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