Cape Point

Cape Point is where Cape Hatteras actually comes to a point — the sandy spit at the elbow of the island where the Labrador Current sliding down from the north meets the Gulf Stream pushing up from the south. That collision of cold and warm water stirs up baitfish and has made this stretch of beach one of the most storied surf-fishing spots on the East Coast for generations.

Getting there

Cape Point sits within Cape Hatteras National Seashore, a short drive from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton. Most visitors reach it by 4x4 over the sand via one of the nearby numbered ORV ramps — a valid NPS permit is required for vehicle access, and the exact drivable route shifts with the tides and the season. Anglers who don't want to drive can also walk in.

What to expect

• The point itself is a moving target — sand builds and erodes here more than almost anywhere else on the island, so its exact shape changes year to year.
• Surf fishing is the main draw, particularly in fall when migrating fish push through, but it's also just a dramatic place to stand and watch two bodies of water meet.
• The National Park Service periodically closes sections of Cape Point to protect nesting shorebirds; check current conditions before planning a trip built around a specific area of beach.

Because it's an exposed, low-lying point on a barrier island already prone to overwash, expect NC-12 access and beach conditions here to be more weather-dependent than elsewhere on the Outer Banks — hurricane season (August–October) is the time to check ahead.