![]() To experience some of the remaining natural oases, visit Springer’s Point Nature Preserve, a 122-acre amalgam of ancient maritime forest, wet grasslands, and salt marsh, accessible by a sandy path off of neighborhood streets. Much of the land and dunes of the island are protected by the National Park Service. (Some sections of the beach are only accessible by foot, other areas only by 4WD vehicles, which you can rent through private outfitters like Ray Stallings of OBX Beach Shuttle Services-call 25.) Even in peak summer months, the expansive beachfront area means you won’t be crammed in next to your neighbor. Transport services like OBX Beach Shuttle Services can drop off and pick up. Take the South Point Road Ramp 72 (also a popular running path) access road and enjoy the marsh views. Head toward the 16 miles of undeveloped coastline for a day of beaching, fishing, or surfing. Lunchtime! Smacnally’s offers a diverse fresh-catch menu, to be enjoyed while watching seabirds dive and boat owners jet in and out of the Anchorage marina. (I highly recommend the Greek pita wrap-the dough is incredible.) The next morning, chocolate croissants beckon from Magic Bean Coffee Bazaar, as does the Greek breakfast next door at Helios Hideaway. The recently renovated Pony Island Inn is another lovely spot near the main streets of Ocracoke. If you can, leave room for owner Janille Turner’s homemade cherry cobbler.Ĭheck into the Ocracoke Harbor Inn, which overlooks Silver Lake Harbor and has a private deck attached to each room. Try the oysters Rockefeller and stuffed flounder special, a pan-seared flounder topped with a crab cake and clam chowder sauce, paired with an oyster stout beer, made in part from oyster shells. All seafood is caught locally, and specials change with the catch of the day. With a late afternoon arrival, there’s time to enjoy the sunset from the docks before heading to Ocracoke Oyster Company for dinner. The ferry ride is a calm, soothing affair if you sit on the top deck and enjoy the miles of ocean waves and diving seabirds.Įven though tourism is now one of the island’s main industries, it still feels remote, quaint, and secluded, thanks to an absence of any chain restaurants and stores and quiet sandy paths for walking and biking throughout the village. Officially founded in 1715, when the colony of North Carolina established Ocracoke as a port, the island is the southernmost town within the limits of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and the most remote inhabited island of the Outer Banks. (The North Carolina Department of Transportation operates several daily ferry services from the mainland cars and RVs welcome.) Where to eat, drink, and stay on OcracokeĪ lovely village feel meets miles and miles of undeveloped seashore on Ocracoke Island. Skippers are welcome in private watercraft to Ocracoke’s marinas, but the majority of Ocracoke visitors travel by ferry. You literally escape the mainland: The island is only accessible by ferry, boat, or, if you have access to a small plane, a public airport available for landings and departures during daylight hours. There’s nowhere quite like the Outer Banks’ Ocracoke Island. For this itinerary, we combine the best of both the Inner and the Outer Banks with Ocracoke Island and New Bern. history, fresh seafood, and Southern comfort food and drinks. Each is ideal for outdoor adventure, U.S. This summer, as the crowds descend, consider a week spent exploring hidden-gem outlet towns and North Carolina’s quickly growing inlet towns. ![]() Then there are my personal favorite vacation destinations-North Carolina’s scenic coastal towns, from the Crystal Coast to the Outer Banks, complete with miles of sandy beaches, surfer-friendly waves, and throwback family fun (Putt-putt! Go-Karts!). If a hip college town and modern, farm-to-table cuisine is more their vibe, I encourage a visit to downtown Durham, Chapel Hill, or Pittsboro. ![]() Do they crave craft beer, crisp mountain air, hiking, biking, and whitewater kayaking? I send them to Blue Ridge mountain towns like Asheville and Blowing Rock. As a born-and-bred Tar Heel, I often struggle with recommending just one North Carolina destination to visiting friends and family.
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