Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina

Watch the video here!

Planning the Adventure

We spent the month of October on the Neuse River near New Bern, NC. We were about an hour from the southern part of the Outer Banks. Although we had just spent a week near Kitty Hawk, we wanted to explore more of the coast. Since Cape Lookout National Seashore is a National Park Service site, that was a “must visit” location! Allow me to share the information I used to plan our adventure.

Cape Lookout is only accessible by boat - either your own or a ferry service. As I began researching the ferry routes and schedule, I came across information on renting a UTV to explore the island. Click HERE to learn more about renting a Side-by-Side

Click HERE for a link to plan your visit.

Wondering what to bring along?

I am a planner! I spent the entire week leading up to this day planning a picnic lunch and a checklist of must-have items for the day. You are allowed 2 carry-ons per passenger. We packed what we decided we needed in to a backpack cooler, a hiking pack, 2 camera bags and 2 beach chairs. These items fit perfectly in the back of our rented Kubota UTV. Me and the girls each carried a blanket, as well.

Notes: You will notice that we are dragging blankets off the ferry! The ferry ride was 45 minutes long and we left at 8:15am. We rented the UTV for a half-day from 9am to 1pm. In October, it is a bit chilly in the morning and we opted for blankets over jackets. They are more versatile.

• Blankets

• Ferry ride is chilly in the morning but the beach warms up during the day. Plan accordingly. Dress in layers and bring a pair of shorts.

• Pack a picnic lunch and don’t forget a trash bag. Pack in, pack out!

• Baby wipes

• Tissues (it was windy and my nose got runny)

I hope you can make the trip to Cape Lookout!

~Lindsay