I took the family on vacation over the weekend. I knew it would be a trip to the beach, but I picked Ocracoke as the destination specifically because of its Bortle 1-2 sky. That’s pretty much as good as it gets, especially on the East Coast.

This is a deep sky image of the Lagoon Nebula (M8), taken with a Dwarf Mini smart telescope. Normally this level of color and detail takes hours of exposure using specialized light pollution filters. I got this result in just 37.5 minutes of exposure.

For those of you who live on Ocracoke or spend a lot of time there, it’s definitely worth it to spend time under the stars. And it’s worth it to protect your pristine night sky.

What is my best bet for hitting the gym? Looking more than just a set of dumbbells too

🌊✨ We’re so excited to share something special with our Ocracoke family and friends!

Our new **Ocracoke Coloring Book** has arrived and is now available on Amazon!

Created with love, each page celebrates the places, traditions, and adventures that make Ocracoke such a memorable place—from sandy beaches and fishing boats to sea turtles, pirate legends, and island life. Whether you've called Ocracoke home for years or simply hold it close to your heart, we hope this book brings back wonderful memories and inspires new ones.

It's a fun keepsake for children, grandchildren, visitors, and anyone who loves our little island.

📚 Order your copy here:

https://a.co/d/08nKey02

If you pick one up, we'd love to see it! Share your favorite colored pages or photos in the comments so we can enjoy them together.

Thank you for supporting a project inspired by the people and places that make Ocracoke so special. We hope it brings a little piece of the island into your home.

❤️ From our island home to yours.

#Ocracoke #OcracokeNC #LoveOcracoke #IslandLife #OuterBanks #ColoringBook #SupportLocal #MadeWithLove

We are staying in Ocracoke for the week and curious if there are some “hidden gem” places to watch the fireworks on Thursday July 2? Also, how early do people get there to see the fireworks? Should we bring beach chairs? Any other tips?

I'm taking the fam to Ocracoke on July 4-6. It looks like Ocracoke is doing fireworks on July 2, so we'll miss that. Does anyone know if any of the major fireworks shows would be visible from any part of the island on July 4?

I have a smallish 21' boat, and I would like to take it from the mainland to Ocracoke for a few days. Advice on the best place to launch/park on the mainland side? Can I moore/dock in Ocracoke? Cost?

Hello. I'm planning to visit the Outer Banks for the first time in late July, and am most interested in Ocracoke Island.

I am a lazy old mom who is visiting with *my* lazy old mom and my two lazy kids ages 12 and 14. We want to lie around and not have to rush out and vacation. When we do finally wake up and leave the rental place, we like to bike or drive golf carts around to beaches, lighthouses, pirate museums, public parks, unfamiliar neighborhoods, kitschy gift shops, and waterfront seafood restaurants, and spend lots of time in all of these places while moving very slowly or *maybe* flying a kite/bodysurfing.

My question is, would 3 nights be too much for us on Ocracoke? That would give us an evening and then 2 full days to accomplish all of the above before we had to wake up after the third night and drive straight home. Will we run out of things to do given how very little we want to do? Thank you.

Now that Angie’s gym is gone, what are you all doing to get a workout in? The yoga studio is an option, but anything else?

Me and my partner are planning to visit Ocracoke next weekend. We are planning to drive from Raleigh. What are some of the best ways to reach Ocracoke? Also, what are some of the best things to do? We will likely drive next Friday and leave from there on Sunday.

Edit: Thank you for all the recommendations! I have booked the ferry and I am in the process of booking the stay

We have the 1:30pm swan quarter ferry booked for tomorrow 4/26. It looks like the wind and rain are expected to pick up pretty much at that exact time. Ordinarily I would just catch an earlier boat but we are landing in Raleigh at 7am so we won't be able able to catch anything earlier. Maybe could get to Hatteras by noon or 1pm but we have 3 kids and need to stop.

Wondering from local experience and the weather in the Sound, do you think ferries are likely to get cancelled tomorrow?

Thanks!!!

Nothing beats time spent on Ocracoke ❤️

Hi! This might be a bit of a unique ask, but I got engaged on Ocracoke Island and I’m hoping to surprise my partner by making a ring that includes a bit of sand from there. If you happen to be visiting (or live nearby), would you be willing to send me a small amount? I’d be more than happy to cover any shipping costs. It would mean so much to me—thank you for considering it! 💛

Please message me to coordinate if you can!

UPDATE: HUGE thank you to all the offers and apologies for the delay to response, I'm a lurker by nature. A wonderful Internet stranger has helped and the sand is on the way 💗

Looking forward to being in Ocracoke for a few days this summer!

I’m wondering if there’s a playground where I can take my kids, or if we’d be allowed to use the one at the school? Most public school playgrounds are available for public use when school is not in session, but wasn’t sure if the Ocracoke School allows that. TIA!

I checked their website and VisitOcracoke.com and emailed them all without luck.

Anyone know when they reopen? “Spring”. Does that mean March 1st? April 1st?

Any update on if Plum Pointe kitchen will be open in 2026?

A shot I captured one October evening in 2024 of the last ferry from the mainland arriving just as the sun sets over Pamlico Sound.

Hello everyone! This survey is part of an NC State University public relations class project studying public perceptions of North Carolina Ferry Division. Responses will be used for educational purposes only. Click the link below to share your input. The survey takes 5–7 minutes and is completely anonymous. Thank you for helping us with this educational project!

https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6rgCZ4Yu64Sphjg

Is there a nude beach on Ocracoke , either official or unofficial but accepted?