Things To Do On Ocracoke, North Carolina – Ocracoke is a special place, an island 23 miles off the coast of North Carolina. Packed full of pirate history, clear blue water beaches, and great food. It’s no wonder this majestic island is a vacation destination for so many.
Tips From Ocracoke Locals
For the last three years, we have been Innkeepers here at Oscar’s House, Ocracoke’s oldest Bed and Breakfast. With new guests coming in and out every day we’ve made hundreds of recommendations. Everything from local restaurants to hidden gems and activities littered throughout the island. We’ve compiled a list of our top 5 favorite activities on Ocracoke Island. We hope these help you navigate the island so you always feel right at home.
1. Ocracoke Beaches
We have to start with the beaches! Ocracoke’s beaches are not the same crowded sandboxes you’re used to! There are no hotels, bars, restaurants or arcades to be seen! No, our beaches are protected as National Seashore and as such, are quiet and pristine with beautiful dunes and sea oats and natural wildlife! You can pick a spot on along the 15-mile highway between the village and the Hatteras Ferry Terminal. Just pull over and be on your own private beach! There are several beaches that have parking lots as well. Ocracoke’s Lifeguard Beach has been rated the number two beach in the country by several publications for several years, only behind a beach in Hawaii!
2. Ride Around The Island On Bikes
Exploring on bicycles! This is a must here on the island, which is why we provide complimentary bikes to our guests. It’s a real treat to ride around the island and find all of the historic places here such as the British Cemetery, Howard Street, the Lighthouse, and more. Stop into the shops, and then grab a drink before going to see the sunset! When we were visitors to the island, this was one of our favorite things to do, and still is now. Because there are no hills and the village is small, it’s not a difficult athletic endeavor, but rather a slow enjoyable adventure. Putting this on our “Top 5 Things to Do In Ocracoke” list was a must!
3. Explore The Beauty Of Springer’s Point
Springer’s Point. This is a real treasure here on Ocracoke! Springer’s Point Nature Preserve is a little piece of heaven tucked away on Loop Rd, which is near the Lighthouse. There are more than 120 acres of undeveloped land with trails that will lead you to all kinds of historic landmarks. This is where Blackbeard and his crew would congregate. After making your way through all of the beautiful live oaks and other beautiful natural vegetation, you’ll end up on a beach on the Pamlico Sound, also known as Teach’s Hole which is where Blackbeard was captured and met his fate in 1718. You can’t go by car because there is no parking, but it’s an easy bike ride from Oscar’s House!
4. Taste The Amazing Food
There are so many activities here from fishing charters, shell hunting tours, ghost tours, day trips to Portsmouth Island, paddleboarding, kayaking, and more! And then there are Ocracoke’s amazing restaurants! Some of the best cuisines you can imagine are here on our tiny island. People have their favorites, of course, and we do our best to recommend our guests to the places that sound like would be right for them! You can’t get a bad meal here! There are also wonderful shops and galleries, ice cream shops and more! All of this and no commercial businesses, which is a point of pride! Ocracoke is not like anywhere else and that’s why we love it!
5. Enjoy A Relaxing Sunset
We have to end with Sunset! No matter what else you’ve done all day or what you have planned for the evening, you cannot miss Ocracoke sunsets! They are not like sunsets you’ve seen in other places, they’re magical! We recommend you take one of our bikes and ride down to the docks by the ferries and walk out onto a dock, sit down, and prepare to take incredible photos! It never gets old!
Stay With Us At Oscar’s House Bed & Breakfast
We hope this list of things to do on Ocracoke helps you fill up your days with adventure while on vacation. We look forward to sharing more adventures with you through our blog! If you are interested in staying with us here at Oscar’s House Bed & Breakfast we would be more than happy to have you as our guest.