Cape Lookout National Seashore

Cape Lookout was the first Atlantic coastal site in the entire National Park Service to receive International Dark Sky Park certification. The 56-mile stretch of barrier islands in the North Carolina Outer Banks is accessible only by ferry, which keeps visitor numbers low and the skies dark. Island Express Ferry runs starlight cruises from the Harkers Island Visitor Center, and the Crystal Coast Stargazers club hosts regular public astronomy events at the seashore. The ocean horizon in every direction is unlike any other certified dark sky site on the East Coast.