Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Definitely a nice lighthouse to see along with the museum. Park rangers are helpful and knowledgeable. It is under renovation now (as of December 2025).

Learned from the lady at the gift shop that this has been ongoing for 21 months with no projected end date. Although I didn't get a chance to see it complete, and perhaps never will, its still really cool to see all the work going into it. The woman at the gift shop was really helpful and had a lot of helpful information since the museum was closed at the time.

The lighthouse is an icon of mine, from many visits as a child. I even honeymooned at the park years ago. This time we were surprised to find it paintless, covered in scaffolding, and only viewable from a distance. Even so, we were glad we visited. Winds from two offshore hurricanes made eerie tunes through the scaffolding. It was a unique experience in an old favorite spot.

It is in the process of being refurbished. We did get to see the original red brick! The gift shop is open. Just be prepared for construction. But it still is pretty impressive.

Unfortunately the lighthouse is under repairs. It was supposed to complete in fall of 2025, but they found additional structural issues at the top & awaiting additional funding TBD. The gift store/visitor center & museum are open though.

Even though it was closed for moving and renovations. It was nice to see in person and get to learn about the lighthouse and the purpose of it getting moved and how long it has been in the works.

Good lord, what a job they are doing to refurbish the light house. I'm glad to see it being kept up. Sorry we missed really seeing it all done. Great gift shop and nice restroom. I am looking forward to coming back and seeing the restoration completed.

The lighthouse is the tallest in the US. Unfortunately we couldn’t climb due to it undergoing restoration, however this was the first time in a few decades the park ranger said the lighthouse was completely unpainted. It’s also pretty interesting knowing the history of how they moved the lighthouse 2900ft in 23 days. Definitely a go to. Can’t wait until it opens back up to climb!

A major bummer that the lighthouse is under repair, completely scaffolded and with none of its usual charm. It was supposed to be done later this year but with funding cuts, they no longer have an ETA. The gift shop is really nice and the folks working there were extremely apologetic and perhaps a little embarrassed. Still, it's a historic lighthouse and worth stopping by. Just check in first to see if they're finished the refurbishment. [Review 795 of 2025 - 4227 in North Carolina - 24355 overall]

It's still under construction. Bathrooms are about the only thing useful. I went inside the visitors center and gift shop and the staff seemed a bit mean and didn't want to be there. Plenty of parking.

Was under renovation when I visited so the scaffolds made it less appealing. However, I am told it will be gorgeous in about a year when it reopens for climbing! This specific light house had a very comprehensive museum-like building on the history of the lighthouse, their importance in protecting those sailing near the diamond shoals, and the guidance they provided historically during the events of WWII. Very well curated and if you like to collect NPS stamps, the lighthouse stamp here is great!

We were one of the Unlucky ones to visit during the renovations, right at the end of season. The museum and House tours were open, so they are doing their best with what they have. You can walk past a half-painted half scrubbed Hatteras Lighthouse and kind of get the idea of the enormity of her. Just wish they had postponed the renovations until people weren't coming from two days away to see it.

Beautiful Lighthouse with a convenient surrounding that lets you view the lighthouse from all angles. We stopped by this lighthouse on our lighthouse tour, and was blown away by how big and beautiful this lighthouse is. The area has a nice walking path and a historical house that has lots of information. Very cool.

You could say that there's not much to say about a Lighthouse... let me tell you... you are wrong. Despite the fact that a Lighthouse is a Lighthouse. This Lighthouse was moved away 2,900 feet from its original place, in the middle of 1999. The details about the relocation of this Lighthouse are inside the museum. The entrance is free, but they take donations. The two story museum is located at the big house, there is no elevator inside, and the place is very small for a stroller. Theres a souvenir shop, and vey clean restrooms upon entrance. There are no hills, very moderate walking space. The general area of the park has ramps for strollers and wheelchairs. There were no restrictions about taking your own snacks or chairs to sit on the lawn. The area is pretty open and there are no shaded areas available. The only thing this place needs to make it five staars is a small concession stand.

An amazing lighthouse but it is under construction until sometime in 2026. Still plenty to see and learn about the lighthouse and Cape Hatteras is worth the stop!

I loved coming to OBX and visiting all the lighthouses! This one on Hatteras island is really cool, remind me of a chocolate/vanilla swirl soft serve ice cream! Constructed in 1870, and located in the small town of Buxton, at 210 ft, it's the tallest brick lighthouse in America. Get ready for a workout, it's 257 steps to the top, like going up a 12 story building! The grounds are beautifully kept and there's a gift shop on the premises. Many stone benches encircle the lighthouse if you need a rest from the climb or you just want to soak in the scenery! This is a must see tourist attraction when visiting OBX!

Stopped here with our German Shepherd and picked up another Bark Ranger certificate! The lighthouse was under construction but that's okay the park and trails were still beautiful! Counting down the days until we can come back!

What would a visit be to Cape Hatteras and not stop at the Lighthouse. It doesnt matter if you can climb it or not just being there is impressive and to know that they actually moved it. Everyone needs the obligatory lighthouse photo. If you want a unique experience go there at night. Yes the museum and visitor center is closed but you can still walk out in the dark and stand at the base of the lighthouse. also if you are into photographjy try some time lapse photos and night for a real treat.

Very interesting part of history. The lighthouse is presently closed while renovations are being done.

This is an amazing lighthouse and sure is an icon in the area! It was amazing staying right near it and getting to see it at night too. My wife and I really loved this lighthouse and the little museums, as well as the vistor center. It's a must visit!

Tallest lighthouse in the US and 2nd tallest in the world! We could not climb it because it is being renovated, so I removed a star for that. But it's still worthwhile to visit if you are in the area. It was cool to see the scaffolding. The lighthouse was moved 1/2 a mile away from the shore back in 1999, they have an exhibit about it in the museum which is really cool. The museum is free right now, not sure if that will change after the renovation is complete, but there are a lot of rooms to see that talk about the history of the lighthouse. The original location of the lighthouse is closed, hopefully it will open up again sometime, because I would be really interested in seeing that as well. There is a cute gift shop, clean bathrooms, and the rangers do presentations throughout the day.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the second lighthouse in its location. The first lighthouse was too short so it had to be extended. It was eventually replaced with its distinctive stripe pattern and brick base. The lighthouse is tallest lighthouse in the United States at around 200 feet. In 1999, the lighthouse had to be moved from its prior location because of erosion. The lighthouse helps those on the water navigate away from Diamond Shoals. 2000 ships have sunk in the nearby shallow waters called the Graveyard of the Atlantic. The lighthouse is closed to climbing because of lead paint. It might reopen in October. This lighthouse has restrooms and a gift shop. There are benches and shaded spots too. This property was one of the nicer lighthouses on the Outer Banks.

This was probably my second favorite lighthouse in the Outer Banks (Bodie Island was my favorite). We were there in the off season, so we couldn't climb to the top. It was also previously closed because of Covid-19, so I'm not sure if it has reopened. Even without being able to climb to the top, the grounds are really pretty. There's a lot of space to walk around. I definitely recommend going over to the nearby beach too. You can see the lighthouse from the beach as well.

I always love coming to see lighthouse when we come to outter banks..regardless if it's open or not it's a pivotal icon and never disappoints! It was closed when we came but didn't stop the crowd.. you could go inside the museum buildings but you still had to have a mask.. we just walked around taking pics.. I'm secretly glad it was closed because that's by over 250 steps and I am no longer able to do that anymore. It's still magestic and beautiful and I still recommend seeing it.

This was a really nice experience. The size of the Lighthouse was breathtaking to me. My pictures did not even capture its magnitude. Where I stayed for the week, I made sure to keep my outdoor light on for whomever needed it as a guide. In Girl Scouts (30 plus yrs ago), we learned that when you went to the beach, you needed to identify a landmark (something you couldn't miss) in case you got lost, and could use it to find your way back. I still use that tactic. The stories told here and boats that have sunken...wow! Research is key. Someone already did the work for you. Follow their antics as a guide.

As of July 28, 2024 the lighthouse is under construction . It has scaffolding all the way to the top. We went early just to check it out. Thinking it is closed to visitors but we were there way before opening....we had get in line early for some OBX Apple Uglies.

What is not to like other than one crabby lady working the visitor center that will not impact my review. Had a great time visiting even though we could not climb up due to COVID. Great information on how they moved the lighthouse available for free as well as for purchase. Just don't take a picture of the the poster with fish on it as the crabby lady won't like that. "It's for sale so we don't allow pictures" Guess what a simple google search provides? A picture of the poster! Okay I am over her. There was a park ranger speaking to a small group of people when we arrived and unfortunately we only caught the the tail end of his presentation but it was good and we took a picture but I suppose he was not for sale so it was okay. We walked the grounds and enjoyed taking pictures everywhere we went as you can tell from some off the photos posted. I did not post the picture of the fish poster because they are selling that. You can however google it. Okay, I am done, for real this time. We will return when COVID goes away to climb the lighthouse and take more pictures from the top as long as it is not for sale.

[Coronavirus review] The lighthouse is unsurprisingly closed for corona, which I suspect is depriving us of an impressive view. You can only see it from outside. According to signage, it isn't the original lighthouse; erosion has markedly changed the coastline and forced an inland move for the old one. I thought to drive to the southern tip, but the roads were inundated with water, despite the fact that it had not rained and was quite hot, which does not inspire much confidence about these roads. I pushed through some water, before thinking better of it and turning around. Not that building roads through this sort of terrain is easy, but it could be done better. The more accessible beach had pleasantly turquoise water and signs about submerged dangers. Bits of asphalt and other debris in the sand suggested that the area looked rather different before the beach eroded its way to where it is now. Overall, the site has a lot to offer but is a bit of a disappointment as it is currently maintained.

Can't go up this one, but the grounds are well kept and the island itself is lovely. Make sure to stop into the little museum that's there, has some neat history about the island.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a must see National Park in the Outer Banks. As of June 2022 the lighthouse itself was closed to visitors, however, it was still cool to check out the museum and walk around the trails. Admission into the park is free!

Beautiful lighthouse and tourist area. We stopped at 6:15 a.m. on our way to the ferry to Portsmouth Island. The bathrooms were open! They were big, newer and clean. Watching the spot light turn was cool as it was nearly dawn. Stop here when you're nearb

So beautiful and a nice place to walk the paths and explore the area.they have a museum and great picture spot

Beautiful historical Cape Hatteras Lighthouse . It's a must see when visiting OBX. It was not open as it was under going cleaning. Nice bathrooms and area to take a beautiful picture of this beacon of light.

Although the lighthouse is closed this year for "construction". The property as well as educational building is still open to the public. This attraction is very clean oasis like featuring a tree covered walkway at times. The restrooms & gift shop both have a cooling feel with high powered A/C units. There is also a large covered pavilion area near the entrance that is perfect for large families etc. Pro tip: Make sure to dedicate a moment to take a photo alone or corralling up the family for a picture with the Hatteras Lighthouse Sign! Its right out front. Featuring a large sign with a great visual landmark featuring the lighthouse in the background!

COVID visit- unfortunately the lighthouse is closed for renovations and expected to re-open in May 2021. You can visit and walk the outside grounds and enjoy the nice beach. Will be back to climb those stairs!

Be sure and see the movie about how they relocated the lighthouse due to erosion in the small white house adjacent to the lighthouse. A lovely drive thru the Hatteras National Seashore will take you to this wonder. Signs will guide you on your way along w plenty of places to get on the beach with your vehicle and stops for ice cream, water etc.

Review #1,900 Bottom Line: A historical landmark and iconic structure surrounded by a prestige beach and nice National Park Infrastructure infrastructure. Even if you don't plan to climb the 257 steps for panoramic views you should still visit the grounds! I've been fascinated with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse since I was a little girl. As a kid I think it was because the historic lighthouse was synonymous with vacation and a bit of a curiosity. Plus, its pop culture icon on the East Coast. My appreciation for the impressive feat of engineering has only grown over time and my enthusiasm was significantly elevated when the lighthouse was moved in 1999. Fast forward another few decades and a handful more of climbs, and I still get giddy when I visit this "barber pole." For all these reasons, I'm glad to honor the 149 year old brick structure with my 1,900th Yelp review. Enough about me, let's talk about you. . . if you are planning to visit Cape Hatteras Lighthouse here is what you can expect to find: -The Lighthouse is operated by the National Park Service and is open for climbing during the late Spring to early Fall season. Tickets are only sold at the lighthouse and only for that day. Tickets are a very reasonable $8. -You must be 42" to climb and it's good to be in reasonably good cardiovascular shape for the 12-story climb. If you're not, you can huff, puff and pant on the various landings on the way up. I think there are about seven or eight places to rest before getting to the top. Children cannot be carried so they'll need to hoof it on their own. -The staircase is a narrow, single spiral staircase that hosts two way traffic. Those with claustrophobia might struggle with the tight stairs while those with acrophobia may find the walls more comforting than the open observation deck. -In the summer I highly recommend climbing first thing in the morning for two reasons: (1) You won't have opposing traffic while climbing up and (2) If you climb the lighthouse in the middle of a hot summer day you'll feel like you are being baked inside a brick oven. -Even if you don't want/plan to climb, still visit! The lighthouse is striking from the ground, the keepers' quarters has an informative museum and the National Park Service gift shop is nice. Inside the museum there is a video of a ranger giving a tour of the lighthouse so you can watch them exercise while you sit in the comfort of air conditioning. You'll get to see all of the details of those making the trek to the top. A win-win! -The bathrooms are clean and very air conditioned in the summer. Ahhhh. There is new water bottle filling station and water fountain too. Over 4,000 plastic bottles saved so far! -During the prime season there are daily talks from Park Rangers about beachy things like sea turtles, erosion, etc. The infrastructure surrounding the lighthouse is well thought out and all of those Ranger talks take place in a shady amphitheater. -Speaking of the beach, it's just 1,500 feet away from the base of the lighthouse. Not only is the neighboring beach pristine, you can also see where the lighthouse use to be standing just 150 feet from the Atlantic's wrath. Thanks to those who have advocated for the preservation of this wonderful piece of American history!

I feel like singing Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely"...Isn't she lovely Isn't she wonderful... Beautiful lighthouse that we got to enjoy on a quiet Sunday afternoon in the beginning of spring, with no crowds. We were less than a week shy of being able to climb it and I am so disappointed. But that gives us another reason to visit the beautiful OBX. I've seen a fair share of lighthouses; although not nearly as many as I'd like. This is a beautiful lighthouse that is easily accessible off of Route 12. There is no cost to tour the outside of the lighthouse and the grounds, unless you intend on climbing. I did want to climb it, but like I said, we were slightly too early in the year. I would like to personally ask the keepers of the grounds, or whomever is in charge, to open a little earlier in the year, say like the 1st of April. It was such a lovely day the day we visited (April 14th, 2019); warm, but not too hot. And absolutely no reason that the lighthouse couldn't have been open to view from the top. But alas, we still had a wonderful visit. We walked around the grounds for about an hour, getting photos from every angle. We toured the museum. It wasn't much, but for 'free', it was was worth seeing. There were a few interesting photos and artifacts. We picked up a magnet like we always do when we visit new places and came back at dusk to get a look with the beacon light. I love all the interesting facts that I've read up on this lighthouse prior to visiting. A great stop of such a beautiful structure.

This is the third lighthouse we have visited in the Outer Bank (OBX). I like this one the most because they way they painted the lighthouse. Each light in OBX is different due to their outward painting pattern. This one look like swirls ice cream. The other things I like about is the location is facing the Atlantic. Very close to the beach. It s part of the US national park. The visitor center has national park rangers that you can ask questions. For example the historical ship wrack location for Atloona. The lighthouse is kind of at the edge of Cape Hatteras. It is an working lighthouse that you can see at night. When we were there, there were two groups people take wedding pictures there. One actually has their ceremony there. Parking is easy and has many spots. I would said visit it twice if you stay at the town. One during the business hours and the other after 5 pm.

Outstanding! We went in the evening and to see this lighthouse on with its spinning light, shining up the area, amongst the star filled sky, is breathtaking. There's lots of parking here with a nice Visitors center and restrooms. They have various lookout points and benches here to relax on. A nice place to bring lunch!

Great site to visit! Once you enter the property you can access the beach and then the light house has a visitors center and small museum. Even though during COVID-19, we were not able to climb the lighthouse, we still enjoyed all the property had to offer.

One of the most iconic lighthouses in OBX and the East Coast! Currently no one can climb to the top due to renovations, but still lovely to see from afar and walk the grounds. There is a small gift shop near front of parking lot with some historic pictures and nice souvenirs. Original foundation stones are also there with names of lighthouse keepers engraved on them. Behind that lighthouse keepers quarters which now function as the Museum of the Sea. Informative park rangers will explain how the lighthouse was moved almost 3000 ft inland in 1999 in order to keep it from falling into the sea! The nearby beach is also beautiful to explore and the original lighthouse site can be seen from there. Overall, a worthwhile stop along the cape Hatteras national seashore to see this historic lighthouse.

For me the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the most inspiring of lighthouses within the United States. It's our tallest one as well as second tallest in the world and its spiral paint design sets it off particularly well. Unfortunately it doesn't sit right on the ocean shore anymore as they moved it (an astonishing feat of civil engineering) approximately 3,000 feet inland to avoid its destruction by the ever encroaching ocean. As it is located at a point near where the cold Labrador Current collides with the warm Gulf Stream the offshore currents are, to say the least, turbulent. In fact so much so it's known as being the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." The grounds around the lighthouse are well maintain and usually crowded with tourists. For a fee you can get a ticket allowing you to climb it. Though the view from the top is nice, you really don't get to see the ocean all that well. Adjacent to the lighthouse is a shop containing all kinds of lighthouse as well as other maritime souvenirs. As far as lighthouses go, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is as impressive as it gets. Hence, Five Stars.

Went here with my family on 6/8/2022. I'm not one for lighthouses, but this was interesting as there is a bit of history. This lighthouse was moved in 1999! Cool, and interesting part of history being that it was never done before. There is also a small store inside another building as well.

Interesting part of history- it was even better when we could climb the stairs to the top.

"Beautiful... along with cape Hatteras seashore, it gives picture card view.." It is situated at small, beautiful Cape Hatteras island. It has national seashore managed by national park service. Along with shore, it gives such picture card view. It is a tallest brick light house in North America. The color pattern makes it really beautiful. The ticket is $7/adult. The guide gives you useful information before climbing stairs. It has 8 platforms where you can catch your breath. Stairs are wide, unlike Boddie lighthouse where at a time only one person can climb. Here you can climb 268 steps together with your family and friends. From the top, you can have a view of Frisco beach- cape point campground. Climbing was never tough for me and I am not that fit. Visitor center gives you more information how it was built, renovated. Fun fact- it was moved 1500 feet from its original position and it was quite an achievement at that time.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is such an important historical landmark that must be visited if you are in the Outer Banks area. Take the time to enjoy the surrounding grounds and read the markers that provide insight into such an important piece of NC history.

Beautiful. The lighthouse tour of obx is a must. It's a light house and museum with shaded walkways. Nice gift shop with friendly staff.

It's closed right now. But just to sit at the base and think of everything it's been though is amazing. A must see every trip. It's beauty never gets old.

Great tourist stop, and great people working there. My bride suffered from heat exhaustion by the time she got to the top of the lighthouse, but the staff knew how to cool her off and talked to us, brought her water for the better part of an hour until she recovered. Note to self - do not climb lighthouses with that many stairs on hot days... The view from the top was incredible! 5-1/2 hour drive was worth every minute.

A beautiful lighthouse. Very regal and large. I personally did not like that it sits in the middle of trees with no water in sight. I guess I have a thing for lighthouses close to a body of water. Did not have time to do a tour of the inside but I am sure if I did, it would have been worth it. The grounds are well kept and the lighthouse looks well-maintained.

Stunning views, absolutely worth the trek up the stairs! I would highly recommend doing an early morning tour to avoid overheating! The park rangers are extremely informative here, and the lighthouse is as pristine and safe as they come.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was beautiful! We didn't climb to the top but enjoyed viewing it and looking in the free museum. We drove over to the original site and were surprised at how close to the water it had been. We also stopped back by when it was dark and it was pretty eerie but beautiful to see it lit up.

Haven't been here in a while, but at least before COVID-19, this place was awesome. The museum showed the history of the lighthouse, and the view at the top was great. The park rangers and guides are also very nice and helpful.

Like Bill W. said, coming here is great even in the offseason with no climbing going on. We were down the week after Christmas and climbing had been done for the season since mid-October but that didn't detract at all from the experience and if anything it was even more enjoyable because of the calm and quiet that pervaded the entire area. The visitor center as always was well stocked with every book, magnet, key chain and calendar you could ever want including a small clearance section where they were blowing out 2014 stuff for half off. One negative worth mentioning is that during the offseason there are no ranger programs going on because by in large there are no rangers to be found. When we were at Fort Raleigh two days prior the Eastern National employee who was alone told us that the only rangers in the area at this time of year were at Hatteras and she indeed was correct. We went to the Bodie Island visitor center and again, no rangers. The visitor center here also had no rangers as the three on duty were all in the modular trailer next to the visitor center processing ORV permits of which there were a few getting done but three rangers for this task was overkill. But I digress. The offseason is also a great time to go a little bit up 12 and park at one of the many beach access points and just take a long walk as more than likely you'll be the only ones for seemingly miles in every direction. Go in season for all the bells and whistles that the NPS offers with talks, walks and climbing but go during the offseason to truly understand and get a feeling of oneness with the area.

Great even in the off season After a hectic couple of months, decided to take a long weekend over Halloween Weekend and head for the Outer Banks. On Sunday, ended up at the Hatteras Lighthouse. Unfortunatley could not climb the lighthouse because that activity had already closed. Nevertheless, Visitor Center was still open and provided great information. Everything is beautiful and a lot of scenic vistas. At dusk, wildlife emerge from the surrounding woods and make a grand entrance. In many way, this is the perfect time to visit. No crowds, no commotion and time to just contemplate everything and enjoy the surroundings and relax.

Love seeing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Unfortunately, we couldn't climb the lighthouse due to paint renovations. The park ranger lady at the museum educated us about the history of the lighthouse and was extremely friendly. Clean restrooms, and overall great area!