Bodie Island And Cape Hatteras Lighthouses To Reopen For Tours
After fours years of improvements under construction the Bodie Island Lighthouse near South Nags Head will reopen offering visitor tours first the first time ever starting this Friday, as will the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, where visitors can climb all the way to the top.
The Bodie Island Lighthouse (photo by Outer Banks Visitors Bureau)
The Bodie Island and Cape Hatteras Lighthouses will open on Friday, April 19, 2013. Guided tours will be offered at the Bodie Island Lighthouse and visitors can climb the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at set intervals. The lighthouses will remain open through Columbus Day, Monday, October 14. Tickets are required.
On Friday, April 19, the National Park Service invites members of the local Outer Banks communities and park visitors to tour/climb the lighthouses at no charge. Free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be obtained in-person, that day, on-site.
This summer marks the first time that the Bodie Island Lighthouse has been open for public tours. A major restoration of the lighthouse and its first-order Fresnel lens was recently completed. Guided tours conducted daily will offer park visitors a memorable, unique, and personal experience in this 1871 historic structure as well as a pristine view of the surrounding lands from the top balcony.
The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest brick lighthouse in North America, has been open for climbing since 1993.
Bodie Island Lighthouse Tour Information: Guided tours for the Bodie Island Lighthouse will run from 9am to 5:45pm. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (62 or older), children 11 years of age and under, and for those holding a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Access Pass. Tour tickets may be purchased on site the day of the tour or may be reserved in advance.
Tours start every 35 minutes and are 45 minutes in length. Each guided tour is limited to 22 people. Children must be at least 42″ tall.Children under 12 must be escorted by a person at least 16 years old. Tour start times are 9am, 9:35am, 10:10am, 10:45am, 11:20am, 11:55am, 12:30pm, 1:05pm, 1:40pm, 2:15pm, 2:50pm, 3:25pm, 4pm, 4:35pm, 5:10pm, and 5:45pm daily, seven days a week.
·Day of Tour Tickets: 50% of all tours for each day will be sold on site. Day of tour tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be purchased in-person at the site the day of the tour. Day of tour tickets will be available from 8:30am to 5:30pm starting April 19.
·Reserved Tickets: 50% of all tours for each day will be sold in advance. Reservations for a tour can only be made between one to seven days in advance of the tour date by calling (252) 475-9417. The reservation office opens on April 22 and is open 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., seven days a week. Reservations cannot be made the same day as the tour date.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Climb Information: Climbing hours for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will be 9am to 4:30pm daily in the spring and fall seasons and 9am to 5:30pm May 24 through Labor Day, Monday, September 2.
Currently, climbing tickets for Cape Hatteras Lighthouse are $7 for adults and $3.50 for senior citizens (62 or older), children 11 years of age and under, and those holding a National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Access Pass. Tickets are available on a first come/first served basis and can only be purchased in-person at the site the day of the climb. There are no advance ticket sales for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Children must be at least 42″ tall. Children under 12 must be escorted by a person at least 16 years old.
Ticket sales begin at 8:15am. Climbing will begin at 9am. and will run every 10 minutes with a limit of 30 visitors per climb time. Ticket sales close at 4:30pm in the spring and fall seasons and 5:30pm May 24, 2013 through Labor Day.
The Bodie Island Lighthouse has been undergoing major renovations over the last four years. (photo by Village Realty)
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