Camped here for three days. Excellent camp grounds right next to the dunes and the ocean. The sky…read morewas amazing - millions of stars and no light bleed. The beach was clean and there were lots of shells. Camp spots were aplenty with space. Not crowded. The camp ranger Scott was a pleasure to converse with. A wonderful and intelligent man. Has showers but not hot water. Bathrooms were clean. No electric or water hook ups. Primitive camping.

Ten stars for the fabulous Ocracoke Island. Peaceful, relaxing, beautiful. I enjoyed my time here…read morevery much. There's just something about the isolation of being two hours from the mainland, independent in your own RV and not having to deal with the fast pace of the real world. The beach was beyond belief, free of crowds and noise and litter. Just watch the waves crashing is like pushing a reset button. The sunrise this morning was perfection itself. My only complaint here? The dang golf carts! These people drive like they are immune to traffic laws and physics, pulling out in front of my three ton RV that would crush them flat. Yes, there is a 20 mile per hour speed limit on the island and I adhered to it, but wow. Look out for these people zipping in and around parking lots. [Review 785 of 2025 - 4217 in North Carolina - 24345 overall]

This was the number one thing I wanted to see on Ocracoke and now that I've seen it, I'm happy! I…read morelove lighthouses, having visited 128 lighthouses across the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Portugal, the Republic of Ireland and even a lightboat in Sweden. Do lighthouses in Oklahoma (Lake Hefner), West Virginia (Summersville) and Vermont (Shelburne) count? They do for me! Ocracoka's lighthouse is easy to access with parking lots nearby and it's maybe a one mile walk from the ferry terminal. It was built in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter and is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and the second oldest still standing in the state. It was constructed to guide ships safely through the treacherous Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound, a vital route for maritime trade and military supply lines. Standing 75 feet tall with a conical brick structure, the lighthouse was automated in 1955, and while visitors can access the base during summer months, the tower itself is not open for climbing. Its enduring presence and simple elegance make it one of the most beloved landmarks on the Outer Banks. [Review 775 of 2025 - 4207 in North Carolina - 24335 overall]

Well it's another lighthouse. There is free parking a block down, or park at the church just past…read morethe lighthouse for a donation. There is a boardwalk to the lighthouse that keeps your feet dry. Can't climb the stairs. Basically this is a 5 min visit, take some pics, read the history sign, then leave. I guess once the light keepers house is done with restoration there may be a museum to see?

We found a lot of hiking trails while visiting the Outer Banks. It's not what most people do, but…read morewe're not big beach people (and it's not all that warm in November). This spot is right across the street from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, so it's conveniently located. The trail is really short and flat like most of the trails in the Outer Banks. It's only .8 miles, so it's a quick stop. The trail is wooded and goes through a swampy wetlands area, similar to most of the other trails we did. I wouldn't say this was my favorite hike we did, but it's worth a stop if you're going to the lighthouse anyway.

On Ocracoke Island, the British Cemetery commemorates four British Royal Navy sailors who lost…read moretheir lives on May 11, 1942, when German U-boat 558 attacked their ship, the HMT Bedfordshire. Only four remains were found when the ship sank off the coast of North Carolina while searching for enemy submarines; they washed up close to the settlement. Residents of Ocracoke gave a tiny piece of land for their burial as a token of appreciation and respect; this area is now permanently leased to the British Commonwealth, making it, metaphorically, British soil. Each year on the anniversary of the sinking, a memorial ceremony is held with representatives from the U.S. Coast Guard, British Royal Navy, and Canadian forces, honoring the sacrifice of these men who died defending American shores. [Review 778 of 2025 - 4210 in North Carolina - 24338 overall]

There are several British Cemeteries at Outer Bank. There is one at Buxton. The most visible one is…read morelocated at Ocracoke. The cemetery is close to the local island graveyard plot. It is easy to find going towards the ferry and the is a road call British Cemetery Road. I have a a lot of respect to the seaman from Britain to protect our shore during the World War II. The allies force has come to here to fight the German U boat submarine. The German U boat lurk to the coastline of North Carolina and wait to attack the US. This has been protect by British Navy. Some has lost their live during this conflict. On May 12, 1942, another attack on a British ship would occur off the coastline. This time an attack was waged the HMS Bedfordshire. The entire crew was lost and only four bodies are found. These seaman was later burry in the island. The US coast guard has memorial service every year to remember the courage seaman. There are people putting their coin on top of the cross. A coin left on a headstone let's the deceased soldier's family know that somebody stopped by to pay their respect. Leaving a penny means you visited. A nickel means that you and the deceased soldier trained at boot camp together. If you served with the soldier, you leave a dime

Last year, I rented a skiff for 5 days. My family and I maximized use of the boat, hanging out in…read moreTeach's Hole, fishing in the sound, and a day trip to Portsmouth Island. The boats are well-maintained. They are used Outer Banks rental boats, so don't anticipate pristine conditions; expect functional and dependable. The reservation process is fast and easy, and the owners (Farris and Chrissy) are friendly and live on the Island which is a plus if you have problems. For experienced boaters, you'll find Farris super easy to work with. If you're inexperienced or have never navigated the Pamlico Sound, I strongly recommend a check ride with Farris. He'll determine how much attention you need. This is a solid outfit, and they are flexible and will go out of their way to meet your needs. Super pleased with my experience!

Called on a Sunday and they gave us really good details on best weather days. Was a deal to rent…read morefor 8 hours! Showed us everything we needed to know before our adventure! Gave us ideas on where to go! Enjoyed sandbars, exploring Portsmouth, and floating in the water! Will definitely rent again next year! The Hunt's

There is a small beach and lots of parking at one of the best places to see a sunset in OBX…read more Dog friendly

This monument stands in the parking lot opposite the ferry terminal, close to the water. It points…read moreout the history of the Confederate form that stood nearby and lists those who served in the Civil War from here. The etched stone marker reads, "The remnants of Fort Ocracoke are submerged in Ocracoke Inlet, 2 miles to the west - southwest, toward Portsmouth Inlet. The last of possibly four forts on Beacon Island, the mostly earthen Fort Ocracoke was constructed by mainland Confederate volunteers, beginning on May 20, 1861, the day North Carolina seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. "After Union victories on Hatteras Island in August, 1861, the Confederates partly destroyed the fort and abandoned it without a fight. Mainland Union forces completed the destruction in September, 1861. Beacon Island was consumed by the waters of Ocracoke Inlet in the first half of the 20th century. The fort's remains were discovered and identified by members of surface interval diving boats in August 1998, acting on a tip from Ocracoke Charter Boat Captain, Donald Austin." On the rear, "In Memory of Veterans of the Civil War from Ocracoke & Portsmouth Islands" and it lists their names. The marker was erected by the Hyde County Heritage Trail. [Review 779 of 2025 - 4211 in North Carolina - 24339 overall]

This is a twofer review. We went on 2 tours with the Austins while on Ocracoke for a weeklong…read morevacation recently. This is our second time to go on the ATV Tour and jthe first time for a new tour they are offering, the Sand Bar Cruise. Both are fantastic! We have such a great time with these down to earth folks. First on the ATV Tour...you show up at their office/umbrella stand that is adjacent to the Jolly Roger Marina on the main drag in Ocracoke on Siler Lake Harbor. Bring these thing with you for certain: SUNSCREEN, GOOD BUG SPRAY. Other items you will need: Water, a few snacks if you are bringing kids and maybe some beach towels. Wear your bathing suit under your clothes. You jump in the boat with Wade (a native Ocracoker...very nice) and a guide and off you go (at a great clip) to Portsmouth Island. It is about a 15 minute boat ride. When you get there Wade will beach the boat and help you off and then he leaves you on the island with your super nice quide. You then hop on some ATV Mules (some with windshields, some without-try to get one with!) and away you go. She will take you to the edge of the Historic Portsmouth Village. Before you get there she stops and lets you DRENCH yourself with bug spray. Because this is a deserted island and a National Park, they don't do commercial mass spraying which is a must on the Outer Banks. THE BUGS ARE TERRIBLE!!! It is almost not worth going to the village because of this, but it is a really neat place. The place is like it was left when the last permanent resident left (back in the late 60's I believe). There is a life saving station with all kinds of informative displays including a replica boat. There is the post office, a really nbeat church that really shows the damage of Hurricane Emily and about 6 other houses. It is a walking tour and it is quite a hike and very buggy, but I swear it is worth it if you have any interest in this sort of thing. When you are done looking over the village, you will dash back out to your ATV (they aren't aloud in the village and you have to park where the bugs are the worst..so run!) and then you go back out the the beach where there are practically NO BUGS. There is great shelling here as hardly anyone takes te private ferry (that costs about $200@ car) so you have the beach all to yourself and for the remander of the tour (which is 4 hours total) you go check out the beach and look for shells (we always find big conch/welks!) You ,may even see some fishermen on the beach. While we were there one pulled in a STINGRAY! They let it go while we were there, thank goodness. Then back down the beach to meet Wade and he takes you back to Ocracoke. This tour is expensive (hence the deduction of 1 star) it is $85 per person. But I really think it is worth the money. NOW for the Sand Bar tour. This is the BANG-FOR-YOUR-BUCK experience on Ocracoke Island. It was WONDERFUL! You get on The Native Son, the Austins' new Pontoon Cruiser. It is very nice. THINGS TO TAKE: sunscreen, towels, chairs, a filled cooler, your beach book-basically whatever you would normally take to the beach with you. They have plenty of room on the boat. When we went , Wade and his wife and kids went with us alond with about 15 other people. The boat holds about 30 or so people and so you are very comfortable on the ride out to the Sand Bar. You go about 2/3 of the way to Portsmouth Island and Wade very smoothly and professionally steers you to the barely visable patch of sand and you disembark. You are on the tour for about 3 hours, and in that time, the Sand Bar keeps getting bigger a the tide is falling the entire time. The area you can explore is almost unlimited. The water on the sandbar varies in depth, from about 6" deep to over your head swimming holes. And all this is about 2 miles off shore! It is SO NEAT. While we were there my nephews (the buddied up with Wade's kids, Hayden and Colby) caught about 20 crabs and we found about 40 sand dollars!! It was so nice. Before we left the sandbar was about as big as half a football field exposed. We just turned our kids loose (ages 13 and 10). They had the most fun we had on the whole trip. This is the best deal on the island. $40 for the adults and $20 for the kids! You can't beat that with a stick! And there was even a coupon in the 'Sunny Deals' guide that is in every store for $5 off the adults! Fantastic. We will DEF be going back for more sand bar tours with the Wade Family. BOIL IT DOWN-If you have the cash go on...BOTH! If you are having to choose between the two, We like the Sand Bar Tour...no bugs and tons of laid back fun. If you need to be a little more entertained, the guided tour of Portsmouth Island is for you. Both are fun...its all about your prefrence.

My wife and I booked a morning trip during a recent stay on Ocracoke. We loved this excursion. Our…read moreguide, Mark, was personable and responsive to the desires of the group; my wife wanted to see one house in particular in the village, and he made sure we did. The ATVs were well-used but ran great and were a blast to drive on the beach. We would most definitely do this again. Well worth the money.