Hatteras Island is made up of seven villages. From north to south they are Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras. None of the villages are incorporated towns; rather, they are under the jurisdiction of Dare County. Each of the villages has its own unique character, and locals and visitors tend to have a favorite village to which they are fiercely loyal. Read about each of the villages below, then go out and explore the things to do in Hatteras villages on your own. You’ll know immediately which is your favorite Hatteras Island village.
South of the Tri-Villages, past a sizable stretch of undeveloped Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Avon, NC, is considered the largest and busiest of the Hatteras Island towns (but remember that’s relative to Hatteras Island, not where you come from). Avon has the only two stoplights on the island and the only chain grocery store. It also has a wealth of accommodations, shops, restaurants and water...read more
Buxton and Frisco are two distinct villages but they border one another (without any parklands in between) so they kind of blend together. Both of these villages are set among the Buxton Woods Maritime Forest, lending a different feel from the villages to the north, and Buxton is situated at the island’s widest point.
Buxton is the home of the world-famous Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, which...read more
On the southern end of Hatteras Island, Hatteras, or as the locals call it, Hatteras village, is known for its ties to offshore fishing. The village borders Hatteras Inlet, giving recreational and commercial fishing boats an easy route to the Gulf Stream and the inshore fishing grounds. Hatteras has several marinas where commercial and recreational boats dock, making this a great place from which to...read more
Rodanthe, NC — What's in a Name?
Today’s Rodanthe, NC, is yesterday’s Chicamacomico, an Algonquin word supposedly meaning “sinking down sand.” Though the Native Americans named the area, the English settlers continued to use the word “Chicamacomico” (and dozens of derivations: Chickony-Commock, Chichinnacomoc, Chick, etc.) to describe the northernmost end of Hatteras Island — the Chicamacomico Banks. Rodanthe Outer Banks was populated by English settlers in the...read more
Known as the Tri-Villages, the communities of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo border one another on the north end of Hatteras Island (just south of Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge). The locals know where the villages begin and end, and while the distinction may not really be important to the visitor, it is very important to someone who grew up here. All three villages are small...read more
