Driving south towards Ocracoke on Highway 12, I caught a glimpse of the Bodie (pronounced “Body”) Island Lighthouse in the distance. I was halfway there, but decided to take the side road to have a closer look. Towering over 156 feet, there are 214 steps to reach the top with spectacular views of the Albemarle Sound, the Oregon Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. The lighthouse recently reopened in 2014 after an extensive renovation and is the third lighthouse to stand in this place.
Bodie Light initially opened in 1872, under the recommendation of Lieutenant Napoleon L. Coste who was tasked with deciding the placement of lighthouses along the North Carolina Coast. It was his opinion during his 1837 examination that “more vessels are lost there than on any other part of our coast” resulting in Congress’s decision to allocate funds to the project.
Unfortunately, the first lighthouse built on the site met with many challenges from the purchasing of the land and lack of experience to complete the project. At 54 feet in height, the initial lighthouse was not only leaning, it would have cost more for the repairs than to start from the ground up. This lighthouse project was abandoned in 1859. That same year, a second lighthouse was constructed in close proximity to the first light reaching 80 feet in height. Unfortunately, with the start of the Civil War, Confederate troops destroyed the lighthouse in fear that Union soldiers would use it in battle.
The lighthouse that stands today on the 15-acre site is north of the original lighthouses and was completed in 1872. Surrounded by saltwater ponds, marshlands and maritime forest, it too had its problems as geese were known to have been flying into the lens and adequate grounding had not been installed to absorb the electric from lightning strikes.
The lightkeeper’s quarters was completed in 1872 as well, but due to its isolating location, the family lived off site during the cold winter months. Eventually, there would be an improvement to access on the island and the families would live at the Keepers’ Quarters year around. Once the light was electrified in 1932, the former keeper’s quarters was eventually converted into the visitor’s center. Public tours of the lighthouse are permitted each year by purchasing tickets online.
Have you visited the Bodie Island Lighthouse? Did you climb to the top to see the spectacular views? I would love to hear about your visit if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my visit to Bodie Island Lighthouse and wishing you many Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
Bodie Island Lighthouse
8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road
Nags Head, NC 27959
Telephone: 252 441 5711
- Admission Fee: There is a fee for climbing Bodie Lighthouse: $10 for adults (13+) and $5 for children 12 and under.
- Hours: Visitor’s Center open daily from 9AM to 5PM, with the exception to Christmas; Bodie Island Lighthouse Climbing; Open 3rd Friday in April through Columbus Day
- Amenities: visitor center, lighthouse climb
- Scenic View: Spectacular views of the Hatteras coastline from the top of the lighthouse
- Length of Visit: less than 1 hour
- Tips for Your Visit: Wear comfortable shoes and be careful climbing the lighthouse
Where to Stay:
Scarborough Inn
524 US-64
Manteo, NC 27954
Telephone: 252 473 3979
Where to Eat:
Fish Heads Bar & Grill
8901 S. Old Oregon Inlet Road
Nags Head, NC 27959
Telephone: 252 441 5740
What more can you want? Ocean views, seafood and a variety of craft beers? Starting with the conch fritters, I enjoyed the light breading on the outside, yummy conch on the inside with a side of Napoleon Complex Pale Ale from Wicked Weed Brewing in Ashville, NC. For my main meal, I decided on the crabcake without the bun and it was prepared perfectly! I ordered the Pineapple Cider from Austin Eastciders Collaboratory from Austin, Texas, which had a refreshing tropical taste.
What to Eat:
- Crab Benedict at Sam and Ornies on Nag’s Head
- Frogmore Stew Steamer Bucket from Armstrong’s Seafood in Nag’s Head
- Donuts at Duck Donuts
- Carolina Barbecue at Pigman’s BBQ on Nag’s Head
What to Read:
- Hatteras Blue, by David Poyer
- Early from the Dance, by David Payne
- Surf Men by C.T. Marshall
- Murder at Hatteras by Joe C. Ellis
- Return to the Outer Banks by Diann Ducharme
Photo Guide for the Outer Banks
- Pea Island Wildlife Refuge for capturing local birds
- Jennette’s Pier to photograph local fishermen and beautiful sunrises
- Ocracoke Horses
- Triangle Shipwreck at Kill Devils Hill
- Shipwreck artifacts at Seagreen Gallery
- The Cape Hatteras lighthouse at Cape Hatteras
- Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo