North Carolina Outer Banks Lighthouse Tour: The Ultimate Highway 12 Itinerary
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The Ultimate Outer Banks Lighthouse Tour: A Highway 12 Road Trip
The salt air, the rhythmic flash of coastal beacons, and the endless stretch of North Carolina’s Highway 12—there is nothing quite like a classic Outer Banks road trip. Our family set out on the ultimate lighthouse tour, tracing the coastline from the remote shores of Cape Lookout all the way to the northern reaches of Corolla. Along the way, we found wild horses, towering sand dunes, rich military history, and even took to the skies where aviation history was made.
Starting with Family and Fort Macon
Our journey began with a detour to New Bern for Easter Sunday Service and a wonderful lunch at my cousin's house. From there, we made our way to Indian Beach to spend two nights at my aunt’s house.
We dedicated our first full day to exploring Fort Macon State Park. Walking through the park, we immersed ourselves in the local ecology, navigating the coastal marshes, scenic boardwalks, and dense coastal vegetation while keeping an eye out for wildlife. The history here is palpable; we toured the fort itself, which still features several original cannons on the property, and paused at the WWII bunker overlook to take in the sweeping views. We capped off the evening with an incredible dinner nearby at Amos Mosquito’s. The following day was all about coastal relaxation—enjoying the beach and pool, catching a spectacular sunset right from our bedroom window, and listening to the ocean wind literally shake the house.
South to North: The Beacon Hunt Begins
The next morning, Alex treated us to a homemade breakfast of bacon, eggs, and pancakes to fuel the adventure. It was time to officially start our lighthouse tour, working our way from south to north along Highway 12.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse: To reach our first beacon, we hopped on a boat ride out to Cape Lookout National Seashore. The remote beaches did not disappoint. We immediately spotted a half-dozen wild horses roaming the shoreline. The beach was also covered in the most massive conch shells I have ever seen in one place. We carefully picked out two favorite shells to keep as souvenirs and left the rest for nature.
Ocracoke Lighthouse: Next, we took the ferry from Cedar Island over to Ocracoke Island. The moment we rolled off the ferry, we headed straight to Smacnally’s for a well-deserved lunch by the water. We took our time touring historic Ocracoke village before making our way to the lovely, whitewashed Ocracoke Lighthouse.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Another ferry ride brought us to Hatteras Island. We stopped in Buxton for a hearty dinner before checking into our hotel right at Cape Hatteras for the night to rest up for the next leg of the trip.
Chasing Sinking Houses and Historic Spire
The following day took us past some iconic coastal landmarks. We paused at Avon Pier, stopped in Rodanthe to view the famous sinking beach houses, and stretched our legs along Pea Island beach. After grabbing lunch in Nags Head, we checked the remaining lighthouses off our list:
Bodie Island Lighthouse: Known for its striking horizontal black and white stripes, this classic structure stands tall over the surrounding marshes.
Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse: A unique, screw-pile river lighthouse located in Manteo that sits elegantly over the water.
Currituck Beach Lighthouse: After a quick stop in Duck for a little shopping and lunch, we reached our final lighthouse in Corolla. We tackled the massive, unpainted red-brick structure by walking all the way up the spiraling staircase to the outdoor lookout platform for an unparalleled view of the sound and the sea.
Taking Flight in Kitty Hawk and Sand Surfing Jockey’s Ridge
With all six lighthouses officially crossed off our list, we traveled back down to Kitty Hawk to explore the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Inspired by the birth of aviation, we decided to try flying ourselves and signed up for a hang-gliding class. By the end of the afternoon, all three of us were successfully gliding through the air. While Alex and I did well, Ginger was the absolute rock star of the day—she was a total natural and easily outdistanced both of us on her flights!
To wrap up our ultimate coastal tour, we left Kitty Hawk and drove to Nags Head to explore Jockey’s Ridge State Park. This was a hiking experience unlike any other trail we’ve ever tackled. The landscape is an endless, massive expanse of sand dunes stretching for miles. Instead of typical trail walking, we spent our afternoon surfing down the massive dunes. We spent one final night in Nags Head before making the drive back home to Greensboro the next day.
Trip Highlights & Summary
Lighthouses Conquered: Cape Lookout, Ocracoke, Cape Hatteras, Bodie Island, Roanoke Marshes, and Currituck Beach.
Best Wildlife Encounter: Spotting six wild horses on the remote beaches of Cape Lookout.
Top Adventure: Hang gliding in Kitty Hawk, where Ginger took the crown as the ultimate glider.
Unique Hike: Sand surfing down the miles of endless dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park.
Favorite Local Eats: Dinner at Amos Mosquito's in Atlantic Beach and a scenic lunch at Smacnally’s in Ocracoke.
Let There Be Light (houses)