North Carolina has some incredible beaches. There are so many different beaches to visit that you could go your whole life in the state and never go to all of them. When we talk to people about their favorite beaches we hear about the Crystal Coast, Oak Island, Hatteras, and other beautiful areas. We very rarely hear people mention Cape Lookout National Seashore.

We have lived in North Carolina our whole lives but until the last four years we had never been there either. It is hard to imagine us leaving this perfect place off of our list of favorite North Carolina beaches from now on. We have been multiple times now and will continue to go back as long as we are in the area. With 112 miles of uninhabited shoreline, crystal clear water, wild horses, and a beautiful lighthouse – once you go you will see why it is one of our faves.

Because so many people haven’t been to Cape Lookout, we wanted to put together a little information to help you plan your first (next) trip. Here is all you need to know for Cape Lookout National Seashore.

Where Is Cape Lookout

Cape Lookout National Seashore is located along the coast of North Carolina between Fort Macon and Ocracoke. The seashore makes up the southern part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Cape Lookout National Seashore is made up of three main islands that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the various sounds along the North Carolina coast. Shackleford Banks is on the southwest area of the seashore, South Core Banks is located in the middle of the seashore (and is where Cape Lookout is), and North Core Banks in the northeast area of the seashore.

How To Get To Cape Lookout

Maybe one of the reasons why not too many people list Cape Lookout as one of their favorite beaches is because it is tough to get to. If you don’t own your own boat, you will need to take a ferry to get to Cape Lookout. The National Park Systems has contracted with local ferry operators to get people back and forth from the seashore. There is a charge for each ferry service.

It is important to note that there are different locations you will need to take off from to get to the different parts of Cape Lookout. With most of the ferries, you are allowed a couple of personal items per person. You will need them – much more on that later in the post.

From Harkers Island

The main visitor’s center and point of departure is located on Harkers Island. Harkers Island is a beautiful little fishing community about 25 minutes east of Beaufort. It is out of the way, but it is such a fun drive that takes you through the beginning of the Outer Banks Scenic Byway.

From Harkers Island you can go to the west end of Shackleford Banks or Cape Lookout Lighthouse area on the Island Express Ferry. The ferry stops at Shackleford Banks first and then goes to the lighthouse. If you want to do both in a day, you can purchase the two islands in one day ticket (about $10 more), spend some time on Shackleford Banks, then head to the lighthouse on a later ferry (you will have to make sure there is room). It is about a 15-20 minute ferry ride from Harkers Island to Cape Lookout Lighthouse.

The cost to ride the ferry is $18 for adults 12 and over and $11 for kids 3-11. During peak season the ferry runs every 30 minutes from this location. You can make reservations in advance, but walk-ons are welcome.

From Beaufort

Beaufort is one of our favorite towns on the Inner Banks. It is full of history and fun – a great place to spend the weekend. There are numerous ferry services that operate out of Beaufort, but once again Island Express is the official ferry service from this location. There are two options from Beaufort.

The first option is the ferry to Cape Lookout Lighthouse. This ferry fills up fast so you will need to reserve your spot plenty of time in advance. This is a four-hour narrated roundtrip ferry ride. It is a 45-minute one way and you have between 2-2 and a half hours at the lighthouse area. Along the way you will see the wild horses of Shackleford Banks and maybe even some dolphins. The cost is $35 for adults 12 and up and $25 for kids 3-11.

The second option from Beaufort is the 15-20 minute ride to the west end of Shackleford Banks. This ferry drops you off and will pick you up at your desired pick up time. The cost is $18 for adults and $11 for kids.

From Ocracoke

From Ocracoke you can take Rudy Austin’s Portsmouth Island Boat Tour. You can either be dropped off at historic Portsmouth Village on the northern end of Cape Lookout or simply take the 90-minute boat tour of the surrounding area. Capt. Austin is an Ocracoke native and it is an experience not to be missed. You will need to call for availability and prices.

Vehicle Ferry Locations

You can take your four-wheel drive vehicle out on the beach at Cape Lookout. You will need to get a permit and take one of the vehicle ferries. The vehicle ferries take off from Atlantic and Davis, both small villages on the inner banks. The cost to get your vehicle to the island runs from $35 to $400 depending on the size.

Things To Do At Cape Lookout

There is plenty to do at Cape Lookout National Seashore. It is the perfect place to spend a week or come back over and over again for day trips.

Visit The Lighthouse

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse is one of the seven coastal lighthouses in North Carolina. At 169 feet, this lighthouse is the second tallest in North Carolina and the fifth-tallest in the United States. Visitors to the lighthouse can explore the whole light station area. This includes the lighthouse as well as the surrounding living quarters and storage areas.

To climb the lighthouse, you will need to purchase a ticket at the Light Station Visitor Center. This is the visitor’s center located where the ferry drops you off at on Cape Lookout. Tickets are $10 per person and $5 for kids 12 and under. Your ticket is time stamped and you will need to show up at least 10 minutes before your climb time. The reason for this is only 10 people can be at the upper level of the lighthouse at a time. They do not give refunds to late arrivals.

This is a pretty strenuous journey to the top. There are 207 steps and you will feel them. However, the view from the top is well worth it. Kids must be 44-inches or taller to climb because of the wind at the top, so keep that in mind. If you can’t make it to the top, there is a pretty cool panoramic picture in the nearby Keeper Quarters Museum.

Spend A Day At The Beach

Cape Lookout has something for everyone when it comes to hanging out on the beach. The best way to break it down is sound side or ocean side.

In a lot of ways the sound side reminds us of a Caribbean beach. The water is crystal clear and there are not too many waves. This is where you want to go if you have kids that like to get in the water or if you like to be around people while you are at the beach. There are a ton of boats that come in and out which is pretty cool to watch. It is a perfect spot to spend a beach day.

The ocean side is for people who want the whole beach to themselves. Every time we have gone we have had times where we look both ways and don’t see anyone else for miles. It is crazy. The waves can get really big here, so you will see surfers from time to time. From the sound to the ocean it is about a five minute walk. It is crazy how different it can be.

Hunt For Some Shells

One of our favorite pastimes at the beach is going shelling. We love walking down the beach hunting for sea shells. The best place we have found so far for this is Cape Lookout. Because it juts so far out into the ocean and few people make it out there, you can find shells pretty easily. If you head out there as the tide is going out you will be able to see so many just sitting there.

Shackleford Banks

Shackleford Banks is one of the islands that make up the seashore. This island is ideal for fishing and swimming. The eastern side is protected from the ocean by Cape Lookout. Because of this, the water around it is pretty shallow and you can walk out to the many sand bars surrounding it. This island has the largest maritime forest in the world.

As great as all of that stuff is, the reason why people go to Shackleford Banks is the herd of wild horses that live here. The are over 100 horses in the herd. Nobody knows where these horses came from, but there are some great theories out there. Some say they were shipwrecked and swam to shore, others say they were thrown overboard to lighten the load. No matter where these horses came from, they have been here for centuries and have found a way to survive in some rough conditions. We can’t get over how they get by with all of the hurricanes that come through this area.

If you get a chance to stop by Shackleford Banks, remember to give the horses some room. They are not domesticated, so be careful!

Camping

You can camp on the beach at Cape Lookout National Seashore. You don’t even need a permit to do it. Now, there are no designated camp sites. All of the camping is anywhere you can find along the beach. Also, all of the camping is primitive. No water, no facilities, just you and your loved ones in nature. This might not be the place for people who are new to camping, but if you are seasoned what better way to enjoy camping than out on an island with no light anywhere near you?

Visit A Village

Cape Lookout National Seashore has multiple uninhabited villages that take you back in time. These are fishing, shipping, and lifesaving villages that were once important places in the life of coastal North Carolina. As other towns and ports sprung up, these places lost their status, but they still stand today reminding visitors of a time long gone.

The most famous of these villages is Portsmouth Village. This area is only accessible by the Ocracoke Ferry (or private boat). Once in the village you can visit the general store, post office, some historical homes, and the local church. The village is open seasonally, so check the times and dates on the National Park page.

Make Sure You Know These Things

Come Prepared

You are allowed a couple of personal items each on the ferry to the barrier islands. If you are going to be out there for any amount of time make sure you take advantage of this. We always bring all of our beach equipment like our chairs, coolers, toys, and games. We never know what we will end up doing so it is good to come prepared.

No matter what though make sure you bring plenty of food and water. Once you get to the barrier islands you are pretty much on your own. We typically bring a couple of gallons of water and more than enough snacks. You will not be upset if you do this.

Facilities

There are not a ton of facilities once you get to the barrier islands. Most of the major points of interests have bathroom facilities and water fountains. Besides that, you are on your own. Make sure you come prepared.

At the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area there is a small shop where you can purchase beach equipment, water, souvenirs, and snacks. We would not recommend counting on that being open, it can be hit or miss.

Hiking

There are no hiking trails on the barrier islands (there are two trails through the forest by the Harkers Island Visitor’s Center). However, you can hike for hours and hours along the beach. There are some really cool places that you can get to as well – whether that is an old fishing village or lifesaving station. Make sure you have plenty of water and good hiking shoes.

Shuttle Service

The islands of Cape Lookout are pretty large. There are no roads, so if you are trying to get to one end or another you will have a long walk ahead of you (unless you have your own off-road vehicle).

There is one shuttle service that we know of on the island. The shuttle is at the Cape Lookout Lighthouse area and takes you to the northern end of the island where the shelling is especially good. There is a fee for this service, so bring some cash.

Places To Stay

In addition to the primitive camping at Cape Lookout there are a couple of places that you can stay on the islands. Great Island Cabin Camp is located on the South Core Banks and has a little over 20 cabins. These cabins are wired for generators – need to bring your own, and have bathrooms inside. These can house between 4 and 12 people and prices range from $80-$180 per night. Not bad for your own place right on the ocean.

Long Point Cabin Camp is located on North Core Banks and has 10 units. These are duplexes that can hold 6 per half or 12 for the whole building. Much like Great Island Camp, Long Point Cabin Camp is pretty primitive but provides some good place for families to fish or hit the beach.

There it is – all you need to know for your next trip to Cape Lookout National Seashore. Have you ever been? What are your favorite places to go when you are there?

Planning a trip to other North Carolina beaches? Check out our posts on the Outer Banks National Parks, 8 Inner Banks Towns You Must Visit, Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach,

Want to hit up another National Seashore? Check out our Getaway to Canaveral National Seashore.

Pin it for Later!