From exploring its white, sandy beaches to eating at some of the best seafood restaurants on the East Coast, there’s a lot to love about North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Even better, several great RV parks and campgrounds make it the perfect destination for an RV trip.
Whether you prefer to stay at a beachfront campground with views of the ocean or further inland, there are plenty of options.
However, reserving your spot early is important because RV parks in the Outer Banks tend to fill up quickly.
The Best Cape Hatteras National Seashore Campgrounds: Our Top 3
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore is one of the most-visited places in the Outer Banks–and for good reason. Home to some of the most serene beaches on the southern end of the Outer Banks, and you’re sure to have a relaxing time at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
#1: Cape Point Campground
- Location: Buxton, NC
- Cost Per Night/Per Week/Per Month:$20+ per night
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Dump station, potable water, flush toilets, picnic tables and fire rings
- Nearby Attractions: Cape Hatteras National Seashore, excellent fishing and surfing, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
If you’re traveling with a larger RV, and don’t like the idea of getting stuck on a sandy beach (but still want to stay inside Cape Hatteras National Seashore)–Camp Point Campground is for you. It is the biggest campground inside Cape Hatteras and is the only camping area with paved sites and no RV-size restrictions.
However, as with all other campgrounds inside Cape Hatteras, there are no electricity, water, or sewer hookups at any of the sites. Instead, there are communal water spigots, shower houses, and a dump station.
#2: Frisco Campground
- Location: Frisco, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $28+ per night
- RV Size Restrictions: Vary by site
- Top Amenities: Pet-friendly, standing grills, shaded sites, shower houses, hiking, biking, and ATV trails
- Nearby Attractions: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
If you want a true beach camping experience, Frisco Campground offers it in spades. This beachfront campground consists of sandy dunes, dense vegetation, and ocean views. As with Cape Point Campground, there are no electrical, sewer, or water hookups at Frisco Campground.
However, there are shower houses, communal water spigots, and more than 100 tent and RV sites to choose from. And, with the ocean at your front door, electricity and sewer hookups won’t even come to mind!
#3: Oregon Inlet Campground
- Location: Nags Head, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $28+
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Water and Electric hookups, dump station, grills, pet-friendly, ranger station
- Nearby Attractions: Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Roanoke Island, Northern Outer Banks beaches
If you plan to fish on your trip, consider staying at Oregon Inlet Campground. Located in Nags Head, Oregon, Inlet Campground is one of the only Cape Hatteras campgrounds offering electrical and water hookups at each site. You’ll still need to use the dump station when you leave, but the campground also has some of the cleanest bathrooms and shower houses of any National Park Service-managed campground.
The Best Family-Owned Outer Banks Campgrounds: Our Top 2 Picks
Because of how commercialized the Outer Banks has become, most of the campgrounds in the area are owned by larger chains or companies. However, if you want a more family-friendly feel and to support local businesses, there are still a few great family-owned campgrounds to choose from, including:
#1: Jerniman’s Campground
- Location: Ocracoke, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $90-$100 per night / $45 per night for tent sites
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Hart’s Hotdog Hut, Golf cart rentals, full hookup options, laundry facilities
- Nearby Attractions: Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, Ocracoke Lighthouse, Springer’s Point Preserve
The campground is located on the island of Ocracoke and is only accessible by ferry. When you reserve your campsite, you’ll be able to purchase ferry tickets.
Once you’re settled in at your site, there’s plenty to explore, do, and see on this tourist-friendly island. Ocracoke offers a wide range of eating and dining options as well as 16 miles of undeveloped beach.
While the campground is a little pricy, it’s a stay you’ll never forget.
#2: North Beach Campground
- Location: Rodanthe, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $50 – $65 per night/contact for seasonal rates
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Gas station nearby, camp store on-site, fishing gear for purchase, laundry facilities, swimming pool, dump station, full hookup sites
- Nearby Attractions: Wright Brother’s Memorial, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Chicamacomico Historical Life-Saving Station
Staying at North Beach Campground is a vacation unto itself. They have everything you need on-site, including gas, groceries, a general store, a food truck, and more. As a premier beachfront campground in the Outer Banks, you’ll also have beach access for swimming, fishing, surfing, and more.
Best Waterfront Camping on the Outer Banks: Our Top 2 Picks
If you want to get the true Outer Banks North Carolina camping experience, consider camping at a waterfront campground. There’s nothing like falling asleep and waking up to the sound of the ocean waves—just feet away from where you’re lying.
Here are some of the best Outer Banks campgrounds offering waterfront camping setups.
#1: Camp Hatteras RV Resort and Campground
Image courtesy of Camp Hatteras
- Location: Rodanthe, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $45 – $180 depending on site and season
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Multiple swimming pools and hot tub, laundry, wifi, camp store, mini-golf, tennis and pickleball courts, dog park
- Nearby Attractions: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Camp Hatteras RV Resort and Campground is the place to book if you want to stay at the most luxurious Outer Banks campground. Multiple swimming pools, shower houses, full-service laundry facilities, and paved beachfront sites are just a few of the amenities offered.
In addition to more than 100 premium RV and tent sites, there are also lodges and cabins where you can stay. While there’s plenty to do at the campground itself, you’re also close to the Avon Fishing Pier, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Pea Island, and more.
#2: Cape Hatteras KOA Resort
- Location: Rodanthe, NC
- Cost Per Night/Week/Month: $100+ / contact for extended stay pricing
- RV Size Restrictions: None
- Top Amenities: Swimming pool, dog park, pirate ship playground, golf cart rentals, hot tub, wifi
- Nearby Attractions: Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
The Cape Hatteras KOA Resort is another luxurious option if you don’t feel like roughing it on the beach without water or electricity. This KOA Resort offers beach access, a dog park, and a number of biking and hiking trails near the campground.
The sites at the Cape Hatteras KOA Resort are also more spacious and spread out than at most of the other campgrounds in the area. There are even cabins and tent sites, depending on how you plan to stay!
Final Thoughts
If you plan on traveling to the Outer Banks via your RV, you’ll need somewhere safe to store your RV once your trip is over. That way, it’ll be ready for your next trip. Unfortunately, storing it outside on your driveway or RV pad leaves it exposed to the elements and potential damage.
If you don’t have covered storage on your property, consider using Neighbor, a peer-to-peer RV storage marketplace. Neighbor offers safe, affordable, and covered RV storage options that are close to home so you can drop in and check on your rig whenever necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Park an RV at the Outer Banks?
There are plenty of places where you can camp or park your RV on the Outer Banks. Generally speaking, however, RV parking and camping are only allowed at designated campgrounds.
Can You Sleep on the Beach in the Outer Banks?
Unfortunately, sleeping on the beach outside of a designated campground is frowned upon in the Outer Banks. Rest assured, there are plenty of campgrounds offering beachfront camping and tent sites.
