Waterfront Inn on North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Hatteras Island was once a quiet, rural fishing area lined with serene beaches and little villages free of electricity until the 1950s. In 1963, the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge was completed, connecting Hatteras Island to mainland North Carolina for the first time. Visitors streamed in, beach houses sprang up, and fishing tournaments and seafood festivals breathed new life into the island.

The Breakwater Inn sits at the southernmost point of Hatteras Island and in the middle of Hatteras Village. The resort, which faces Pamlico Sound, has a long fishing dock and panoramic views of the lagoon; boats can pull up to the private marina. Deluxe sound-front rooms and suites feature kitchenettes and private decks that look out over the sound. In the morning, a light continental breakfast awaits in the lobby.

Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, Outer Banks, North Carolina: Iconic Lighthouse and Wildlife along the National Seashore

Dubbed the “East Coast’s recreational playground” by Frommer’s, the Outer Banks is a string of narrow barrier islands that hugs the northern coast of North Carolina. Vacationers have flocked to the islands’ postcard-worthy beaches and idyllic villages since the 18th century. In the middle of the Outer Banks lies Hatteras Island, a mecca of outdoor watersports including kiteboarding, scuba diving, and surfing.

Roughly three-quarters of the island is protected as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, nicknamed “Graveyard of the Atlantic” for the many ships that have crashed into its dangerous sandbars during storms. For a panoramic ocean view, climb the 248 steps to the top of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, whose iconic exterior is a swirl of black and white stripes. Thanks to the cape’s protected status, the area also supports abundant wildlife, including five species of sea turtles; female loggerhead sea turtles often nest on these beaches.

Farther south lies Ocracoke Island, which is accessible only by ferry. Thanks to its pure water and clean sand, Ocracoke was named America’s Best Beach in 2007 by Dr. Stephen Leatherman—also known as Dr. Beach. Elsewhere on the island, you can glimpse a herd of horses that, though born in captivity, is believed to be descended from Spanish mustangs that washed ashore after shipwrecks centuries ago.

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