Cape Hatteras National Seashore In North Carolina Just Turned 71 Years Old And It’s The Perfect Spot For A Day Trip

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore anniversary in North Carolina recently took place on Jan. 12, 2024. The 71-year-old protected paradise of land and sea is celebrated by travelers near and far through fishing, sunbathing, historic journeys, and extraordinary coastal views nourishing the most magical daydreams. No better words can describe why this area became a protected space of the National Park Service than those of the Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes in 1938.

"When we look up and down the ocean fronts of America, we find that everywhere they are passing behind the fences of private ownership. The people can no longer get to the ocean. When we have reached the point that a nation of 125 million people cannot set foot upon the thousands of miles of beaches that border the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, except by permission of those who monopolize the oceanfront, then I say it is the prerogative and the duty of the Federal and State Governments to step in and acquire, not a swimming beach here and there, but solid blocks of ocean front hundreds of miles in length. Call this oceanfront a national park, or a national seashore, or a state park or anything you please — I say that the people have a right to a fair share of it."

After years of discussion, on Jan. 12, 1953, Secretary of the Interior Oscar L. Chapman issued an order directing certain lands of the Outer Banks of North

Carolina to be protected and developed by the National Park Service for people to enjoy.

The narrow N.C. Highway 12 offers picturesque scenery across Bodie, Hatteras, and Ocracoke islands along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

With easy access to beaches, there’s plenty of room to spread out.

Enjoy a day for sunbathing, floating, and shelling.

Tag along with a friend and try your hand at surf fishing.

The ocean stores a bountiful supply of fresh catch, such as bass, sea trout, pompano, and bluefish.

Some of the wildlife observable on this living beach includes starfish, jellyfish, and crabs.

And these great egrets wandering across grassy areas also make for interesting subjects of photography.

For history lovers, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers three lighthouses.

Enjoy the self-guided climbs at Bodie Island Lighthouse. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Ocracoke Island Lighthouse are not open for climbing. However, the grounds of these lighthouses are open to explore the history.

We find the sunrises over the ocean some of the most enchanting moments we've ever experienced.

You'll find some of the best sunsets are also available among these island horizons.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore anniversary in North Carolina is the best time to visit these extraordinary islands. From condos to oceanfront homes, reserve a Vrbo that is perfect for your getaway.