Hatteras Island and its seven villages are a destination unto themselves within the Outer Banks. This dynamic barrier island, exposed to the elements and whimsy of nature, is like no other place in America. More than 50 miles long and less than a mile wide most of its length, Hatteras Island is one of the most accessible yet remote landscapes you can reach within a day anywhere on the East Coast.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore. America's first National Seashore extends more than 70 miles from South Nags Head to Ocracoke Inlet, covering 30,000 acres. Picnic areas, camping and interpretive programs are offered seasonally. Visit and climb the tallest brick lighthouse in the world at Cape Hatteras. Voted #8 Best Beach in America by Dr. Beach. Website.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is located between Oregon Inlet and the village of Rodanthe. Refuge Visitor's Center is located five miles south of the inlet. The 6,000-acre refuge is a haven for more than 360 species of birds. From spring to autumn, a large variety of wading, shore and upland birds can be seen. The observation platforms are near parking areas. Public interpretive programs are scheduled weekly during the summer and fall. Website.

Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station Historic Site. One of the only U.S. Lifesaving Station sites in the nation, with original station built in 1874 and a second station constructed in 1911. Amazing story-telling and family-oriented programs offered during summer months, including the Beach Apparatus Drill reenactment! Exhibits include artifacts, apparatus, documents, uniforms, photographs, including displays of the of the Outer Banks Lifesaving Station. Parent organization of the modern U.S. Coast Guard. Learn a new definition of the word "hero." Website

Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center. The museum contains a nationally recognized collection of Native American artifacts, exhibits and natural history displays. Galleries filled with native art include information on tribes across the United States, as well as artifacts from the first inhabitants of Hatteras Island. Designated as a North Carolina Environmental Education Center and a Historic Albemarle Tour site, the museum also includes a newly opened bird observation room and several acres of nature trails winding through a lush maritime forest. Trails include exhibits and accommodations for visually impaired persons (VIPS). Website

The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. A unique museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting the rich maritime history of the Outer Banks and the more than 2,000 known shipwrecks that rest off Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke. See the "Lost Lens" from the first Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the Enigma machine from the U-85 (the first U-boat sunk by the Allies), Billy Mitchell's historic bombing achievements off the Cape Hatteras coast, artifacts from the Union gunboat Huron, the famous Ghostship Carroll A. Deering, ship models and many other exhibits. Website

U.S. Weather Bureau Station/ Hatteras Welcome Center. Began operation on January 1, 1902 and on the National Register of Historic Places, this station played a key role in America's developing meteorological network, until decommissioned in 1946. Today it is operated by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau in partnership with the National Park Service as an historical site as well as information center. Learn how our nation got its weather reports in the days of the Wright Brothers. Weblink

Water Activities. Hatteras Island is an outdoors paradise, preferred by many athletes and enthusiasts for its exposed shoreline and undeveloped beaches. Sweeping way out into the Atlantic Ocean, this signature coastline on the Eastern Seaboard allows for super waves and consistent winds. Activities like kiteboarding and windsurfing can be a breeze to learn in the shallow back waters of the Pamlico Sound, which dominate Hatteras' west shoreline. There is plenty of free and accessible parking along the entire length of the island, with ramps to the beach and walkover areas to put in a canoe or kayak. Try hiking the Buxton Woods maritime forest near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Dive one of the many wrecks close to shore. Weblink