Currituck Beach — CorollaUnlike other traditional North Carolina lighthouses, Currituck’s red-brick exterior was left unpainted to set it apart — and to allow visitors to marvel at the sheer number of bricks used to construct it (about a million).
Cape Hatteras — BuxtonClimb the 257 steps to the top — that’s equal to a 12-story building! — and you’ll have conquered the tallest lighthouse in the state and the tallest brick lighthouse in the country.
Bodie Island — Nags HeadThird time’s the charm: The first two Bodie Island lighthouses were destroyed due to foundation problems (ahem, a leaning lighthouse) and a run-in with Confederate troops during the Civil War.
Cape Lookout — South Core BanksThis landmark, known for its iconic diamond facade, has been protecting sailors from the deadly Lookout Shoals for more than 160 years.
Ocracoke Island — OcracokeWhen this stark white beacon was built in 1823, it was the tallest structure around … at a whopping 75 feet. Today, it’s the smallest of our Outer Banks lighthouses — but the oldest in operation in North Carolina.
Oak Island — Caswell BeachThe last lighthouse built in a long North Carolina tradition was constructed in just one week in 1958. Made of concrete instead of brick, it has an appropriately modern white-and-gray exterior.
Old Baldy — Bald Head IslandBuilt in 1817, Old Baldy has survived two centuries, a civil war, a world war (it was used as a radio beacon in World War II), and its fair share of hurricanes to earn the title of oldest lighthouse in the state.
For a printable checklist of these lighthouses, click here.
Tastes change over time, but our editor in chief knows that, eventually, the classics always come back in style.
Maybe it’s been years since you last solved an algebra equation or wrote an essay, but learning never stops, no matter your age. Expand your knowledge on a “field trip” to these eight destinations across the state. And don’t worry — you won’t be graded!
Find the furniture and decor that speaks to you at 26 shops we love from mountains to coast.
From UNC Chapel Hill’s Wilson Library — housing what’s believed to be the largest library collection in the country devoted to a single state — to personal troves of duck decoys, pottery pieces, trains, tractors, and more: Meet the passionate collectors who curate the past and present, the serious and curious, the tangible items that tell the story of life in North Carolina.
