Cape Hatteras, North Carolina -- The Outer Banks -- our favorite place to visit and vacation. We started camping there in 1990 and have returned every year. (We gave up on the camping, though, after three years and now rent a beach house.) Hey, when you can get two adults and two teens to agree on anything, you run with it. We love it there. After a long school/work year, with the constant go go go of the New York area, it's so great just to relax and veg out on those glorious, uncrowded beaches. We highly recommend it to all overworked, stressed-out families who love the beach.

On March 12th, 1969, the astronauts of Apollo 9 took this photo of the Outer Banks during their 136th orbit of the Earth. The point of land at the bottom is Cape Lookout. Cape Hatteras sticks out at the center of the photo. The famous Cape Hatteras Light is slightly north of the point.

Click on image to enlarge (left map only)