A North Carolina Beach Retreat With Wandering Wild Horses Offers Idyllic Lighthouse Views

Do you need more than sunshine, warm water, and a gorgeous view to enjoy a beach vacation? On Cape Lookout National Seashore, not only can you lie in the sun and play every water sport imaginable, you can also visit a historic lighthouse and look for wild horses. Your classic beach vacation just got more exciting on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

The Outer Banks are a string of barrier islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the east coast of North Carolina. They extend nearly 200 miles from the Virginia border down to the tip of Cape Lookout. Though the Outer Banks are one of the most popular destinations in the state, attracting more than 5 million visitors each year, only about 10% of those people travel all the way to the three islands — North Core Banks, South Core Banks, and Shackleford Banks — that make up Cape Lookout. The three islands, as well as their 56-mile stretch of beaches, was designated Cape Lookout National Seashore in 1966.

Access to Cape Lookout National Seashore is still quite limited. Since no bridges connect the islands to the mainland of North Carolina, you have to take a private boat or a ferry. Passenger ferries from Island Express depart from Harkers Island and Beaufort and dock at Shackleford Banks or the Cape Lookout Lighthouse after a 25-minute ride. There are also vehicle ferries available between Davis and South Core Banks that take about 45 minutes. Though permits are required for vehicles (available through Recreation.gov), having one allows you to easily transport your camping and outdoor gear.

Your first stop on the national seashore should be the historic Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The dangerous Outer Banks were nicknamed "the Graveyard of the Atlantic" for all the ships that wrecked offshore. Cape Lookout was a particularly treacherous area, so its first lighthouse was built in 1812. A life-saving station, which eventually became the Cape Lookout Coast Guard Station, followed in 1888.  The lighthouse was moved and rebuilt in 1859 to replace the original — and much shorter — lighthouse on Cape Lookout. It is impossible to miss this one. "The Diamond Lady," as the lighthouse is affectionately called, stands 163 feet tall and its strong light can been seen from about 15 miles offshore. Plus, the tower has a unique black-and-white pattern that helps sailors differentiate north and south from east and west while out on the water. No wonder it is so recognizable.

Though it is hard to beat the view from the top of the lighthouse, the inside is currently closed so that the staircase may be renovated. Unfortunately, a date has yet to be set for its reopening. But you can visit the Lighthouse Keeper's House right now. The house was built in 1873 for the lighthouse's three keepers and their families. It is now a museum, open from March to October, whose exhibits focus on the history of Cape Lookout and its iconic lighthouse. There is also a Light Station Visitor Center with guides, maps, a bookstore, and restrooms. From there, a wooden boardwalk leads down to the beautiful, windswept beach.

Cape Lookout National Seashore does not have any permanent residents — not any human ones, that is. But a lot of animals call the islands and their surrounding waters home. Rabbits, river otters, and raccoons are native species. Loggerhead sea turtles nest here during the summer months, as do egrets and piping plovers. But the most famous residents on one of the islands are, by far, the wild horses. More than 100 "Banker ponies" live on Shackleford Banks. It is believed that a herd of Spanish Mustangs swam to shore after a shipwreck in the late 1500s. Their descendants adapted to the island and now freely roam the beaches. They are some of the only wild horses on the East Coast of the United States. Keep an eye out for them as you are birdwatching, shelling, or kayaking on the island.

While making plans to visit the lighthouse and hopefully see the wild horses, decide whether you will stay on the national seashore or head back to the mainland. Camping on the beach is ideal for people who want to stargaze, especially since the area was designated an International Dark Sky Park in December 2021. You can camp on the beach from your vehicle or a tent.  Basic cabins are also available to rent at Long Point and Great Island, starting at $120 per night.

More comfortable accommodations are a short drive from the ferry. Salter Path, an underrated North Carolina beach town, is 15 miles from Beaufort, while Topsail Beach, a pristine, quiet paradise of dazzling coastline, is closer to Wilmington and its international airport. These Outer Banks beaches have more than enough to hold your interest on the North Carolina coast.