Outer Banks Camping Guide
Everything you need to know about camping on the Outer Banks! How to book, the best campsites, and what to do in the area.
When I embarked on my road trip to the Outer Banks, I knew that I would definitely be looking to camp in the area too. I love camping. I crave camping. It's one of my favorite things to do while I'm on the road, or when you just need a weekend to slow down and get away.
This guide will help you navigate how to camp on the Outer Banks, what you need to be prepared for, and my favorite camping spots on the #obx too!
In case you missed by 'Outer Banks Scenic Byway Road Trip' post, be sure to check it out below. It'll help navigate what to do if you're planning an OBX road trip, and also I highlight what some of my favorite spots were on this particular trip!
How to Book Camping Spots in the Outer Banks
When I traveled to the Outer Banks, I mostly ventured on the Cape Hatteras area. You can see the area indicated by the arrows in the photo here. It's basically that long stretch going down to Hatteras Island.
In order to book the NPS camping sites on Cape Hatteras (which to me is the most interesting part of the Outer Banks), you have to book online through www.recreation.gov - this is literary the only way to book a camping spot on the OBX. I kid you not. It's a bit of an odd system especially because you would think that you would be able to just turn up and pay some cash and be done with it, but nope. This area is pretty strict about making your booking through this website. So whatever you do, just make sure you have enough data, battery, and wifi on your phone to be able to log online and make your booking.
Of course, there are a ton of private camping sites too that you can look into. This guide is more directed towards the National Park Service campgrounds.
SOME PRO TIPS!
When I traveled to the Outer Banks, it was off-peak season - November, plus it was during Covid era (circa 2021). So I kind of had a feeling that even if I drove up late in the day, there would be some spots available, and lo-behold. I was right!
If you know that you'll be traveling off-peak, maybe on a weekday, where you are more likely to find a ton of spaces, I definitely would recommend for you to go straight to the campsite, then view the camping spots, choose whatever your heart desires (that isn't booked obviously), and you can make your booking right then and there on the www.recreation.gov website! As long as you have wifi. Which you pretty much do in most of these campsites. Each campground will generally have a camp host, so they sort out the booking numbers, give you your camping tags, etc. But what they don't do, is book your site for you. They're just there to make sure things run smoothly.
Now, if you're the kind of person who doesn't want to leave it to chance, or maybe you are traveling in peak summer season, definitely book your spot ahead of time! You do not want to turn up and find yourself homeless for the night. The website itself is quite helpful in trying to determine what the spots look like, so it's always better safe than sorry! As a long time camper, I'm quite used to using the rec.gov website, and I always find it very useful to use! PLUS, you can always move your dates around - so long as they have spaces at the campsite. I did that quite a few times during my trip. Road tripping can be very unpredictable!
The Campsites of the Outer Banks
There are four main NPS campsites on the Outer Banks
1. Oregon Inlet Campground
2. Cape Point Campground
3. Frisco Campground
4. Ocracoke Campground
See photo with purple arrows
During my road trip, I was meant to actually stay at all four campground, but the Nor'easter storm that I came across had other plans! Totally ruined my carefully curated road trip. A little tip; if the winds go up to 25/30mph on the Outer Banks, there's a chance that sometimes the main road, Route 12, can be shut down. Not only that, the two ferries that cross the Outer Banks area can also be out of service due to the tide being too high and dangerous. That's pretty much what happened at my trip.
With that said, I will tell you about the two campgrounds that I managed to visit.
There are also a ton of private campgrounds on the Outer Banks that you can learn much more about here.
My favorite campground, was Oregon Inlet Campground.
Just look at this stunning sunset!
Apart from the crazy beautiful sunset that this campground provided, it's very really well located! I actually ended up being stuck here for 3 days due to the bridge being closed - it sits right before a major crossing towards #Rodanthe btw. But to be honest, it wasn't a bad place at all to be stuck.
The campground itself is quite sandy, and dune-y, and it's an easy 5/10 min walk to some pretty uninterrupted #beaches right behind the campground. There were trails that lead to the beach and boy did I have some fun times playing Frisbee out there, or simply watching the sunrise or collecting #seashells ! I loved this campground. The hosts as well were really lovely. They also had these cosmic looking outdoor showers on site too! Great spot for sure if you want a campground that's close to the beach for the summer.
The one downfall I will say is that there were these pesky sandspur plants, omg they were an absolute nightmare!! They're these prickly little cacti looking plants that stick to your shoes, clothes, and basically anything you're wearing! So beware! Before you hop into your camper van, tent, RV, be sure to do a sandspur check because I pricked myself multiple times on these bastards and it hurt like a you-know-what! Be sure to especially check your socks and shoes. That's where they like to cling on to.
Cape Point Campground
This campground is located right on Hatteras Island. So it's a perfect place to camp if you wanted to explore this area. The big appeal with this area is of course, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It's a massive attraction in the OBX, and definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. Learn more about my time at the ligthhouse through my article, 'Outer Banks Scenic Byway Road Trip'.
Pictured Above: Cape Hatteras Light Station
The campground itself, works the same way as all the others. When I visited in November, it was practically a ghost town there!
Pros:
There were a ton of spaces here.
The campground is very flat, so it's perfect for RVs and bigger camper vans. All of the parking spots are pretty much the same. It's also good for tents too because there's a lot of grassy areas.
It was super close to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Very close to a grocery store, gas station and other amenities
Cons:
The campground itself didn't have a ton of character, and there wasn't much privacy between camping spots. So I didn't like it as much as other campgrounds I've been to.
Another huge negative aspect that I didn't particularly like was that there were a TON of mosquitos here!! It was insane. Odd as well for the time of year I was there (November), there was quite a lot of stagnant water around this campground which makes it a perfect breeding ground for them. It actually bothered me so much that I didn't end up spending the night there. Definitely bring bug spray if you go there.
There were also other reasons I didn't love this area as well - you can read my experience of my time at Hatteras island through my 'Black Girl Traveler Guide to the Outer Banks'. I personally didn't love the island as much as I liked other parts of the Outer Banks.
Frisco Campground & Ocracoke Campground
Frisco campground is located west of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse near the village of Frisco. I didn't get the chance to stay here but I heard great things about it from other holiday go-ers that I came across during my trip here. It sits on a sand dune-y ground and it has easy access to the beach right from the campground itself. I would definitely stay here if I get a chance to return to the area.
You can learn more about this campground here.
Ocracoke campground is located near the village of Ocracoke. You would need to take the ferry to get to this campground. It sits on a sandy ground and apparently has quite a few mosquitos too. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go through Ocracoke due to the Nor'Easter storm I came across, but I would have definitely loved to visit this area to.
Learn more about Ocracoke campground here.
Some Pro Tips:
Be sure to have good phone service and back up chargers when you're in this area. In order for you to book your camping spots on the NPS campsites, you have to reserve them online.
Hit up the grocery stores and get yourself some extra food and water while camping out here. I ended up being stuck here for 3 days due to a Nor'easter storm. With only one main road through the OBX, it's pretty common out for them to close the roads for clearing the sand. I was glad that I had brought extra food just in case!
If you travel during off-peak season, bring extra layers. The night temps can drop drastically out there.
Now get out there and do some camping!!
For all my fellow Black Travelers:
If you're a black traveler, be sure to check out my 'Black Girl Traveler Guide to the Outer Banks' - As a black traveler, I'm always a little more hyper sensitive when I approach new areas, and I believe in passing on some of my experiences to other black or people of color travelers who want to venture out to these areas. I hope you'll find my post helpful and that you're able to plan yourself a safe and fun trip out here.
Photo taken by yours truly on Route 12 in the Outer Banks right after they cleared the roads from high tides.
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