can be seen in a single day, but if you are staying in and around Nags Head, plan on being gone all day. Make ferry reservations early (you can phone ahead prior to your arrival on the Outer Banks). I recommend seeing Ocracoke first and then see Hatteras on the drive back north, unless you want to photograph Hatteras in the morning. Hatteras is great to climb, but not recommended if you are afraid of heights or have hypertension. Currituck can be climbed also, but the last time we climbed it the stairs near the top were in pretty bad shape and could give one a scare or two. That was in 1994 so maybe they have been repaired by now. They are both tall towers so take the climb slowly and don't worry about folks behind you.
If you live up North, you might want to plan a visit through Virginia Beach either coming or going to see Cape Henry located at Fort Story. The old tower is open to the public to climb (and some times the CG opens up the new tower to visitors also). The old tower is a short one with a tight spiral staircase, and once you reach the top there's a steep climb up a ladder through a fairly tight opening in order to enter the beacon room. The view is fabulous. And just across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel is Old Point Comfort at Ft. Monroe. Enjoy your trip!

Deb

Actually Deb, they are restoring the Ironwork, at Currituck this winter. The tower will reopen in the spring. You can check out the Outer Banks Lighthouse society notes at the following address: http://208.27.117.5/forums/Thread.cfm?CFID=18149&CFTOKEN=67747569&CFApp=4&Thread_ID=160&mc=1

Did a search & pulled this thread back up. Printed out everyone comments and travel logs. Thanks to Art, Pam, Deb.

Wayne & I are leaving next Saturday for just a week to see the Outer Banks. Now we have never been to NC. We always travel with no schedule or reservations. Hoping this is not a problem in season. We always want to see as much of an area as possible so we never stay more than one night anywhere.

Everyone's input will make it easier for us to maximize our short week and not miss anything that will be near-by. The boys will staying in NY as they did last year when Wayne & I traveled up the Maine coast.

Hope it turns out as well as all of our other unstructured trips.

Donna

Donna,

As you come across the bridge over the Currituck Sound, make a stop at the visitors center on the right about 1/2 mile from the bridge. The folks there are real friendly and can help you get hotel reservations. They always know who has empty rooms. August is the busiest month on the OBX and the traffic will be terrible if you arrive on a Saturday. Sunday is better. Currituck, Bodie and Hatteras lights are all open now so you should be able to do some great sight seeing. Since they moved the Hatteras light near the woods, take bug repellent when visiting all of them. The skeets are some kinda fierce this year!!!
If you get a chance, visit the Aquarium on Roanoke Island. Newly enlarged and remodeled, it is well worth the small fee.

Deb

Hi Deb,

Thanks for the input. Considering that we made the decision last evening to see the coast rather than the mountains this trip (can only see so much in seven days!), we are really getting psyched.

I printed out everything from this thread, my husband read it & got nervous(esp. part where Pam slept in her car) so now we have reservations for Sat. night in Elizabeth City and will head to Currituck/Corolla early Sunday. Sunday night we are staying in Nag's Head. He wants to stay next night on Oracoke Island but we haven't resolved that yet.

We are hoping to get down to Oak Island before we have to head north and home. Of course last year I thought we'd get up the Maine coast to West Quoddy but never got past Acadia, again with just a week.

The worst part of the trip is the Jersey turnpike, a horror on Saturday in summer. We are hoping to get on the road by 6AM to try & stay ahead of the heaviest traffic. Also planning to take 13 thru Del-MarVa rather than 95 thru Washington.

I think I'm prepared for summer/weekend traffic on the coastal roads in NC. We go to Cape Cod every June. We know it will be a slow go.

My husband mentioned wanting to visit Roanoke Island, he is the history buff. All of the info in the posts was very helpful too re the ferries, length of trips, reservations required etc.

We are excited about visiting the state for the first but not hopefully last time (have to see those mountains!)

I was trying to remember which of your HLs joined my collection awhile back: Port Sanilac.

Thanks again for the tips!

Donna

Donna, You and your husband can't go wrong with a side trip to Roanoke Island. There is a lot to see in the Fort Raliegh park. And do not miss the Aquarium, and stop by the Manteo water front and see the Elizebeth II, a remake of the ship that brought the "lost colony" to Roanoke Island.

Don't now which Saturday you are cruising down DelMarVa, but check out this link for opportunities to climb Assateague some week-ends.
http://www.cheslights.org/index.html
You may be able to enjoy this opportunity since you may be so close. Have a great trip.

Dave

Thanks Weasel, Now I know we will definitely have to visit Roanoke Island. That way my better half gets to visit something other than lighthouses!

Dave, thanks for the link. We will be headed thru there this weekend (not open for climb). We were planning just a straight run home on 95 next Friday or Saturday. But maybe we'll go back up DelMarVa. Did not know the light was now open for occasional climbs.

Two years ago, the four of us toured state of Virginia for the first time. Shenandoah, Mannassas & Petersburg battlefields, Monticello. Yorktowne & Jamestown. On the way home we visited Cape Henry. I further suggested the "short" detour to Assateague. By the time we arrived late in the day, my husband & younger son were cranky & stayed in the car. Older son & myself walked up to Assateague & got some great photos. Later my husband realized what a beautiful lighthouse he missed, so maybe we can correct that this trip.

That why the forums are so great, people sharing ideas!

Thanks,
Donna

Speaking of "The Lost Colony", if you do have some time, you may want to take in the show one evening. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. You will need to order tickets in advance by contacting the ticket office at (800) 488-5012. Above all else, don't forget the bug spray! The Lost Colony outdoor theater is located just off of highway 64 in Manteo on Roanoke Island.

Tim - Keeping the flame lit...

Thats one of the wonderful things about the folks on this forum.....they'll take the time to "share" their thoughts, their experiences and their ideas. Rich, I guess you've been pretty well educated as to what you can expect when you get to the Outer Banks. I go to OBX about 7 to 8 times a year and the responces are a "blueprint" for a good time while you're there. As always, I'm impressed with the people here.