Cape Hatteras Tourism
The lighthouse has been open to the public since May of 2000. The visitation season starts the Friday before Easter, and ends on Columbus Day each year. Tours start at 9a.m. and run every 10 minutes throughout the day, with the last tour starting at 5:40p.m. "Upon purchase, each visitor will receive a ticket indicating the date and time of their tour." Tickets are sold at a first come, first serve basis each day, and are not available in advance.
The climb to the top of Cape Hatteras is long and hot. The 248 iron stairs are every narrow, as is the winding spiral staircase itself. The climb is equivalent to climbing a 12-story building, with a landing every 31 steps. While you are climbing up, you frequently have to avoid people going down--as the stairs are so narrow, there are rules posted on the walls as to how to properly pass other groups heading in the opposite direction. There is no air conditioning until you reach the top (or bottom)--and even then, the relief comes in the form of a good strong ocean breeze. But once you made it to the top, you could go out on the observation deck to see just how high up you were. You could see up and down the coast, and far out into the ocean. It is a truly rewarding experience to be able to climb such a structure.
