In September (2023) we were itching to take our maiden voyage, and boy did we not know what was in store.
I had the bright idea that we should head for the Outer Banks, although it was listed at a minimum of 8 hours from our permanent site… After TEN HOURS of driving (multiple stops and adjustments made), we pulled into Camp Hatteras located in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.
Being that it was Labor Day weekend, every single spot in this camp was full but cleared by Monday (we arrived over the weekend).
When we arrived, the staff was helpful but to the point. Christian utilized the hot tub in the main building, but it was too cold for pool usage in my opinion. 🙂 We also took the paddleboard out to the sound inlet, and Christian paddled around with Sage a bit. He noted it would have been nicer with a launching area. We spent most of our recreational time on the beach. Our puppers love going to the beach. Overall, we learned SO many lessons on this first trip to apply on our next journey to Charleston/Mt.Pleasant KOA for Thanksgiving.
Pros:
- Staying “sound side” still had views.
- Short drive to the beach.
- Decent beach with not too many people.
- Paved Site
Cons:
- Due to being off season, many shops/recreational activities weren’t open for business at the time.
- I wish we had spent time on the sand dunes/state park portion!
- 10 hours of driving is not worth 3 nights camping, even if it had been summer.
- Very far from medical assistance…
Personally, I give this park a 6/10. Location was everything. We paid about $100 a night off season… which I now know is pretty steep. The space is MAXIMIZED as tightly as it can get for campsite; There is a KOA right down the road and a couple other privately owned campgrounds I would check out and compare if we were to do it again. 🙂 If you have camped here or in Outer Banks, let us know below!