Cape Lookout National Seashore

Ride a ferry to undeveloped barrier islands for shelling, wild horses and a diamond-patterned lighthouse.

Visitor center at 131 Charles St; islands reached by ferry · Harkers Island, NC

About Cape Lookout National Seashore

Cape Lookout protects 56 miles of undeveloped beach across the barrier islands of North Core Banks, South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks. The islands are reached only by water, so you arrive by passenger or vehicle ferry, tour boat or kayak, starting from the visitor center on Harkers Island. Look for the wild horses on Shackleford Banks, walk to the black-and-white diamond-patterned lighthouse, hunt for shells at the point, or tour historic Portsmouth Village. Tent camping and rustic cabins are available.

#national seashore
#barrier islands
#wild horses
#shelling
#lighthouse

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What's around here?

The closest stops to Cape Lookout National Seashore, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

Museums
Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center
Check prices
A regional heritage museum on Harkers Island that showcases the culture, crafts, and community life of the Core Sound area.
5.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Sightseeing
History Buff
Fort Macon State Park
No admission fee
Tour a restored five-sided 1830s brick fort on the tip of Bogue Banks, then swim or fish at the beach beside it.
10 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Museums
North Carolina Maritime Museum
Check prices
A regional state history museum in Beaufort focused on North Carolina's seafaring heritage.
11 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
Sports & Outdoors
Outdoor Adventure
Hammocks Beach State Park
No admission fee
Ride the passenger ferry or paddle out to Bear Island, a four-mile undeveloped barrier island with dunes, a wide beach and oceanside camping.
35 mi awayMore like this
Sightseeing
Tryon Palace
Under $25
Reconstructed colonial governor's residence and historic site in New Bern, North Carolina.
Transit: reachable by public transit
45 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
Sightseeing
New Bern National Cemetery
No admission fee
A national cemetery in New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina, established in 1867 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
Transit: reachable by public transit
46 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing