Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Cape Lookout National Seashore

Went in November which is off season. Very quiet. People were super friendly. Steps from beach. Beautiful pool and huge hit tub. Bar and cafe were closed for season. Great dog park. They were having problems with cable.went in and out. I wouldn't book an end site.....very small and too close to the road.

We spent 2 separate weeks here. The 1st one was planned, the second was because we loved it so much there.

The first thing that captured my heart was the drive in!! It is AMAZING!! The bridges, beach views, sand dunes, inland water views, it is something so pretty it’s hard to describe and be able to capture all the beauty! It truly is something you have to see and experience.

The campground is cute and has a beach vibe. There is a pirate ship playground, a huge pool and hot tub, jumping pillow, basket ball court, your kids will defiantly keep busy! They have my dogs favorite dog parks of all dog parks. They love running free in the sand! The store is cute and. If and has anything and everything you would ever need for an epic beach day.

Speaking of beach…this beach is captivating. The big waves are dreamy. On sunny days you’ll watch surfers and pelicans. Windy days you’ll see kite boarders and pelicans.

We went during the winter and the sea was so amazing. Everyday was a new beach. One day there was a 3’ drop off, the next day it vanished without a trace. The sea birds are adorable. And there are always fishermen being in something exciting be it a fish, shark, or sting ray.

One down side of winter was most of the stores and attractions are closed, but the upside is a quiet campground for beachy dreams and soul filling peace.

All the amenities at the price of privacy. Stray cats, fed by campers drove our dog crazy.

We stayed here six years ago and when I knew we’d be returning to the area, I tried to find it on The Dyrt but it wasn’t there (and I could not remember the name). When we were there in 2018, the campground was in transition and our stay was less than optimal, so I figured maybe it was no longer there. I was surprised when we arrived at the ferry terminal to see it was there, open, and looking quite improved. I stopped in at the office to speak to the owner/manager and she was very surprised to find it was not on the Dyrt’s map so I’m glad that now that I finally had a chance to post my review, it had been added! 

There are 60 sites, including walk-in tent sites, back-in W/E, pull-thru W/E, and FHU pull-thru sites. The prices range from $20-$75. You cannot get any closer to the Cedar Island-Ocracoke ferry terminal from this campground. There is also a motel. The bathrooms are much improved since the last time we were there and there are hot water showers. 

Activities/Amenities: Playground, dog park, horseback riding, SUP rentals, beach volleyball, community fire pit, boat ramp, dump station, post office. 

Had we known this campground was still here, we would have stayed!

Super close to a beautiful beach, there really are no bad spots, but you are very close to your neighbors and no shade. A bit pricey - we chose a pull through w electric and water, but wished we had gone with full hookup. Bathrooms are ok - I did see other people’s hair and could’ve been cleaner. Some of the doors were broken and wouldn’t lock. Great pet area and the staff is super nice.

We absolutely love it here! The hosts are so friendly and informative! We were warmly welcomed and our campsite felt isolated even for how closely the layout is. The walk through the dunes to the beach is negligible but be careful with kids and pets as it is accessable to vehicles and moderately trafficked. If you are able, don't worry about hookups as the marina across the street has potable water and a dump...FREE! Wahoo! :) Ocean breezes all day long! Just watch for the sand spurs and some sneaky catus! Our pups loved it here but got stuck by those guys a few times!

Site: mixture of grass and sand. Has fire pit and wooden picnic table. Gorgeous view of sunsets and water sports. Water is a leg high walk to the hammock. Bathroom: showers were clean! Would benefit of having an fan unit to help cool off while using the toilet. Loved having the option of using outdoor shower (yes even had hot water option). I was able to enjoy a brew in the shower and get dressed and ready in front of a mirror was was provided in the same outdoor shower space. Location: loved that it wasn’t located in a touristy area. It was on the sound. We enjoyed the pizza at the local Italian place right next door. Note: there is a ice vending place that charges affordable rate.. you have the option of ice in a bag or fill up your cooler there.. can walk there if need be. It’s across the street. Other towns over were a 30-45 min drive.

Some things to keep in mind: The wind was really strong and it made setting up our tent a challenge! Thanks to our friendly neighbors, they were able to get it grounded for us. Bring rope/canopy weight in case this happens. There were no bugs due to the wind. However.. we heard that if it wasn’t windy.. bugs were a big issue so canopy/mosquito net would be wise!

Bring water shoes to be able to walk in the sound. Water was at perfect temperature.

Dogs are allowed, even in the water! They require pet deposit.

They also had charcoal grills for you to use if you need one.

My wife and I love to tent camp, and this is our second visit here.  Here is the breakdown:

• $28/night

• Showers are cold water only, but they do have great pressure

• No matter where your site is located, there is easy, easy, so much easy access to the beach

• Park Rangers seem attentive, as we have seen her/him patrol each day of our visit

• Dogs and cats and I imagine other animals are welcome

• Cell Service is spotty for both Verizon and T-Mobile

• No shade

No complaints with this campground, but I do want to elaborate on cellular coverage.  I think The Dyrt mentions that T-Mobile has availability.  This is kind of true.  It comes and it goes depending on your location at the campground.  I am a T-Mobile customer and I have been connecting to U.S Cellular towers during my trip🤷‍♂️.  I am on. the sound side of the campground (west side), and last year, we were closer to the ocean and our coverage was "better".  Point is, your mileage my vary.

Don't hesitate, put your phone away, bring a sunshade, and relax.  You will not regret it.

This campground feels built right into the dunes. It is a perfect place for a true Outer Banks experience. We enjoyed deer stopping by our camp site, and the wild, remote feeling here. It is dependent on the site you choose. Some are much more secluded than others. 

Pet friendly, Fire ring and picnic table at each site. We return here often. There's amazing, world-famous fishing in the area, so in Spring and Fall this place can be packed and hard to get a reservation. It's a little too hot in July and august so we tend to avoid it during those months. 

HIGHLIGHT: you can have a fire on the beach in this area and also drive on the beach. It's very peaceful and during certain times can be very remote. 

WARNING: Bring a pad for your tent. We stayed on two different sites here and the first one had cactus and sand spurs so long they punctured our air mattress, through the bottom of the tent and two blankets. They were so bad on this site, we moved to another site that was much better. While looking at sites, we did notice this issue on multiple sites.

Campground is 1 of the 4 within the Cape Hatteras Nat’l Seashore. Cost here is only $20/night (the others are $28). No hookups available, but there is a dump station and potable water fill on your way out. Cell service is good. The walk to the beach is a bit long, maybe about 1/2 mile or so. 

We stayed here for a night in early November and the place was nearly empty. There were one or two campers per loop, so the campground was nice and open and quiet. I think that during the busy season it would be an unpleasant stay, as the sites are all right next to each other, side by side, just big grassy area. Sites are large though, which was nice. 

We didn’t use the showers but I believe they are cold showers. The set up is almost like an outdoor shower, with a short door and a pull rope for the water. Watch out for spiny sand spurs (?) that stick in your dog’s paws and your socks- very painful and they’re all over the grassy areas. 

Sites must be reserved through recreation.gov. It was easy to pull up with no reservation, pick a site, then reserve and pay online. No service fee through this site. 

No wood fires allowed here. Each site has a picnic table and grill, nothing else.

Dumpsters available, but no recycling bins. Not sure if North Carolina segregates recycling after pickup.

Paved, level parking pad on sandy grass sites tucked between the dunes and vegetation in Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the outer banks by of North Carolina. No hookups, but water and dump are across the street, and generators are allowed.

Though we were caught camping in what seemed to be a very dramatic North Carolina storm we made the best of it. Good location all around, close to the ocean and cool towns nearby. Showers could use some updating but I guess that’s what we get for winter camping on the coast! Also another down side... close to the highway so it was a bit loud at night

So so so many trump flags. So many. And babies riding in golf carts while being held by beer-drinking mother's.

Bathrooms: 5/5 clean & air-conditioning in all of them.

Sites: 3/5 just average/fine

Pools: 4/5

Beach: 5/5

Waterfrontness: 5/5 weird water but pretty to look at

Closeness to other sites: 1/5 you are up each other's buttcracks

Dog rating: 4/5 no problem but also SO dog friendly we had to be very mindful of others not having their dogs on leash.

Wasn’t crowded and it is right on the beach! They had a dog wash which is super convenient. Our dogs enjoyed going on a run in the sand with us, on leash.

If you are looking for beaches that aren't covered with people, you may have a hard time finding something no matter what state you live in. Luckily, North Carolina has some amazing beaches on the Outer Banks, and Long Point Cabin area should definitely be on your list of spots to check out. Since this area is on a small barrier island, you have to take a ferry to reach the cabins. Because of this you, and the other temporary residents of these cabins, have the island all to yourselves.

Being located far from any truly habited land comes with some benefits and issues. If you are looking for empty beaches, lots of outdoor activities (fishing, hiking, shelling, kayaking, etc.), and clear skies to view the stars at night, this is the campground for you. The downfall to this seclusion, though, is that you have to bring all of your necessities and recreational gear with you on the ferry. With an off-road vehicle, this will be no big deal. But if you don't have that luxury, you will be carrying your stuff back and forth on the back of a cart driven by one of the NPS staff. You also don't have any access to convenient stores for forgotten stuff or drinkable water. So be prepared before you head out to the island.

Although the cabins are a bit older, they are still great for your stay here. They all have a porch with rocking chairs to be able to soak up all of the island sun and breeze you can on your trip. They also each have their own private bathrooms and kitchen, so you don't have to worry about sharing with your neighbors.

I actually decided to set up my tent for the first night since it was so beautiful outside, but that required a lot of clearing an area in the sand for my tent since the send is covered in broken shells. This was a bit of a chore, but was so worth it when I fell asleep under the stars that night. Also be prepared for changing weather. As nice as it was the first day, I had to take down my tent the next day due to the harsh winds and rainstorm. Once that cleared up, though, the weather was back to being as beautiful as before.

Pros

• Solitude
• Great fishing and other outdoor activities
• Clear night skies for stargazing
• Private cabins or camping
• Personal bathrooms + kitchen

Cons

• No convenient stores for forgotten items
• Must bring all drinking water
• Older cabins
• Hard to explore without an off-road vehicle
• Quick-changing weather

July 4th trip with family and dog. Easy access to amazing dog friendly beach, few minutes  walk from camp spot just over the dunes. Park does great job maintaining both restrooms and grounds. One of coolest beaches we've ever been to, extremely secluded and great for kids/dog and swimming. D Loop: # 28 inside loop was decent spot for tents only with better breeze than some of outer spots that are surrounded with brush. Town of Ocracoke is really neat, drive thru on the way to campground from ferry. Did not venture out too much do to covid, but would love to visit in the future. Cons: Mosquitos! Will eat you alive at night, fine during the day; just come prepared. Also, large group two sites down played loud music from their cars both nights of our stay till 10pm. Rangers drove by them but did not tell them to turn down, I understand it was a holiday weekend but more should have been done. Overall great spot, would pick a different time of year next time due to mosquitos but will return!

Camp site was clean , board walk to beach was nice, dogs can be on the beach, restrooms and showers were clean but no hot water.

I have been here many times. The cold water showers sound horrible, but after a hot day on the beach they are fantastic. You are allowed to drive on the beach here. That is nice. Dogs are allowed. Last time I went my son caught a sea horse!! Amazing.