Need a day to get away from it all? Whether you’re an Outer Banks local or visiting from farther away, a day trip to Ocracoke is a fantastic way to escape the day to day grind. It’s an easy, quick trip, but you’ll feel miles away from everything. Plus, there’s plenty to see and do for kids and adults alike!
About Ocracoke, NC
Ocracoke is a small island south of Hatteras. Only accessible by ferry, this island is bustling in the summer, but in winter boasts just 800 year round residents. Even during summer months, there’s still a more laid-back vibe on Ocracoke than the rest of the OBX- people walk, bike or travel by golf cart; locals are happy to share their little slice of paradise with you; and the overall pace is much slower than on the mainland. Famous as Blackbeard’s preferred hideout, Ocracoke fully embraces its pirate heritage; you can learn about all sorts of local lore and history and get a sense of the wild, free spirit still present on the island.
Ocracoke Day Trip Itinerary
Getting There
We chose to take the Ocracoke Express Passenger Ferry for our day trip. The perks of this for us (over the traditional car ferry) were:
- You can make a reservation ahead of time
- You can bring bikes
- It drops you right in the village (the other ferry lands at the south end of the island, meaning you have a 15 mile drive once you land just to get to town)
- It’s still just an hour ferry ride
This ferry isn’t free, but at $15 per person round-trip, it was pretty reasonable. Bikes are an extra $1. It was convenient, with a large parking lot in Hatteras where we left our vehicle. We took the 9:30 ferry, arriving in Ocracoke at 10:30. Our return trip left at 3:00- we had enough time to do quite a bit on the island, but if we’d had more people with us, or older kids, I probably would have waited for the next departure at 7:30 just to maximize our day a bit more. But as it was, we had about 4 hours to explore, which was great! The passenger ferry is an express ferry, which means it travels around 30mph. You can ride inside, or there are seats up top if you want to be in the fresh air. There is complimentary coffee and water on board, and a small selection of snacks available for a donation.
Getting Around
As I said, my kids and I brought our bikes, which was great. However, you can definitely walk around the village pretty easily- expect to walk a total of a couple miles if you are going to do and see as much as possible, but it’s definitely doable. Alternately, there is a free tram that circles the village with stops every half mile or so. It was never packed when we saw it, and it seemed to stop pretty frequently. You can also rent a golf cart, but be aware that they sell out pretty quickly, so if that’s your plan, I would recommend heading straight there from the ferry to try and beat the rush. Ocracoke Island Golf Carts offers hourly rentals.
Things to Do
Ocracoke Lighthouse
The Ocracoke lighthouse is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in NC and is over 200 years old. Smaller than some of the more famous OBX lighthouses, it’s still a fun stop. There’s a short boardwalk hike to get to it; you can go inside, but it’s closed for climbing.
Springers Point
Springers Point was the protected cove where Blackbeard anchored his ship, and it’s an absolute must-stop on the island. It’s near the lighthouse, and was our second stop of the day. There’s a beautiful nature path that winds through the woods and ends on a sandy beach with super shallow, clear water sound access. There were tons of hermit crabs, and we easily could have spent a few hours here. Plan ahead for this with bathing suits and towels, because you won’t be able to keep the kids out of the water!
Shops
One of our favorite stops was Books to be Red bookstore. It was a quaint little cottage under live oaks with a great selection of books, games, and gifts. We could have spent quite a while here! There are plenty of other places to stop and browse, including surf shops, gift shops and a small outpost of the always-awesome Kitty Hawk Kites.
Eats and Drinks
Lunch Stops
Ocracoke is full of easy, family-friendly spots to grab a bite. We had a great lunch at SmacNallys, a waterfront spot with outdoor seating and a view of the harbor. Fresh seafood, beer and mimosas, and a kids menu were perfect for what we needed! Other favorites include Howard’s Pub, a longtime Ocracoke staple; Jolly Roger Pub and Marina; and Ocracoke Oyster Co.
Coffee and Sweets
For an afternoon pick me up, we headed to Ocracoke Coffee Co. and had a nice, shady break under their live oaks. There’s plenty of seating, a great coffee menu, and cookies and pastries for everyone. If the kids need their own treat, there’s nearby Ocracoke Ice Cream Company or the Fudge and Ice Cream Shop.
Happy Hour
If you have time, or plan to stay for the later ferry, you may be able to enjoy a happy hour break! 1718 Brewing is a local brewery with a wide selection of beers and a great location. One more fun place to check out is Zillie’s, a spot with plenty of outdoor seating, draft beers, and wine and beer by the bottle.
The final word
We had the BEST time on our Ocracoke day trip adventure. It’s definitely a full day, but for us, the ferry ride was part of the fun so that made the travel time a little easier to handle. There’s plenty of fun to be had on the island for all ages, and I really felt like I was on a mini-vacation. My kids kept telling me they loved Ocracoke, and we are all ready to go back!
