Salvo
Salvo, NC
Salvo is one of Hatteras Island's smallest villages, a laid back stretch between Avon and Rodanthe known more for kiteboarding and quiet than any single landmark. The Salvo Day Use Area gives it real soundfront parking, a rarity for a village this size.
Genuinely laid back and less commercialized than its neighbors, with real sound access for kiteboarding, though there's very little in the way of shops or restaurants in the village itself.
How we score beachesCome here for the sound side, not just the ocean. The wind and shallow water make it one of the better beginner kiteboarding spots on the island, away from the bigger crowds further north.
Free soundfront parking at the Salvo Day Use Area, maintained by the National Park Service.
A boardwalk and paths connect the day use area to both the sound and ocean sides.
Dogs are allowed on a leash no longer than 6 feet, but banned from the beach 9am to 6pm between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Water reaches the upper 70s by August, alongside the same hurricane season, June through November, that affects the rest of Hatteras Island. Steady wind makes it a solid kiteboarding spot in the shoulder seasons too.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.