Hatteras Island’s recreation offerings are a magnet for people who love sporting by the sea: surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, standup paddleboarding, sport fishing, bird watching, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, camping and roaming the miles of Outer Banks beaches. For a vacation destination that you can visit any time of year, the things to do in Hatteras, NC, will not run out.
The active crowd loves participating in the things to do in Cape Hatteras for a number of reasons – pleasant temperatures for about 10 months of the year, abundant and accessible beaches at the ocean and sound, numerous outfitters catering to the practically everything to do in Hatteras, NC, and the very laid-back lifestyle. Most important to the things to do in Hatteras, NC, and the outdoorsy personality of the island, however, is Cape Hatteras National Seashore. This 72-mile national park is a sight to behold. It includes parts of Bodie, Hatteras and Ocracoke islands and is left in its complete near-natural state. The National Seashore offers undeveloped ocean and sound beaches where eco-friendly outdoor things to do in Cape Hatteras are plentiful and often involve up-close glimpses of wildlife in their natural habitats.
Where to Find Things to Do in Hatteras, NC
In the seven Hatteras Island villages – Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village – you’ll find many Hatteras Island recreation outfitters offering all the gear, rentals and lessons you’ll need to get out there and enjoy the outdoor things to do in Hatteras, NC, barrier island style. The villages also offer other recreational opportunities, like mini-golf, movies and bike rentals.
And a note in case we confused you with our repeated references to Hatteras Island and Cape Hatteras: They’re the same thing! Lots of people refer to this entire area as Cape Hatteras. Others call it Hatteras Island. So keep in mind that the Cape Hatteras things to do are the same as Hatteras things to do.
Rodanthe, Waves & Salvo | Avon | Buxton & Frisco | Hatteras Village
This playground in Avon provides a castle-style climbing area and shaded picnic tables. read more
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...read more
Driving on the beach is allowed in many areas of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. However, the National Park Service (NPS) requires visitors to have...read more
The Outer Banks is one of the few coastal places where you can actually drive on the beach. The beaches north of Corolla (aka Carova, home of the wild...read more
This family-owned and -operated gem can now be found right on the sound, just across the street from the old location, in the same building as Austin's...read more
Beads & Grinds is a house of coffee and creativity in the heart of Buxton. They have all the coffee and espresso drinks you could want, plus they have...read more
Bermuda Triangle OBX is a certified dive center on Hatteras Island, as close as you can get to the wrecks of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Their scuba shop...read more
Billy Mitchell Airport is a public use airstrip in Frisco. It is in Cape Hatteras National Seashore and owned by the National Park Service. Private planes...read more
Hatteras Village is the offshore fishing capital of the Outer Banks. Big-game marlin fishing began here in the 1930s. To see a blue marlin (one that's been...read more
In a charming restored 1950s Hatteras cottage, Blue Pelican Gallery offers an eclectic mix of artwork, most of it local. Owner/artist Jennifer Johnson is a...read more
Bob's Frisco Tackle and Convenience offers everything you need for fishing – bait and tackle, gear, ice, beer and wine, drinks, convenience items, rod and...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...read more
