Get ready to get steppin'! The Bodie Island Lighthouse and Hatteras Lighthouses will be open to tours and climbs starting April 17, 2015 and continue through October 14, 2015, according to the National Park Service. The opening day is also
free admission.Free tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis and can only be obtained in-person, that day, on-site.This year, the Bodie Island Lighthouse will be open as a self-guided tour, similar to how the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is operated. For the past two years, the Bodie Island Lighthouse was a guided tour operation. According to the National Park Service, visitors expressed frustration at the wait time for tours to start and at the 45-minute long tour schedule. By switching to a self-guided experience, the wait time will be significantly reduced and the amount of time spent experiencing the lighthouse will be self-determined. This change should allow more visitors to have an opportunity climb the lighthouse each day.
BODIE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE:| Climbing Hours | Ticket Sales |
| 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | 8:45 a.m. - 4:25 p.m. |
CAPE HATTERAS LIGHTHOUSE:| Climbing Hours | Ticket Sales |
| 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Spring and Fall) | 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Spring and Fall) |
| 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (May 22 - Sep. 7) | 8:15 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. (May 22 - Sep. 7) |
Climbing tickets are $8 for adults and $4 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. Children must be at least 42 tall, and children under 12 must be escorted by a person at least 16 years old. You can read more about the Body Island Lighthouse interior and tour in our opening day blog from 2013.
