In The News - A Hotel 34 Miles From Land

The Frying Pan Tower 

The ex-Coast Guard light station is located approximately 34 miles off the coast of North Carolina in the Atlantic Ocean. In an age of stress, little work-life balance and constant connectivity, the Frying Pan Tower answers a growing demand for off-the-grid travel. The ocean is an unlikely spot as any for a hotel, but that only adds to its allure.

Anybody who's spent any time out in the ocean in North Carolina knows about the Frying Pan Tower, but other than that it is quite unknown. 

The tower was built in 1964 to help ships skirt Frying Pan Shoals, a nearby shallow area infamous for shipwrecks.

About 20 Coast Guard cadets lived at the tower full-time during the 1960s and '70s. But the light station was automated in 1979, and the invention of GPS eventually made the tower obsolete.

Many have been curious about what was inside the light station after it was abandoned in 2004. When Richard Neal bought and restored it in 2010, the opportunity to find out became a possibility.

 Hotel guests can arrive by boat but they can also arrive at the hotel by helicopter. Transportation is not included in the $498 per person cost for three days and two nights. The hotel does provide recommendations for chartering boats if guests do not have their own.

Guests can stay in one of eight ocean-facing rooms, five of which have twin beds; three have queen-size beds. Basic meal supplies are provided, but ingredients for specific meals must be brought by guests. Visitors generally cook, eat and clean up together in the full-size kitchen, although a chef can be requested while making reservations.

This Could Be Your View

The Gulf Stream is a short ride from the tower, making this hotel a convenient base for fishermen. Visitors and their gear are hoisted into the tower one by one, 85 feet above water.

This incredible adventure, can include more than fishing. When the day's catch has been cleaned, you can hit biodegradable golf balls from the tower's helipad, eat dinner and relax in hammocks. Under a star-filled night sky, you might have the chance to see a fireworks show put on by Neal.

Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com

Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
rawhidetravel.com