While it doesn't have the instant recognition or celebrity of Cape Hatteras Lighthouse further to the south, the Bodie Island Light Station is a nice place to stop as you are exploring the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. You'll be able to walk around the grounds of the Light Station, browse through several exhibits in the former home of the light keeper, take in the view of the light station and get plenty of information about the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Where is it?

The Bodie Island Light Station is located on Bodie Island in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore off of Route 12. It's about ten to fifteen minutes south of Kitty Hawk and the intersection of Highway 64 and Route 12. It's located away from the shoreline and has its own access road and parking area for visitors. The parking is free and there's no admission fee for the area.

What's there to see?

At this time, the actual light station isn't open to the public so you won't really get any expansive views of the Outer Banks or the ocean. Instead, you'll be down at ground level looking up at the station and being able to see how the light keeper and his family lived in the home next to the station. There are also some trails that leave from the parking area should you want to get out and explore the natural areas of the island.

In addition to the light station itself, there's also a visitor center that's housed inside the former home of the light keeper. There are several different exhibits on the history of the Bodie Island Light Station along with the Cape Hatteras seashore in general. There are also rangers on duty here should you have any questions about any part of the seashore.

Experiences

We stopped at the Bodie Island Light Station on our way down to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. We saw a sign for a turn off and headed about a mile down the road to the light station and the parking lot. We parked and probably spent about a half an hour wandering around the area. The visitors center was nice because it gave us our first real introduction to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (it was our first day visiting) and we were able to get some materials on the area that helped us plan out the rest of our day.

I had thought you would be able to go up the light station, but it is closed to the public. They are currently refurbishing it, though I don't know if it will be open to the public when that's done. In the meantime we enjoyed the view of the tower from the visitors center and walked around the grounds a bit to get different views of the tower.

We didn't really have the time or the inclination to explore the nature trails that headed out from the parking lot. They seemed to head towards the bay side of the island and it looked like you could do a couple of small loops.

Final Thoughts

The Bodie Island Light Station isn't a reason to visit the Outer Banks, but if you are there and are on your way to explore the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, this area is well worth a stop. You won't be able to climb the tower, but the visitors center has lots of information on the entire seashore area and it is neat to see how the light keepers lived and maintained these lighthouses.

Recommended: Yes

Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime