South · Carolina del Norte

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Beach Weekend difficulty: Easy with kids: yes

A long, wild strip of sand islands off North Carolina, with dunes, unspoiled beaches and the country's tallest black-and-white striped lighthouse. Here, at Kitty Hawk, the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in history.

With kids

Climb the 257 steps of the striped lighthouse and see the endless sea
Fly a kite on the dunes where the first airplane took off
Look for shells and seahorses in the low-tide sand
Visit the Wright brothers monument and run like their first flights

Accessibility: All ages; strong currents, respect the beach flags

With family

Rent a beach house on stilts with an ocean view
Take the ferry to Ocracoke island, car-free with lonely beaches
Learn to bodyboard on the long Atlantic waves
Watch the sunrise over the sea from a high dune

Full listing, routes and recommendations at Mi País — Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ← All destinations