Our Favorites Ways to Hang Out with Family on Hatteras Island
Midgett Realty vacations are all about family togetherness, so we’ve carefully curated a list of our favorite ways to spend time with your loved ones while visiting the Outer Banks.
1. Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is a North Carolina Maritime Museum that offers free admission, a lot of exciting historical exhibits and information, and year-round programs for the whole family. Just across the parking lot from ORV Ramp 55, you can walk or drive the beach and envision a whole new life within the waves that are so famously known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic!
2. Catch a Sunset Cruise
If a fishing charter isn’t something your family can get into, you can still explore the open waters on a sunset cruise as you admire the beautifully painted skies of Hatteras Island. Offered by a couple different captains in Hatteras Village, perhaps the most sought-after tour is the sunset dolphin cruise offered by the island’s head boat, the Miss Hatteras.
3. Utilize The Village Sidewalks
Even the pups will want to join in on the family fun when you peruse the town on the scenic sidewalks offered in nearly every village. Get a little exercise and enjoy the salt air as you explore what each village has to offer from shops to eateries and a multitude of attractions. Walk, bike, run, skate, your mode of transportation is your choice!
4. Hit The Trails
While Hatteras Island is most well known for its pristine and open beaches, it also has one of the largest expanses of maritime forest on the East Coast! With that, there are a variety of NPS-maintained trails that are perfect for a family hike. Animal lovers can even explore these trails on horseback by booking a guided tour with a local guide! When traveling on foot, just make sure to pack provisions including snacks, plenty of water, and bug spray for the trails as the Hatteras heat is nothing to joke around with, even under the canopy of the forest.
5. Parasailing
Explore new heights and try your hand at parasailing! While heights may not be for everyone, this is one view you won’t want to miss as you glide through the air high above the water for a unique and unbeatable view of Hatteras Island!
6. Visit a Pier
Located in Rodanthe and Avon, Hatteras Island boasts two fishing piers that provide fun for the entire family. Walk the wood plank piers high above the ocean for a day or night of fishing excitement. If you’re not one to cast a line, spectators can walk the pier to view everyone’s daily catch, snap some pics, or take in the relaxing view of the shoreline, perched on the benches scattered along the pier’s edge.
7. Beach Fire
While many people associate the beach as a daytime scene, it can be just as fun at night! Light a beach fire and roast marshmallows, tell your favorite ghost stories, hunt for ghost crabs and stare deep into the famously darkened Hatteras Island skies for unmatched stargazing. A beach fire permit is required but can be found in each of our offices or can be printed here.
8. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Climb
Climb the 269 steps to the top of the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States for an unforgettable bird’s eye view of Hatteras Island. With a history rich in adventure, the whole family will enjoy the stories of this famous beacon as well as the multitude of Instagram-worthy photo opportunities from high above the sea. For a nighttime adventure, be sure to check out the NPS calendar for their Full Moon Climbs. Psst! You’ll want to buy tickets in advance as there is limited availability and they sell out quickly!
9. Visit the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station
Not just for history buffs, but certainly a fan favorite, the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station is a wonderfully unique campus where folks can walk the grounds and historically preserved buildings to get a real life visual of what the early islanders were up against while attempting to save those battling the Graveyard of the Atlantic’s infamous and deadly shoals. Watch real life drill reenactments by local actors in full garb and visit the gift shop on your way out for a fun reminder of your time on Hatteras Island!
10. Weekly Village Markets
Weekly Village Markets are a place where the local artisans and farmers of Hatteras Island come to sell their goods that you might not find anywhere else. A great way to support the local community, it’s also a great place to snag some one-of-a-kind finds! With markets found in the Tri-Villages, Avon and Frisco, you’ll come across a variety of products from handcrafted jewelry to local art to outdoor furnishings to small-batch and gourmet food items and much, much more!
