Cape Hatteras Outer Banks KOA, Rodanthe, NC [Review]
Make your OBX vacation perfect with a stay at the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA in Rodanthe, NC!
In this campground review, we will share why we recommend this KOA, what you’ll find at the Outer Banks KOA, and how you can make the most of your visit.
We are KOA Rewards members, and our family has stayed in a lot of KOAs across the United States.
While the KOA brand does ensure some consistency in the quality of campground that you’ll have, some of the properties shine a bit brighter than the others.
The Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA is large and packed with amenities that kept my family busy the entire vacation.
Plus, the location can’t be beat, and it is within an hour’s drive of just about everything you’d want to do on an Outer Banks family vacation.
This post contains affiliates. I will receive a small commission if you purchase through the links.
Outer Banks RV Camping: What to Consider
Note: I was not paid or otherwise encouraged to stay at any of the following venues, and all stays were personally paid for. All opinions are my own based on my family’s experiences.
The Outer Banks are an island chain off the coast of North Carolina, which stretches nearly from the state’s borders with South Carolina and Virginia.
That’s a lot of ground to cover, and navigating the island chain is made even more difficult when you consider that there is one 2-lane road that unites the entire thing.
Location is everything when determining where to park your RV while camping in the Outer Banks.
You’ll want to be close to the beach since that’s what you’re here for!
You’ll also want to be within easy driving distance of historic sites,
Camping Options near Rodanthe, NC
Rodanthe is one of the best Outer Banks towns for families, thanks to its quiet beaches, ideal location, and laidback feel.
Using this area as your home base means that you’re within walking distance of a stretch of beach only utilized by a few campgrounds and a stretch of rental houses.
You’re also within easy driving distance of a coffee shop, water sports rental, ice dispenser, several restaurants and a Dollar General.
Even though Rodanthe is smaller than some of the other Outer Banks towns like Duck or Manteo, it still offers up 5 campground options.
From north to south, you’ll find Rodanthe Watersports and Campground, Cape Hatteras RV Resort and Campground, St. Claire Family Campground, the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA Resort, and the Ocean Waves Campground.
Why the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA Resort is Best for Families
While all 5 of the aforementioned campgrounds are clustered close together—and, therefore, the location of all are nearly identical—we did prefer the KOA for it’s beautiful access to both the beach and the sound.
There is a private beach access on the property, making it easy for a family day on the sand.
Just across Highway 12 (the Outer Banks Scenic Highway) from the KOA entrance, is a large, grassy field with a perfect view of the sound’s incredible sunsets.
We also prefer the size of the Outer Banks KOA over the other campgrounds for a beach vacation.
While we’re certainly not opposed to smaller campgrounds—and have stayed in many!—we look for lots of amenities when we’re staying for a week or more in one place.
Those amenities keep our kids busy and bring down the overall cost of vacation since we’re not constantly shuttling them everywhere.
While the Outer Banks KOA didn’t have water views from any of the campsites (there are huge sand dunes protecting the area), the beach is just steps away.
Cape Hatteras KOA vs. Rodanthe Watersports and Campground
If you MUST have a water view, than the Rodanthe Watersports and Campground has some on the Pamplico Sound—but no direct access to the beach.
Rodanthe Watersports and Campground also has less variety in their lots. You won’t find any spots for longer RVs or trailers.
It also doesn’t have any full hook-up sites, though there is a dump station on the property.
Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA vs. Cape Hatteras RV Resort and Campground
Of all of your Rodanthe campground options, the Cape Hatteras RV Resort and Campground and the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA are probably the closest to compare.
Both are large with a variety of sites and direct beach access. Both have pools attached to nice clubhouses.
Unlike the KOA, the Cape Hatteras RV Resort also offers soundfront camping, which is unique among the offerings on Rodanthe.
However, the KOA has a much nicer and much larger pool—and there’s a small slide for the kids, too.
Overall, we preferred the wider range of activities, big playground, and layout better at the KOA.
Cape Hatteras KOA vs. St. Claire Landing Family Campground
St. Claire Landing Family Campground is located between the entrances to the KOA and the Cape Hatteras RV Resort and Campground, just on the sound side.
Much like the Rodanthe Watersports and Campground, the St. Claire Landing property is smaller, has beautiful sound views, and no direct access to the beach.
Some sites have sewers, and there is a section devoted to long-term stays.
While the St. Claire Landing campground does fit a wide variety of RVs and camping trailers, there aren’t any cabins on-site, nor is there a pool or playground.
Cape Hatteras KOA vs. Ocean Waves Campground
Ocean Waves is on the Atlantic side of the island, like the KOA, but Ocean Waves Campground is much smaller—just one road in and out.
Also like the KOA, there are no beach views from any sites, but there is dedicated access from the campground.
There is a small pool and playground, but these are basic.
Cape Hatteras KOA Campground Review
Check-in Process
We were SO ready to get to the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA!
Not only did our trip from South Carolina take nearly twice as long as expected due to road construction, but I also had a blow-out on my pop-up camper on the way there. (And on the way back, but that’s another story!)
The signage at the entrance is easy to follow, and there are several spots available for those campers checking in.
However, if there are several campers parked here at the same time, the area feels quite congested.
We had times later in the trip when we’d return to the campground and have to creep by campers that were parked everywhere in the entrance zone.
Once inside the clubhouse, the line moved quite slowly.
This was due to the fact that the same 2 people checking in campers were also having to ring up people buying items from the store.
In fact, the people purchasing items from the store kept jumping into the check-in line rather than go to the back, which was annoying.
Additionally, we found that the front desk workers were workampers who didn’t seem to be confident in what they were doing.
I love workampers—and would love to be one someday!—but putting in people unfamiliar with the system on a summer weekend day means that things are going to run slowly.
Ultimately, it took my family over half an hour to check in, which far exceeded any wait time we’ve had at other KOA campgrounds.
Still, the woman running our register was super sweet and apologetic about the wait, and she worked as quickly as she could, given that she admitted she was new to checking people in.
If at all possible, I’d suggest checking in later in the afternoon, especially on the summer or holiday weekends, as it was a mad house on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 PM to around 4 PM.
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I can plan out routes that are safe for my specific trailer, get recommendations on favorite gas station locations (hello, Buc-ees), see points of interest on my route, and get detailed reviews from fellow campers.
Best $59 I’ve spend on an app!
Setting Up Camp
All set up for our first night—and first beautiful OBX sunset
Luckily, the lagging check in was the low point of the entire stay, and everything got MUCH better after that.
One of the other KOA employees led us to our 2 campsites—one for my family, and the other for my mom and dad, who brought their own pop-up for this trip.
I was driving solo on this trip as my husband couldn’t get off work.
I was determined to do everything on my own from hooking the trailer up in our driveway to setting up camp once we arrived in OBX.
So, I was the one backing into our campsite, which is not my strong suit.
Thankfully, the employee was incredibly kind and encouraging as I (slowly) figured out how to back my little pop-up in the site.
Once my camper was in place, I helped the employee direct my dad into their spot next to me.
Individual Campsite Review
The hook ups at our campsite
My kids and I were in site 358, and my parents were next to us in site 359.
That area of the campground was for smaller trailers, pop-ups, and Class B vans.
While the sites were fairly roomy side to side, they felt a little shallow front to back, especially when we had neighbors behind us.
That being said, the site size was in line with other Rodanthe campgrounds, and might have been a bit larger than others.
As you might imagine, space is at a premium on the Outer Banks, so every foot is utilized.
(It still wasn’t as bad as the campsites at Lakewood Camping Resort in Myrtle Beach, SC.)
Our 2 campsites had water and 30 amp electric, but no sewer hookups.
Our pop-up didn’t have a bathroom, and my parents didn’t use theirs most of the time, so that set-up worked for us.
NOTE: other sites at this KOA do have full hook-ups with sewer and cable if you need those.
The campsites were an easy walk to the nearest bath houses.
The premium pull-through spots between us and the bath houses weren’t full during our visit, so we were able to cut through those to get to the bathrooms more quickly.
Cape Hatteras/ OUter Banks KOA Campground Overview
When I say that this campground is the ULTIMATE Outer Banks campground for families, I’m not kidding.
There is SO much to do here that we spent 2 days of our 10 day vacation just hanging around the campground—not even going to the beach!
Our campsites were located in the middle of the campground, which might seem as if it would be noisy, but the staff did an excellent job at keeping everything laidback and quiet.
While you do have a few golf carts zipping around, none were obnoxious or blasting music as we’ve had at other campgrounds.
There was a great mixture of kids on bikes, retirees out for a walk, and families heading to the pool on the campground roads.
Outer Banks KOA Campground Layout
If you’re camping, you most likely want some piece and quiet.
In a busy, large campground, that dream might feel far away, but we found plenty of it at this KOA.
The campsites are pushed away from Highway 12, and the clubhouse, extra parking, and vacation suites provide a great barrier from any road noise.
Remember, we stayed here in a pop-up, which has zero sound insulation, and no one had any issue with road noise, late night music, or raucous guests.
Most of the premium pull-through spots are near the clubhouse and jump pillow, giving them an easy in and out.
The Camping Kiddos at the KOA beach access
As you move further into the campground, you’ll find several rows of sites like ours with water and electric.
The 4 rows closest to the beach access are full hook-ups, and most of these are pull-through as well.
Cabins at the Outer Banks KOA
There are nearly 2 dozen standard cabins at the Cape Hatteras KOA, and they are located to the left of the entrance.
There are another 24 deluxe cabins scattered around the property. If I were staying in one of the deluxe cabins, I’d opt for 1201 and 1202, which are closest to the beach.
I’d avoid cabins 1718 and 1719 as these are right by Highway 12.
If you want something that’s halfway to being a cabin but still has that camping feel, the KOA also has 2 yurts!
If you choose this option, don’t forget to download our yurt camping list to ensure that your glamping vacation goes perfectly.
Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA Activities and Amenities
While Rodanthe has SO much to do within an hour’s drive, make sure to add in extra time to soak in all that the KOA has to offer on property.
From the nicest pool we’ve seen at a KOA so far to a pirate-themed playground, this campground is PERFECT for a summer family vacation.
And of all of the KOA campgrounds we’ve visited (like the Route 66 KOA in Tucumcari NM), the Outer Banks KOA has an incredible arrays of amenities.
On-site Pool
The pool is huge.
On one end of the L-shaped pool is a shallow end, perfect for relaxing with little ones or sunbathing.
On the other end, there’s a play area with a slide so that bigger kids can have fun splashing into the pool.
The pool is also conveniently located next to the clubhouse and tiki bar, which is perfect for lunches or afternoon cocktails.
Playground
The playground has a pirate ship!
This massive play place was where my kids were morning, noon, and night during our stay.
There are swings, slides, monkey bars, and more.
I loved that there was a fence around the playground so that my younger kid wouldn’t be tempted to explore beyond the boundaries.
The Cafe
It’s hard to have a lazy beach day when you’re sweating over a stove.
Give yourself an actual vacation and head to the KOA Cafe instead.
We tried a variety of items from Tina’s Poolside Cafe while we visited, including the cheeseburger and BLTina with fries.
There are also kid favorites like grilled cheese and corn dogs.
The grill isn’t the cheapest option, but, honestly, everywhere we visited in OBX was higher than usual (it’s par for the course at a vacation destination).
Plus, I’ll pay a premium for a quick, easy meal that’s only steps from my campsite.
Sports Options
For the family who can’t stay still, there’s plenty to do here.
Challenge your neighbors to a game of volleyball at the court behind the clubhouse.
Or, see who can get the closest in a game of horseshoes near the premium sites.
Round out your vacation with a game of basketball at the well kept court behind the pool.
Train Rides
The Camping Kiddos are ready for their train ride!
Once a day in the afternoons, kids can take a ride through the campground on the small, but adorable train.
My kids LOVED this amenity and asked to go on it every night we were at the campground.
Ask at the front desk for the daily train schedule.
Other Amenities
There’s a large Kamp K9 dog park next to the horseshoe board, which is excellent if your furry family members are along for vacation.
The Cape Hatteras KOA doesn’t have individual sites with dog runs (like the Holbrook AZ KOA does), but the Kamp K9 dog park here is also a good option.
The second floor of the clubhouse has a nicely stocked gameroom with puzzles, toys, and books.
It’s a great option for rainy days!
The jump pillow is the place to find friends on an overcast afternoon. Just like the one at the Cherokee NC KOA, this jump pillow was something my kids wanted to return to again and again.
It does get hot in mid-summer, so jump early in the mornings or in the evenings.
Things to Do in and around Rodanthe, NC
We had many fun outdoor activities within an hour’s drive that we easily could’ve spent another week in Rodanthe.
Here were my family’s favorites.
NOTE: I strongly recommend purchasing the Outer Banks tour on the GuideAlong app while you’re in OBX.
For less than the cost of dinner, you’ll get hours of commentary as you drive to various areas in the Outer Banks.
We love the GuideAlong tours as they are GPS-based, meaning that the tour audio automatically starts whenever we hit one of the viewpoints, trailheads, or interest areas.
You’ll learn about each island’s history, geology, wildlife, and more.
It’s just like having a live guide in the car with you for a much more reasonable price.
Playing on the Sand Dunes at Jockey’s Ridge State Park
It’s the beach, so you’re expecting sand dunes—but you’re not expecting THESE sand dunes.
Towering several stories high, these incredible dunes are naturally occurring and perfect for sledding down.
Just like when we went sand sledding at White Sands National Park in New Mexico, these dunes require plenty of sunscreen, a saucer sled, and a hat.
Go in the early evenings for a cooler, crowd-free experience.
Taking the Ferry to Ocracoke Island
Getting there is half of the fun!
The ferry to Ocracoke Island offers 2 options: walk-on or drive-on.
We opted for the walk-on ferry, but we have plans to take our camper on the drive-on ferry next time!
Ocracoke Island is only accessible by boat, and it is an excellent day trip.
Browse through the books at Books to Be Red, walk to the top of the Ocracoke Lighthouse, and grab lunch with the locals at Jason’s.
If you don’t want to walk, there’s a free shuttle that tours the main shopping district. Just look for the little golf carts packed with people.
Exploring Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
Try to solve the mystery of the doomed British colonists at Roanoke.
The visitors center has an excellent exhibit on the archeology of the site, and the ranger-led tours are fascinating (and free).
Kids can complete a Junior Ranger program to get a free badge; just ask at the bookstore counter.
There is a paved walking path through the heart of the park with interpretive signs along the way.
This is also where the phenomenal play The Lost Colony is held—don’t miss it!
Learning about the First Flight at the Wright Brothers National Monument
Junior Rangers checking out Wright Brothers Monument
It’s hard to believe that it’s only been just over a hundred years since humans were able to take to the skies.
Head to the place where it all started to follow the daring Orville and Wilbur Wright.
The ranger-led program about the location’s history is excellent and helps put what you’re seeing into perspective.
Don’t miss the well done museum with a replica Wright Brothers plane.
If you have time, walk to the top of the hill, where the actual monument is located. You’ll get some beautiful views of the island and get a better understanding of how that first flight went.
This is another opportunity to earn a Junior Ranger badge, too!
Explore elsewhere in North Carolina with these outdoor adventures!
Outer Banks KOA FAQs
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The Outer Banks KOA campground is located at the halfway point in the Outer Banks, making it a great home base.
The large, but quiet campground also has great amenities for families, including a pool, playground, on-site cafe, jump pillow, and beach access.
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These categories are a quick way to understand what is available at a particular KOA.
The KOA Journey locations are basic campgrounds with full hookups, back-in and pull-through lots, and a small shop.
The KOA Holidays offer many more amenities including pools, mini golf, jumping pillows, onsite food, and organized activities. The Holiday locations also offer cabins.
The KOA Resort locations offer everything that the Holiday locations offer as well as Deluxe camping spots and an atmosphere akin to a summer camp. These locations also tend to be the largest.
Learn more about the 3 types of KOA locations here.
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The Outer Banks KOA is a KOA Resort location, which means that it offers up standard and deluxe camping sites, standard and deluxe cabins, vacation suites, and yurts.
Plus, the campground offers a wide variety of amenities and daily activities.
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There is a Dollar General less than 10 minutes south of the Cape Hatteras/ Outer Banks KOA on Highway 12.
This store has basics like bread, milk, chips, sodas, paper plates, and the like.
For RV supplies, beach gear, and a wider variety of groceries, you’ll need to head to the Kitty Hawk Walmart, about 45 minutes north of the campground.
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The Cape Hatteras KOA offers both trailer and RV camping spots, as well as a handful of tent spots, 4 dozen cabins, and 2 yurts.
During our stay, we saw everything from Sprinter vans to trucks with rooftop tents to Super Class A’s.
