Hatteras Island is an unspoiled vacation destination that offers surfing, fishing, camping, bird watching, beachcombing or delightful relaxation and tranquility. It has the rich history of pirates, ghosts and shipwrecks, as well as fun shopping and dining, and magnificent natural beauty. Hatteras Island is an island paradise of magnificent beaches that attracts many to its stunning blue waters.
Location
Hatteras Island, part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, is a small barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound, 30 miles off the eastern coast of North Carolina. It is in Dare County, North Carolina, in the Kill Devil Hills metro area. It is approximately 56 miles long, extending from Oregon Inlet at its northern boundary to Hatteras Inlet at the south. It is the closest point to the Gulf Stream north of Florida.
Hatteras Island is accessible by bridge on the northern end, crossing Oregon Inlet and National Fish and Wildlife Preserve, and by ferry at the southern tip.
There are seven unique villages on the island: (from north to south) Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras. Rodanthe is situated about 10 miles south of the Oregon Inlet Bridge, adjacent to the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. Waves lies directly between Rodanthe and Salvo. Further south on Highway 12, Avon and Buxton are located. 12 miles south of Buxton are Frisco and Hatteras Village.
Hatteras is the southernmost village on the island. It is bordered by Cape Hatteras National Seashore on the north and the Hatteras Inlet on the south.
Distances Between Towns/Cities
Hatteras is located approximately 51 miles from Nags Head, 18 miles from Ocracoke, 47 miles from Manteo, 56 miles from Kill Devil Hills, 58 miles from Kitty Hawk, and 80 miles from Elizabeth City.
Hatteras is located approximately 98 miles from Greenville, NC, 114 miles from Virginia Beach, VA, 170 miles from Raleigh, 264 miles from Washington DC, and 328 miles from Philadelphia, PA.
Airports
Norfolk International Airport, located approximately 117 miles north, is a public airport located 3 miles northeast of Norfolk, in Norfolk County, Virginia. Norfolk International Airport is southeastern Virginia’s main airport, offering over 200 departures and arrivals daily to major US cities. It ranks in the country’s top 65 airports, with 3.78 million passengers last year.
The 3 unattended, unlit airstrips nearby include Billy Mitchell Field in the village of Frisco on Hatteras Island, First Flight Airstrip in Kill Devil Hills, and Ocracoke Airstrip on Ocracoke Island.
Charter service to the area is provided by Dillon’s Aviation which is based at Dare County Regional Airport.
Dare County Regional Airport is located in Manteo, NC. It has two runways and is operated by Dare County Airport Authority for public and commercial flights.
Terrain
Hatteras Island terrain is characterized by miles of sand dunes, salt marshes, freshwater swales and a beautiful maritime forest.
Seventy percent of Hatteras Island is dedicated to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the Peas Island National Wildlife Refuge. Almost 57 miles long from end to end, the width varies from almost four miles in the vicinity of Buxton to a few hundred yards at several points.
Population
Hatteras Island has a permanent population of just under 5,000 in its seven villages. Hatteras village is a community of approximately 1000 people.
The population of Hatteras Island is well educated. For those over 25 years old, 85.8 percent have high school education or higher; 26.0 percent have a Bachelor’s degree or higher; and 3.6 percent have a Graduate or professional degree.
The unemployment level is a low 2 percent.
Jobs
Tourism is the main industry for Hatteras Island. It is part of the Outer Banks area, which ranked fourth in the State for visitor revenue. In 2004, tourism brought in $619 million dollars and employed 11,000 full time workers, earning a payroll of $150 million.
Fishing is also a major part of the economy, both commercial and chartered sport fishing. Hatteras Village is the focal point for commercial fishing on the island
Other industries providing employment in the area are: arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services (27.1%), Retail trade (20.5%), Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (12.5%).
The average time to travel to work for Hatteras Island residents is 17.3 minutes.
Colleges/Universities
Universities closest to Hatteras Island include Elizabeth State University in Elizabeth City, NC, approximately 80 miles away, East Carolina University, about 98 miles away in Greenville, NC, with an enrollment of 22,767, and Norfolk State University, about 117 miles away in Norfolk, VA, with an enrollment of 7,820, and Old Dominion University, in Norfolk, VA, with an enrollment of 20,802.
East Carolina University is the third largest university in North Carolina and has a faculty of 1,406. It offers 109 Bachelor’s, 79 Master’s, and 17 Doctoral degree programs.
Old Dominion University has 14,209 undergraduate students and 6,593 graduate students. It is one of the largest providers of distance learning degree programs in the country, serving 4,000 students at 50 sites in Virginia, D.C., Arizona, Illinois, Washington and Georgia.
Housing
Hatteras Island offers cozy, coastal cottages as well as gorgeous oceanside estates. Beautiful, modern vacation homes are also popular.
The average price for a home on Hatteras Village is $797,786 for an oceanside home and $489,700 for one on the sound side. Hatteras Village is one of the most active villages for housing on the island, accounting for almost 20% of total island sales.
The average price for residential property on Hatteras Island is $593,374
Historic Buildings
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton is the tallest lighthouse in the nation. It is 208 feet high with 268 steps, and offers a panoramic view of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It was built in 1870 and still serves the purpose of warning sailors of the treacherous Diamond Shoals. It was nearly claimed by the ocean, but was rescued in 1999 by moving the entire structure away from the sea.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore encompasses some of the most historic and environmentally fragile land in the world.
The Italian explorer, Amerigo Vespucci, set foot on Hatteras Island in the 16th century.
The wreckage of ships destroyed by German U-boats washed up on the beaches during the Second World War.
Blackbeard the pirate had a base at nearby Ocracoke.
In Rodanthe, there is the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station, built in 1874. From this station the U.S. Lifesaving Service guarded the island's northern coast, and saved shipwrecked sailors.
Along the Civil War Trail there are historical monuments and displays of the Battle of Chicamacomico Races, where the Confederacy attempted to reclaim Hatteras Island from the Union.
Parks/Sports/Recreation/Golf
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is located on the north end of Hatteras Island. It was established in 1938 as a sanctuary for waterfowl. It is a prime place for birding, as over 400 species of birds have been spotted here.
The Buxton Woods, which runs from Buxton to Frisco, is one of the largest barrier island maritime forests in the southeastern United States. It has several rare plant species and unique topography features.
In Rodanthe Wave and Salvo there is a Waterfall Park, fishing pier and many water sports, such as parasailing, kayaking and windsurfing. Waves is the site of a favorite public windsurfing area.
The area in front of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse is a world-renowned surfing spot.
Buxton also offers horseback riding, tennis, miniature golf and a "bird petting zoo." You can reach Cape Point, one of the island's most popular fishing spots, by a four wheel drive vehicle.
Frisco has unique art galleries, the island's only air strip, and executive-style golf course. It is also home to the Native American Museum. It offers windsurfing, kayaking and fishing off the pier or beach in Frisco.
Hatteras Village is best-known for its offshore fishing fleet and is the center of the island’s sport fishing trade. It has several marinas which will take visitors fishing in the sound, inlet or the nearby Gulf Stream.
Scuba diving charters are also available for exploring the shipwrecks off the coast, as well as parasailing and dolphin tours.
Horse stables are located on the island and you can take scenic nature rides along trails.
Avon is popular for windsurfing.
Other popular Hatteras activities include miniature golf, pier or beach fishing, parasailing or banana tube rides, sport wall climbing, kayaking and nightly entertainment during the summer months.
In between the villages of Avon and Buxton is the Canadian Hole, one of the most famous windsurfing spots on the East Coast.
Even in the middle of summer in Hatteras, you can find a private stretch of beach.
Special Attractions/Events
At the Museum of the Sea, a showcase of local maritime history located near the lighthouse, one learns why the coast of Cape Hatteras has been called the "Graveyard of the Atlantic."
The "Graveyard of the Atlantic", located along Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, are shallow bars of constantly shifting sands. The most famous of these are the Diamond Shoals, extending 15 miles into the Atlantic from Cape Hatteras. These shoals, the unpredictable currents and the area's violent storms, have created the “Graveyard of the Atlantic”.
Interesting Facts
The name Hatteras was apparently taken from an area further north along the Outer Banks which was called Hatorask by the early settlers. It comes from the Indian term for “less vegetation”.
The off shore waters of Hatteras have earned the title "Blue Marlin Capital of the World" because of its outstanding offshore fishing.
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