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    North Ferry Terminal Ocracoke

    4.5 (2 reviews)

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    Hatteras Inlet - The ferry between Hatteras and Ocracoke

    Hatteras Inlet

    5.0(2 reviews)
    4.5 mi

    This was my third and final ferry ride of the trip, arriving at Hatteras Inlet from the Ocracoke…read moreNorth Terminal. A super easy and comfortable ride that was quick. I took a snooze in the RV. The terminal on Hatteras has a waiting area, restrooms and a vending machine. In 1957, North Carolina purchased a four-car ferry operated by Hatteras Islander Frazier Peele, marking the beginning of formal ferry service between the two islands. By 1960, Peele's ferry was running regularly, and the state soon expanded the fleet to accommodate growing tourism and local needs. Today, the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry is one of the most popular routes managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. This route is free! [Review 786 of 2025 - 4218 in North Carolina - 24346 overall]

    Present day Hatteras Inlet, an estuary along the Outer Banks separating Hatteras Island from…read moreOcracoke, was formed by the Great Gale of 1846, which was in fact a hurricane. The span between the land spots is approximately two miles by ferry, which to my big surprise was free and took less than an hour. I understand the ferry I was on was one of a fleet of 8 ferries operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The scenery and views you'll see are fabulous with the area being loaded with fishermen. It's called the "Blue Marlin Fishing Capital of the World," but even with the Gulf Stream running only 10 to 15 miles out, to me it's questionable. The ferries generally run every half hour "on season" with a capacity of around 40 to 50 vehicles.

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    Hatteras Inlet
    Hatteras Inlet - Hatteras Inlet

    Hatteras Inlet

    Hatteras Inlet - Hatteras Inlet

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    Hatteras Inlet

    Ocracoke Island Visitor Center - View of ferry

    Ocracoke Island Visitor Center

    4.3(3 reviews)
    12.7 mi

    Every vacation town needs a visitor center and for Ocracoke Island this is the place. Everything…read moreon Ocracoke is fairly small and compact which is cool because in premise everything is easy to find and this place is no different. Just head towards the Cedar Island & Swan Quarter Ferry dock and you'll find a small parking lot with the visitor center located across the road. The one odd thing worth mentioning is that this visitor center is managed by the NPS. This is due to the large presence that the NPS has on the island with the pony pens, the lighthouse and all of the beaches falling under it's jurisdiction via the Cape Hatteras National Seashore umbrella. So if you come what will you see here? There are two buildings with public restrooms on the right and the actual visitor center on the left. The visitor center has exhibits on the main island attractions like the British Cemetery, the Ocracoke Ponies, the lighthouse and the history of pirates in the area which of course involves Blackbeard. Also note the large map on the outside wall of the building which puts everything in the village in a good context as to where it is and how far. The VC also serves as a gift shop with a plethora of books being the main offering along with a good display of pamphlets, brochures and catalogs for Ocracoke accommodations, restaurants, shops and attractions. This is also the launching point for any and all seasonal ranger activities that take place on the island for adults and children. The day we visited we didn't see any ranger presence but the manager who was at the visitor center was great. She was a funny as hell and a great resource for information. She was also a great help in particular with how to find the best parking for going to Spinger's Point. If you need some help getting around on the island (help but not recommendations for lodging or food as policy dictates anyone working here can't do that) or for some kind of trinket of Chinese plastic to take home with you this is your stop. According to the below page the visitor center is open daily 9-5 with the exception of Christmas Day. www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/hours.htm

    Bottom Line: Free parking, a nice bathroom, friendly people and a decent gift shop…read more The Ocracoke Island Visitors' Center is run by the National Park Service and is proportionate to the size of the island - small. The facility is nice but there's not much to it. I enjoyed looking around the gift shop and picking up a few items to commemorate my trip to the island. I also got a map of the island and I always appreciate a nice, clean bathroom! I suspect there are periodic ranger talks but I didn't see the schedule for them.

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    Ocracoke Island Visitor Center - Shelter with mist

    Shelter with mist

    Ocracoke Island Visitor Center - Map

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    Ocracoke Island Visitor Center - Map

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    Swan Quarter Ferry Terminal - The view from the ferry

    Swan Quarter Ferry Terminal

    4.5(10 reviews)
    33.9 mi

    If you want to go to Ocracoke and don't have your own boat or a small plane to land at the island…read moreairstrip, then the NC ferry system is the only way to go. The system offers three different routes over to the island from Hatteras (most popular by a lot), Cedar Island and the way we chose for this trip, from Swan Quarter which is the least popular. Why the least popular? I think it comes down to two big reasons: The crossing takes, if everything runs smoothly, at least two and a half hours and there really isn't much of anything to see or do near the Swan Quarter dock area. If you want desolate and nothing, I recommend driving to Swan Quarter from somewhere like KDH, Manteo or Nags Head. Nice loooong drive around the perimeter of the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Lake Mattamuskeet. For the first hour, maybe, I saw three cars once I got on to 264. Check in was fast and easy. I made a reservation the day prior (for a standard sized car/SUV you're looking at $15 to make the crossing) and once I gave my name, it was checked off on the clipboard, a receipt was given and then we lined up. ferry.ncdot.gov/#/ We had about 30 minutes to kill and got out and walked around. No real place to go past inside the admin. building to use the bathroom or to walk along water line even if there are signs warning about snakes and gators. The Cedar Island pulled up right on time and the unloading/loading was done very efficiently and we even left a few minutes early. Very smooth ride over with no real bumps or chops. Weather was in the upper 50's, cloudy with some drizzle. Compared to the long lines to board over at Hatteras this one was a comparative breeze. Sure the ride is on the long side but the weather was great and I sat either inside the small passenger lounge or topside reading which was a-ok with me. The other obvious advantage to taking this boat versus Hatteras to get to Ocracoke is the ability to make a reservation. With the first come-first served-priority system of loading at Hatteras you can get blocked out for hours. I know this first hand. The day prior to this we got to Hatteras a little before 10am and they were telling people that maybe...they could get us on the 2pm boat...maybe and if not it would be the 3pm. Hell. No. Overall it was a great experience and in any future OBX trips I would have no problem leaving for Ocracoke from here.

    What a great way to travel to Ocracoke! The staff at the terminal were extremely friendly and…read moreengaging...even at 5:30am! The ferry was clean and offers restrooms, indoor cabin seating with a few tables plus outdoor deck seating. The Swan Quarter ferry offers the earliest arrival time to Ocracoke. Make sure to secure your reservation before the trip or else your ship may sail without you! Bon Voyage!

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    Swan Quarter Ferry Terminal
    Swan Quarter Ferry Terminal - Dock Area

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    Swan Quarter Ferry Terminal

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    North Ferry Terminal Ocracoke - ferries - Updated May 2026

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