A string of barrier islands, the Outer Banks, protects most of North Carolina’s mainland from high tides and hurricanes. Pirates plotted evil deeds on secluded beaches where wild ponies romp today. Home to nesting sea turtles, piping plovers and maritime forests, the beaches can be lonely places, or spots teeming with sun worshipers and kite-boarders. Two national seashores with primitive camping provide the most economical campsite options and a back-to-nature vibe. Commercial campgrounds have home away from home amenities.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore occupies most of North Carolina’s northern Outer Banks. The National Park Service operates four campgrounds at the national seashore. All four are seasonal, opening in spring and closing in September or October. Reservations are recommended for Ocracoke campground; the others operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Expect modern bathhouses and open, grassy sites with few trees for tents, trailers or RVs. None of the sites have hookups, and winds are fairly brisk on the Outer Banks, so bring extra-long tent stakes.
Cape Lookout National Seashore provides a more primitive camping experience, with camping directly on the beach in the southern Outer Banks. The seashore has no designated campgrounds, and a permit is required only for groups of more than 25 campers. Seasonal bathhouses have restrooms and showers. Visitors arrive by private boat or ferry and must pack in all their supplies, including drinking water. Some of the ferries carry vehicles, so if you have a truck camper, or like to camp in your car, you can use the barrier island beaches.
Wrightsville Beach, named one of the “World’s 20 Best Surf Towns” by National Geographic, is one of the many laid-back beach towns along the southernmost part of North Carolina’s coast. While there are no beachfront campgrounds in Wrightsville Beach, nearby campgrounds provide access to the waves. Carolina Beach State Park, 18 miles south of Wrightsville Beach, has a shady, primitive campground with modern bathhouses. Ocean Breeze Family Campground, just 25 miles from the South Carolina border, has large campsites with full hookups. Open year-round, the campground has Wi-Fi, a swimming pool and digital cable.
Good Sam/Woodalls, the RV community’s bible for campgrounds, gives several campgrounds on the North Carolina coast high ratings. Camp Hatteras in Rodanthe, open year-round, has both oceanfront and sound-side campsites. Paved sites have full hookups including cable. If you tire of the ocean, Brunswick Beaches Camping Resort in Sunset Beach has a swimming pool, stocked trout pond and sports courts. Brunswick Beaches is open year-round. Holiday Trav-L-Park Resort in Emerald Isle has a designated area for tents as well as full hookup RV sites. The resort closes in January and February.
