Here are the lighthouses from north to south, starting from Corolla to Ocracoke:

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Location: 1101 Corolla Village Rd, Corolla, NC 27927
Height: 162 feet
Year completed: 1875
Distinctive features: Unpainted red brick exterior
Climbing: Open for climbing from mid-March to late November
Details:

  • Built in 1873 to fill the "dark space" between Cape Henry Lighthouse in Virginia and Bodie Island Lighthouse

  • First Order Fresnel lens visible for 18 nautical miles

  • 220 steps to the top

  • Grounds open year-round, with occasional closures

  • Victorian-style lighthouse keepers' home built in 1876, now restored

  • Museum exhibits on the first two landings

  • Cost to climb: approximately $12

  • Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during climbing season

Bodie Island Lighthouse

Location: Nags Head, NC (northern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore)
Height: 156 feet
Year completed: 1872 (current structure)
Distinctive features: Black and white horizontal stripes
Climbing: Open seasonally
Details:

  • Third lighthouse built in this vicinity

  • First constructed on Pea Island in 1847, abandoned after 12 years

  • Second lighthouse built in 1859, destroyed during Civil War

  • Current lighthouse features a first-order Fresnel lens

  • Re-lit in 2013 after restoration

  • Climbing tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis

  • Surrounding grounds include a visitor center in old keeper's quarters

  • Nature trail through soundside forests and marshes

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

Location: Buxton, NC
Height: 198 feet
Year completed: 1870 (current structure)
Distinctive features: Black and white spiral stripes, tallest brick lighthouse in North America
Climbing: Open from third Friday in April through Columbus Day
Details:

  • Second of three lighthouses built at this location

  • First lighthouse built in 1803, replaced due to structural issues

  • Current lighthouse moved inland in 1999 due to beach erosion

  • Uses two active 1000-watt lamps, visible for over 20 miles

  • Climbing hours: 9 am to 4:30 pm daily

  • Tickets: $8 for adults, $4 for seniors, children, and disabled

  • 30 visitors per climb, every 10 minutes

  • No advance ticket sales, first-come, first-served basis

Ocracoke Lighthouse

Location: Ocracoke, NC
Height: Not specified in search results
Year completed: 1823 (current structure)
Distinctive features: White exterior, shortest lighthouse in North Carolina

Details:

  • First light in the area built on Shell Castle Island, possibly as early as 1798

  • Current lighthouse built by Noah Porter of Massachusetts

  • Constructed of brick with an outer stucco covering

  • Initially equipped with a "reflecting illuminating apparatus"

  • Oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina

  • Not open for climbing