Avon
Avon, NC
Avon stretches along Hatteras Island between Buxton and Salvo, mostly a strip of oceanfront rental homes with the fishing pier at its center serving as the closest thing to a town landmark. Ramp 34 just north of the village gives off-road vehicles seasonal beach access, while a boardwalk handles pedestrians year-round.
A practical, straightforward rental town beach without much of a scene of its own, though the long walk from the main lot is worth knowing before you pack the cooler.
How we score beachesThe walk from the Ramp 34 lot to the water runs about 350 yards, one of the longest beach walks on this side of the island. Bring a cart for gear if you're not traveling light.
Free parking (19 spaces) at Ramp 34, with pedestrian boardwalk access year-round. Vehicle access on the ramp itself runs October 15 through April 14 with a paid NPS ORV permit.
A boardwalk crosses the dune at Ramp 34, though the walk from the lot to the water is a long one by island standards.
Leashed dogs are welcome on Avon's beaches, per National Park Service rules.
Water reaches the upper 70s by August, during the same June through November hurricane season as the rest of Hatteras Island. The fall ORV season opens up more of the beach to vehicle access.
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