Visitors from across the nation and around the world travel to North Carolina's coast to tour the state's seven famed lighthouses. Just like Walt Disney's seven dwarfs (only much, much taller), North Carolina's towering wonders all feature distinctive characteristics and an intriguing history that make them specifically memorable. In this article, you'll learn how to visit North Carolina's lighthouses, starting with the red-brick Currituck Beach Lighthouse at the northern end of the state and continuing successively along the coast to the southernmost tri-colored Oak Island Lighthouse. Take your time and enjoy your visit to North Carolina's seven famed lighthouses!
Learn a little about the Currituck Beach Lighthouse: The Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla, North Carolina is North Carolina’s northernmost coastal lighthouse. Built in 1875 at a cost of $178,000 using approximately one million bricks, the Currituck Beach light was the last brick lighthouse to be built along North Carolina’s famed Outer Banks and is known for its striking red color. Standing at 162 feet, there are 214 steps leading to the top of this lighthouse, which is still an operational beacon. Its light is visible for 19 miles and flashes at 20-second intervals, alerting ships traveling at night of their proximity to North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The restoration of the lighthouse is widely considered one of the best lighthouse restorations in America.
How to get there: In North Carolina at the intersection of Highway 158 and State Route 12, take Route 12 heading north through the village of Duck and to Corolla. The lighthouse entrance is about 20 miles on Route 12. Using Mapquest or other online map tools, as your destination type in Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Hwy 12 N, Corolla, NC. The closest major airport to Corolla is Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, approximately two hours driving distance. Rental cars are available at Norfolk International.
Visiting Currituck Beach Lighthouse: The grounds of Currituck Beach Lighthouse are open year-round. The lighthouse and the museum are open from the week prior to Easter to the weekend after Thanksgiving only. In season, the lighthouse is open to public climbing for a nominal fee. Those who climb the lighthouse must sign a waiver beforehand. The view from the top is expansive and includes both the sound and the Atlantic Ocean.The grounds surrounding the lighthouse are impressive. Two Victorian-style lightkeepers' houses are on the site, the smaller of which is used as the museum shop. Parking at the Currituck Beach Lighthouse grounds is ample, and the grounds are handicapped accessible.
Get additional information: For more information on the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, including directions, instructions for tour groups and lighthouse climbing information, visit the Currituck Beach Lighthouse website at http://www.currituckbeachlight.com, call (252) 453-8152 or email [email protected].
Learn a little about the Bodie Island Lighthouse: Approximately 33 miles south of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse is the Bodie (pronounced "body") Island Lighthouse. Local lore says the island gained its name from the many bodies that would wash up along shore from shipwrecks at sea. This black-and-white striped brick lighthouse is 156 feet tall and was completed in 1872 at a construction cost of $140,000. The working lighthouse’s beacon is visible from a distance of up to 19 miles.
How to get to the Bodie Island Lighthouse from the Currituck Beach Lighthouse: Take State Route 12 South back through Corolla and Duck to Kitty Hawk and turn left onto Highway 158 South at Milepost 1 in Kitty Hawk. Follow Highway 158 through Nags Head, NC. Bodie Island Lighthouse is located eight miles south of the US-158 and US-64 intersection and within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The Bodie Island Lighthouse is approximately 33 miles from the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.
Visiting Bodie Island Lighthouse: Open year-round, the Bodie Island Lighthouse is not open for climbing but visitors are allowed entrance to the bottom floor of the lighthouse to look at the interior. The restored lightkeeper’s quarters houses a visitor center for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a museum and gift shop featuring lighthouse-related items and books, and offers restroom facilities. Parking is ample and the grounds are expansive, good for walking pets or just stretching your legs. A walking trail is also featured.
Get additional information: For more information on the Bodie Island Lighthouse, visit the Outer Banks Visitor Bureau's website at http://www.outerbanks.org, phone (252) 473-2138 or email [email protected]. Addition information can be found on the National Park Service's website at http://www.nps.gov/caha.
Learn a little about the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, North Carolina is the tallest lighthouse in North America, standing at a towering 208 feet. The present black-and-white barber pole patterned lighthouse was constructed in 1870 at a cost of $150,000. 257 steps lead to the top. The working lighthouse warns ships of the treacherous Diamond Shoals and it’s said that the beacon can be seen from up to 50 miles away. In 1999, the lighthouse made national news when it was moved at a snail’s pace approximately 3,000 feet inland to save it from the encroaching Atlantic Ocean.
How to get to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from the Bodie Island Lighthouse: From the Bodie Island Lighthouse, take NC 12 South to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, about a 45 mile drive.
Visiting Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is open for public climbing from mid-April through Columbus Day. The Cape Hatteras Visitors Center and the grounds surrounding the lighthouse are open year-round. There is a fee to climb the lighthouse.Parking is ample and the lighthouse keeper's quarters feature a museum of the sea.
Get additional information: For more information on the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, visit the Outer Banks Visitor Bureau's website at http://www.outerbanks.org, phone (252) 473-2138 or email [email protected]. Addition information can be found on the National Park Service's website at www.nps.gov/caha ,or by calling the Cape Hatteras National Seashore office at (252) 473-2111.
Learn a little about the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse: The Ocracoke Island Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island was built in 1823. It is not only the oldest North Carolina lighthouse in continuous service, but it is the second oldest lighthouse in the United States still in service. At the time of its commissioning, it is said to have cost a mere $11,359.00 to build. At 76 feet tall it comes up a little short compared to other lighthouses in North Carolina, but the all-white structure is a stand-out on the charming Ocracoke Island skyline. The lighthouse is a working navigational tool, shining its light out onto the local waters from dusk to dawn.
How to get to the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: From the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, it is about a 45-minute drive to the Ocracoke-bound North Carolina state ferry at the southern tip of Hatteras Island in Hatteras Village. This car-carrying ferry ride is approximately 45 minutes long. Departure schedules can be found online at http://www.ncferry.org. It is approximately a 20-minute drive from the ferry into Ocracoke Village will take you to the lighthouse.
Visiting Ocracoke Island Lighthouse: Neither the lighthouse nor the lightkeeper's buildings are open to the public on Ocracoke Island, but for lighthouse enthusiasts intent on visiting all seven of North Carolina's lighthouses, this is a must-see. The surrounding village of Ocracoke offers lots of coastal diversions, so a trip to the island is well worth your time. Ocracoke Island's beaches were named number one in the country in 2007 by Dr. Beach.
Get additional information: Like many of its coastal counterparts, the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse is maintained by the National Park Service which offers substantial historical information online at http://www.nps.gov/archive/caha/ocracokelh.htm. For additional visitors' information, visit the Hyde County Visitors Bureau website at http://www.hydecounty.org.
Learn a little about the Cape Lookout Lighthouse: This black-and-white diagonal checkerboard lighthouse was constructed between 1857 and 1859, and was the model for other Outer Banks lighthouses including Cape Hatteras, Bodie Island and Currituck Beach. Standing at 163 feet above sea level, the lighthouse continues to be a working aid to navigation and operates 24 hours a day, warning sailors of Lookout Shoals, also known as the "Horrible Headlands." The waters along this portion of North Carolina are commonly known as "The Graveyard of the Atlantic" because of the number of shipwrecks that have occurred here.
How to get to Cape Lookout Lighthouse from Ocracoke Island Lighthouse: Take the Cedar Island bound North Carolina state ferry from the south end of Ocracoke Island. This is a 2-1/4 hour car-carrying ferry ride, and reservations are recommended during peak travel times. For reservations and additional information on the Cedar Island ferry, visit http://www.ncferry.org or call (800) BY-FERRY. The ferry crosses over Pamlico Sound between Ocracoke Island and Cedar Island. To span this distance by land it takes a drive of more than 200 miles. Once disembarked from the Cedar Island ferry, take Hwy 12 toward Beaufort, North Carolina where you will join Hwy 70 West. Watch for the sign past Smyrna and just east of Otway for Harkers Island Road. Privately-owned people ferries along Harkers Island Road take visitors to Cape Lookout Lighthouse, which is only accessible by boat. Visitors can stay at the lighthouse and on Cape Lookout National Seashore for as little as an hour or as long as a day. Personal pickup times are arranged in advance with the boat captain.
Visiting Cape Lookout Lighthouse: The lighthouse is only open for public climbing during specific Open House dates. On Open House days, tower entry is offered by advance reservation only through the National Park Service. Additional information can be found at http://www.nps.gov/calo. The Cape Lookout Lighthouse Visitor Center and Keeper's Quarters Museum is open April through November. Exhibits focus on lighthouse history and early shipwrecks and rescues. Expansive boardwalks lead to the Atlantic Ocean. Cape Lookout National Seashore is a renowned shelling location.
Get additional information: Additional information regarding the Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Cape Lookout National Seashore can be found online at http://www.nps.gov/calo or by calling (252) 728-2250. Another good resource is the Crystal Coast Tourism Development Authority, online at http://www.crystalcoastnc.org. By phone, call (800) SUNNY-NC.
Learn a little bit about the Old Baldy Lighthouse: The Bald Head Island Lighthouse was built in 1817, giving it the distinction of being the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina. In 1817, the stucco-coated brick structure cost just $16,000 to build.The lighthouse is no longer an operational navigation aid, but it is still a popular attraction. Local lore says it and the island on which it sits got its name from the shape of the dunes on the south end of the island which were eventually worn down by wind and resemble a bald head.
How to get to Old Baldy Lighthouse from Cape Lookout Lighthouse: From Harkers Island, retrace Harkers Island Road back to US 70 West . At the intersection of US 70 West and NC 24 in Morehead City, take NC 24 West toward Jacksonville, North Carolina. Pick up NC 17 South to Wilmington. From Hwy 17/74 south of Wilmington, take Hwy 133 south to Hwy 211 South and once in the town of Southport, turn right on 9th Street. Follow the signs to the passenger-only ferry. There is a fee for each passenger. For ferry information, call (910) 457-5003.
Visiting the Old Baldy Lighthouse: The Old Baldy Lighthouse is within walking distance of the ferry and is open for public climbing, with a $3 per person fee charged. There are 108 steps to the top. Seasonal hours apply. For additional information, visit http://www.oldbaldy.org. A small museum called the Smith Island Museum of History is open to the public and a small shop sells lighthouse-related items.
Get additional information: Additional information on the Bald Head Island Lighthouse, known affectionately as "Old Baldy," can be found online at http://www.oldbaldy.org or by calling (910) 457-7481. Email [email protected]. The Southport - Oak Island Chamber of Commerce also offers information. Visit http://www.southport-oakisland.com.
Learn a little bit about the Oak Island Lighouse: The Oak Island Lighthouse was completed in 1958 at a total construction cost of $110,000.00. At 148 feet tall, it stands 169 feet above sea level as it's perched on a natural rise on the island. The lighthouse's working beacon can reach more than 24 nautical miles out to sea at night. It's unique tri-color daymark is permanent, not painted on. When the lighthouse was built, it was constructed from three different colors of concrete. Unlike most North Carolina lighthouses, there is no spiral staircase, but instead a series of ship's ladders that takes individuals to the top.
How to get to Oak Island Lighthouse from the Old Baldy Lighthouse: After returning via ferry to mainland Southport, leave Southport and drive approximately two miles on NC 211. Turn left on 133 South toward Yaupon Beach. Where Hwy 133 ends at the ocean, turn left onto a paved road to Caswell Beach. The lighthouse is on the left side of the road.
Visiting the Oak Island Lighthouse: Weekly seasonal tours of the lighthouse are offered from the Wednesday before Memorial Day until the Wednesday after Labor Day. Tours only go to the second level of the lighthouse, and these weekly tours are free of charge. Tours that allow individuals to climb to the top of the lighthouse can be made only by appointment. For additional information, visit http://www.oakislandlighthouse.org/tours.htm.
Get additional information: Information regarding the Oak Island Lighthouse including historical documentation and tour information can be found online at http://www.oakislandlighthouse.org or by emailing [email protected]. The Southport - Oak Island Chamber of Commerce also offers information. Visit http://www.southport-oakisland.com.
