The short version
April is when the Outer Banks opens for business. The Bodie Island Lighthouse opens for the year in late April, Taste of the Beach runs April 9–11 in 2027, the Flying Pirate Half Marathon fills the northern beaches on a late-April weekend, and the rental houses fill for Easter week. The National Weather Service station at Cape Hatteras averages a 69°F high and a 54°F low for the month, and April is the driest month of the year. The ocean at the Duck research pier starts the month around 50°F and ends it around 60°F.
For anyone who drives the beach, April is the last month the whole coast is open: the Hatteras Island village beaches close to vehicles on April 15, Nags Head’s driving season ends April 30, and the Seashore’s overnight closures for sea turtles start May 1. The spring red drum run starts along the beach in the middle of the month, and no Currituck parking permit is needed until May. March is emptier and colder; October is the mirror image at the other end of the year.
April weather
The numbers, from the Cape Hatteras weather station’s 1991–2020 normals and NOAA’s ocean gauge at Duck:
- Air: average high 69°F, average low 54°F. Shorts on most afternoons, a jacket on the beach at sunset.
- Rain: about 3.9 inches for the month, the lowest of any month on the Banks.
- Ocean: around 50°F at the start of the month, around 60°F by the end (Duck readings, 2025–2026). Still wetsuit water; the swimming season is May at the earliest. Live readings by town are on the water temperature page.
- Daylight: sunset moves from about 7:25 pm on the 1st to about 7:50 pm on the 30th.
- Wind: the nor’easter season is winding down, but one late blow is normal. Live conditions by town are on the weather page.
What changes in April
- April 1: Currituck beach parking permits go on sale. They aren’t required until the second Saturday of May (May 8, 2027); until then you can park on the Carova beach without one. You still need a true 4x4; the beach is the road. See the Carova Beach guide.
- April 15: the village beaches on Hatteras Island close to vehicles. The Seashore’s seasonal ORV routes in front of the villages run from October 15 through April 14. The rest of the Seashore’s routes stay open; shorebird pre-nesting closures are marked on the points and spits by mid-April, so check the NPS conditions page before you pick a ramp. The ORV permit is required all year.
- April 30: Nags Head’s beach driving season ends at half an hour after sunset. Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk and Southern Shores run their own off-season programs on their own dates. The 4x4 beach access map shows the areas.
- May 1: overnight closures begin on the Seashore. April is the last full month of round-the-clock driving on Cape Hatteras National Seashore until the routes go back to 24-hour access in mid-November.
- Lighthouses. Bodie Island opens for climbing in late April (April 22 in 2026). Currituck Beach Lighthouse has been climbing since late March. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been closed for climbing for restoration through at least the end of 2026; check before you go. Details on the lighthouse guide.
- Fishing. The spring red drum run begins: citation-size drum push along the beach from mid-month, with Cape Point and the southern Hatteras ramps producing the trophy fish. Our surf fishing calendar covers the month species by species.
- Foals. The first Corolla wild horse foals of the year show up in spring (four had been seen by April 23 in 2026). Stay 50 feet back; it’s the county law, and a mare with a new foal needs the room. More on the Corolla wild horses.
April events
- Taste of the Beach, April 9–11, 2027. The Outer Banks Restaurant Association’s festival: dinners, tastings, cooking classes and tapas crawls at restaurants from Duck to Manteo, ticketed by the event.
- Flying Pirate Half Marathon, late April (April 25–26 in 2026). A half marathon plus a 5K, an 8K and a fun run on the northern beaches; the date is on obxse.com.
- Easter, March 28 in 2027, so Easter week runs into the first days of April. It’s the one week of spring the houses fill.
Month by month: March · October · November · December · the whole year
Frequently asked questions
Is April a good time to visit the Outer Banks?
Yes, if the beach itself is the point: 69° afternoons, the driest month of the year, empty sand, the drum run, and everything open except the ocean. It is the last month you can drive the whole coast before the summer closures start.
Can you swim in the ocean in April?
Not comfortably. The ocean at Duck runs from about 50°F at the start of the month to about 60°F at the end, which is wetsuit water. Swimming season starts in May at the earliest.
Do you need a permit to drive on the beach in April?
Currituck County (Corolla and Carova): no permit to drive and none to park until the second Saturday of May. Cape Hatteras National Seashore: yes, the National Park Service ORV permit, all year. Nags Head: yes, the town permit, through April 30.
What’s closed on the Outer Banks in April?
Very little. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been closed for climbing for restoration. The Hatteras Island village beaches close to vehicles on April 15. Everything else is open or opening: the piers, the lighthouses, the aquarium, the ferries, the horse tours and the restaurants.
What is the weather like on the Outer Banks in April?
Average high 69°F, average low 54°F, about 3.9 inches of rain, the sun setting near 7:30 pm. The ocean is in the 50s.