A trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina is always special, but to go all the way to Cape Hatteras makes it even more so. Set beside the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are a series of small beach towns, each with its own character and all low-key. One of those small towns is Rodanthe, just 25 miles south of the entrance to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and home to Camp Hatteras RV Resort. The long, two-lane road provides a view of the dunes on the Atlantic side and expansive sound views on the other. A couple of sweeping bridges arch out into the sound in a few places along the way, giving a bird’s eye view of the coastline.
The campground is set on both sides of Highway 12. One side offers campsites near the Atlantic Ocean with beach access while the other offers sites with spectacular views of Pamlico Sound. All campsites are equipped with full hookups, concrete pads, and picnic tables. The position of the campground straddles the whole landmass from the Atlantic to the Sound with little obstruction of trees or buildings and this translates to abundant sea breezes and gusty winds. We had wind gusts of up to 25 mph while encamped but, the temperatures were warm as were the smiles and fellowship of the group.
The campground features a conference center with a kitchen and restrooms, providing the perfect gathering place for the group regardless of the weather. On our arrival evening, the group gathered at the conference center for a meet and greet of almost 100 participants – there was a lot of meeting and greeting with so many new members! We had participants from both North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Ontario, and Nova Scotia. The group has grown by leaps and bounds with our numbers substantially higher than just six months ago at our Fall Rally. The evening was spent reviewing the Rally agenda, visiting with old friends, and meeting lots of new ones.
Day two of the Rally was a lovely Outer Banks morning with a stiff breeze out of the southwest. While walking from our rig to the conference center we watched as kite surfers got ready to launch from a small beach at the campground. As the group gathered for a continental breakfast, we discussed the activity options for the day: a two-mile bike ride to Chicamacomico Life Saving Station, a self-guided trip to Portsmouth Island, a trip to Bodie Lighthouse, and/or sightseeing the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The afternoon was reserved for a rig hop which would allow individuals to share their RV modifications. LTVers got to see modifications of all kinds, from protective drill covers to different kinds of cab drapes.
The small, sandy beach at the edge of the park was the perfect viewpoint to watch kite surfers gliding across the Sound and, sometimes becoming airborne in the gusty winds. The colorful kites punctuated those Carolina blue skies.
North Carolina-based Howard RV sent Tom McNiff and a 2022 Unity Murphy Bed rig for us to tour and drool over. Some very nice upgrades and changes all became topics of conversation at dinner that evening. For dinner, we enjoyed a seafood feast provided by Nixon’s Catering and sponsored by Howard RV. The group was lively and lots of laughter, story-telling, and meeting new friends filled the evening air. We wrapped our evening discussing the incoming weather system and how it could affect the morning kayak trip.
Day three was a bit overcast but that didn’t dampen our spirits. The planned two-hour kayak trip was postponed due to weather concerns but local sightseeing and a wealth of activities like pickleball, mini-golf, tennis, and shuffleboard provided by the campground easily filled our time. That afternoon, Gary and Laura Cooper offered their insights about planning an RV trip to Alaska from their book, “Alaska RV Trip, Quick-Reference Guide” and fielded many questions from interested group members. Their thorough and thoughtful presentation ignited much discussion at dinner that evening.
Dinner that night was again provided by Nixon’s Catering and our evening included a presentation by local historian Danny Couch, who took us on a whirlwind tour of the Outer Banks’ history from the earliest days to the present. He told us about pirates, how the town Nags Head got its name, the Wright Brothers, the amazing number of lighthouses and their role in preventing shipwrecks, local politics, and the natural beauty of the area.
Our evening gathering also included an update from Josiah Wiebe who is the LTV Marketing and Digital Team Lead. Josiah talked to us about the LTV website, and the factory, as well as tempting us with a few teasers about upcoming features for their future RVs. He also fielded questions from the group and visited with members throughout the evening.
As always, the end of the Rally came too soon. No one seemed to be ready to call it a night and we spent the evening visiting and (still) meeting new members! The discussion inevitably turned to the upcoming Fall Rally at Carolina Pines and making plans to meet up again soon.
Departure morning found many rigs packed up and ready for the road while quite a few others decided to take a few more days in this idyllic spot. It promised to be a lovely day on the Outer Banks and whether traveling or staying, we would all enjoy the warm Carolina sunshine.
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