So my friends and I are thinking about camping at Ocracoke this Memorial Day weekend. Probably just going to be a chill trip -- a little fishing, a little sightseeing, a lot of beer drinking. Just trying to get away from the huge crowds at Myrtle, Wrightsville, etc.

We've got a pop-up camper we're planning to use. Right now, we're trying to decide on which campground to stay at. So far, I've found three options: Teeters, Beachcomber, and the Ocracoke Island Campground ...the latter of which seems to be the biggest, but also the most "rustic." Anyone who's stayed at any of these place, what did you think?

Any other Ocracoke tips, advice, must do's, etc. would be much appreciated as well.

4/14/2009 3:37:37 PM

Bug Spray

4/14/2009 3:44:39 PM

Either take bikes with you or rent them there. It's like $8 for an hour. There are so many cute little side streets and things that are neat to see on bike, like the lighthouse. There's also a really nice restaurant and a lady who makes jewelry right across the street from BlackBeard's lodge.

I never camped there, we just stayed at the lodge. Sorry I can't offer more advice. :-/

4/14/2009 4:01:11 PM

Good call on the bikes ... didn't even think about bringing them.

Quote :

"Bug Spray"

Noted.

4/14/2009 4:19:34 PM

Great place, we always camped at the O.I. Campground... has fine facilities but COLD showers. Best thing about the O.I. Campground is you are right on the water.

Yes, bring bikes, but if you don't no biggie. Most of the locals are pretty chill. I lost a bike there once and when I told the guy who I rented it from... his response was "so what" and then he gave me my money back for the inconvenience, ha!

Eat at the Pony Island Inn for breakfast.

4/14/2009 4:29:03 PM

take plenty of food. groceries are expensive over there.

we'd always camp in a tent at ocracoke island campground. it was cool.

sucks now that you can't drive on the beach. we don't go anymore because of it.

4/14/2009 5:30:43 PM

I love Ocracoke

4/14/2009 5:36:13 PM

Big thanks for the restaurant suggestions.

We're not planning to get oo rowdy, but we might want to head out and get some drinks one night. Anybody have any bar/lounge suggestions?

4/14/2009 6:08:46 PM

pretty sure those 3 are the only campgrounds. The National Park Service Campground is a long bike ride into the village (but the only one on the beach). I wouldnt stay here b/c i like to park the car and only walk/bike while i am in ocracoke. most bars/restaurant/shops have 1 or 2 parking spots, if any. Beachcombers is behind a gas station on the main road, not wooded at all, with the sites on top of each other. good location. pretty much a grassed over parking lot divided into campsites. ask for a corner site or one up against the fence. Teeters is pretty much crap too, but there are some trees. good location- more towards the back of the village.

def visit howard street, british cemetary, lighthouse, talk to the locals and just explore the back roads. howards pub of course for drinks and music(food isnt that great). its the only place on the island with a liquor license. smacknally's bar is right on the docks and all outdoors...great live music most nights. good burgers. the pelican- 15 cent shrimp at happy hour. awesome outdoor bar with pool tables. mango loco- mexican restaurant by day, club/lounge by night. jolly roger- another good restaurant on the docks. live music.

you can drive on the beach, just not nearly as far as you used to be able to. lots of fishing trips/boat and kayak rentals/ parasailing opportunities. great clamming on ocracoke!

4/14/2009 6:47:12 PM

what's the name of the bar on silver lake that's basically straight back? jolly rogers? I loved that place as a kid

4/14/2009 6:47:42 PM

Howard's Pub

4/14/2009 7:20:54 PM

^^^Nice post. I didn't know Ocracoke had any nightlife at all, so that's a plus. Is there a particular place that young people 21-30 tend to hang out at?

Likewise, is there any place you'd recommend avoiding? I ask because I've walked into way too many old-people clubs at north myrtle.

4/14/2009 7:36:43 PM

Man I love Ocracoke.

I second bringing bikes, groceries, and bug spray. Also, look for the guy who sells clams out of the back of his pickup truck. Some of the best clams I've ever had

4/15/2009 12:13:02 AM

You don't need groceries. You can get all the daily nutrition you require by eating the Carolina Classic at Howard's Pub.

4/15/2009 10:29:27 AM

Go to Beachcomber. You have hot showers, a convenience store in the front, and you are right in the middle of everything. You have electric and water hookups. This time of year you are going to have a lot of room and not a lot of noise. Plus you are like 100 yards from Howards and Jasons Pizza. I camp 2-3 weeks each summer on Ocracoke and always stay at Beachcomber.

Teeters sucks. Its like a trailer park and its not that great. It tends to attract rednecks and some of the spaces are long term rentals, hence the trailer park comment. The location isn't really that great either, especially when compared to Beachcomber.

NPS campground has no water or electric hookups. There are biting deer flies that can make it difficult to stay outside. The showers are unheated (ice cold) and you are away from everything. The only advantage is the direct beach walkover.

Make sure you hike out to the Springers Point nature reserve. There's a relatively private soundfront beach out there that most people don't know about.

http://www.outerbanksguidebook.com/ocracoke2.htm

[Edited on April 15, 2009 at 11:22 AM. Reason : .]

4/15/2009 11:22:18 AM

^Thanks for the info. Deer flies sound like hell, so Beachcomber might be the ticket. How far is the beach itself from Beachcombers?

[Edited on April 15, 2009 at 12:22 PM. Reason : ]

4/15/2009 12:22:13 PM

Anybody ever done New Years at Ocracoke? I was talking to one of the guys about doing this next year. I think I will pull the camper down this year at least somewhere on the beach, but I would like to do this trip, and just curious if anybody else had done a New Years on the island?

4/15/2009 12:38:23 PM

^^ correction on the original post; you are not going to have a lot of noise at Beachcomber. The only time it ever has been loud is on July 4th weekend, and that is more because of the activities than the campsite. It is like a mile or two down NC 12 to the nearest NPS beach access with parking if you have a car. If you have a 4x4, there is a access road about a quarter mile south of Beachcomber. If the seasonal protection areas are open, you can drive out to the inlet (air down your tires first to 20 psi and don't stop in the ruts).

You don't want to camp in January. The temp can be in the 20's-30's and with the wind chill, it would be around 15 or so. The winds can pick up to 50 mph+ and there is almost nothing open (restaurants, shops) until March. There's nothing to do really.



[Edited on April 15, 2009 at 1:34 PM. Reason : .]

4/15/2009 1:29:50 PM

^^ Honestly, I'd imagine that it wouldn't be that entertaining unless you just want to chill out and get a room somewhere off the beaten path. It would be cold as shit as referenced ^, so camping would blow hard. I went last year during the offseason and basically nothing was open except Howard's and a few other tiny shops. Howard's usually closes around midnight, at least during the offseason it does, have no clue about the summertime, I haven't been in peak season in a long time. They probably stay open later for New Year's though I'd imagine, at least until after the ball drops.

SUMMARY: I'd expect a very light crowd, which may be what you're into. If you're gonna do it get a room somewhere, camping will SUCK A FAT ONE in the cold.

LOL @ me just realizing ^^ was you Nighthawk

4/15/2009 1:57:53 PM

^Well thats what I was talking about, was the trip we previously discussed doing.

Maybe we can plan something this summer and I can drag the kids up with the camper or some shit.

4/15/2009 3:07:21 PM

Quote :

"There's also a really nice restaurant and a lady who makes jewelry right across the street from BlackBeard's lodge."

Remember that part. Whenever I go camping with friends one of the biggest pains in the ass is not being able to find handcrafted jewelry and other bric-a-brac thats indicative of the local culture.

4/15/2009 3:32:02 PM

I just got back from Ocracoke.. I go every year..

Two words: RAIN JACKET!

4/15/2009 3:49:42 PM

last time we went we rented horses for a few hours and rode along the beach in the evening, before sunset

We stayed at a bed n breakfast, the "Thurston Inn" so I can't offer advice on camping other than "BUGSPRAY!" the bugs were bad.

I remember the Pelican and Howards but none of the other restaurants we ate at. The food was great everywhere we went.

have fun

4/15/2009 11:37:07 PM

I fly into Ocracoke a few times a year. I have to say, that while Howards Pub is nice and they come pick us up from the strip, the food is not very good.

4/16/2009 9:21:25 AM

Thanks for the tips guys. Travelwise, about how long does it take to get to Ocracoke Raleigh? Including ferry?

Also, assuming we're staying near the village, which ferry would you recommend using? I'm seeing there are two options (Cedar Island & Swans Quarter)

4/16/2009 6:34:11 PM

We used to always do Swans Quarter. It's faster to get to from Raleigh and has more ferry times if I remember correctly.

Though last time we actually drove to Hatteras and then took the ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke. I don't remember why we did it that way last time. I'm sure there was a good reason



[Edited on April 16, 2009 at 8:38 PM. Reason : It takes about 4 hours including ferry time from Swans Quarter]

4/16/2009 8:37:56 PM

^ It was because I hadn't seen Hatteras lighthouse in a long time and your parents wanted to take us there.

4/17/2009 2:47:40 AM

Okracoke is a nice place, remember the camera for some pictures. Fishing is fun out there too.

4/17/2009 7:58:14 AM

It's a long ferry ride over to the island..

4/17/2009 8:15:38 AM