Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 252-441-5711, ticket reservations 255-475-9417; Bodie Island Lighthouse Rd, Bodie Island; mu-
seum free, tours adult/child $8/4; museum 9am-6pm Jun-Aug, to 5pm Sep-May, tours
9am-5:45pm late Apr-early Oct; )
This photogenic lighthouse opened its doors to visitors
in 2013. The 156ft-high structure still has its original Fresnel lens, a rarity. Entry is by
guided tour. Tickets can be purchased by advance reservation by phone (
255-475-9417), but not on the day of the tour. Tickets are also available on a first-come,
first-served basis.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
PRESERVE
( 252-987-2394;
www.fws.gov/peaisland
;
Hwy 12; visitor center 9am-4pm, trails dawn-dusk)
At the northern end of Hatteras Island, this 5834-acre preserve is a birdwatcher's heaven,
with two nature trails (one fully disabled-accessible) and 13 miles of unspoiled beach.
Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station
MUSEUM
(
www.chicamacomico.net
; adult/child $6/4; 10am-5pm Mon-Fri Apr-Nov)
Built in 1874, this
was the first lifesaving station in the state. It's now a museum filled with pre-Coast
Guard artifacts.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
LIGHTHOUSE
(
www.nps.gov/caha
; climbing tours adult/child $8/4; visitor center 9am-5pm Sep-May, to 6pm
Jun-Aug, lighthouse late Apr-early Oct)
At 208ft, this striking black-and-white-striped edifice
is the tallest brick lighthouse in the US and is one of North Carolina's most iconic im-
ages. Climb the 248 steps and check out the visitor center.
Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
MUSEUM
( 252-986-2995;
www.graveyardoftheatlantic.com
; 59200 Museum Dr; donations appreciated;
10am-4pm Mon-Sat Apr-Oct, Mon-Fri Nov-Mar)
Exhibits about shipwrecks, piracy
and salvaged cargo are highlights at this maritime museum at the end of the road. Ac-
cording to one exhibit, in 2006 a container washed ashore near Frisco, releasing thou-
sands of Doritos bags.
WORTH A TRIP
OCRACOKE ISLAND
Crowded in summer and desolate in the winter,
Ocracoke Village
(
www.ocracokevillage.com
)
is a funky little community that moves at a slower pace. The
village is at the southern end of 14-mile-long Ocracoke Island and is accessed from
