Explore Ocracoke Island: A Travel Guide, part 3

Completing a Tour Guide of Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks of North Carolina (click here for part one and here for part two)…

On the road again: a drive on the island end to end

Good News: Driving from the Ocracoke Hatteras Ferry Station to Ocracoke Village is straightforward. It’s an easy drive from one end of the island to the other. It does not require any discussions, arguments, or planning about what route to take! Peace in the vehicle.

Route 12 is the only road going from one end of the island to the other end… literally the ONLY road.

Bad News: Making the approximately 1/2 hour drive in the late afternoon means driving into the sun. There is very little shade most of the way. Lots of glare on a sunny day!

(images captured from Redtiger Dashcam video)

Ferry loading area with vehicles and passengers preparing to cross on Ocracoke Island. — Driving off the ferry from Hatteras, approximately 4:40pm

A view of a busy road on Ocracoke Island with cars lined up, some with kayaks on top, under a bright blue sky and fluffy clouds. — Heading past the line waiting to board to go back to Hatteras (this is the free ferry off the island and is very popular).

A car driving along a sandy road on Ocracoke Island, with the sun setting in the background and fluffy clouds in the sky. — Into the sun. As mentioned in an part 2, the island is undeveloped between here and the Village, except for a small paved runway, a NPS campground and the Pony Pens.

Note the really big sandbags on the left to protect the road. Trees don’t appear until a ways down the island.

A scenic view of Route 12 on Ocracoke Island, with a road stretching into the distance under a bright sun and clear blue sky, framed by sandy dunes and greenery. — Some growth appearing on the dunes to the left. The island is very narrow here: ocean- beach- dunes- road- small sandy area- Pamlico Sound.

A scenic view of Route 12 on Ocracoke Island, lined with greenery and a clear blue sky. — Finally, some trees and bush… and a bit of shade from the sun.

A scenic view of a winding road through lush greenery, showcasing tall trees and sunlight filtering through the leaves. — The federal campground is just around the corner on the left. It is off-season, so very few vehicles there. If you like camping in the sand, this is the place for you.

A sunny road view on Ocracoke Island, with a large sun in the sky and a highway sign visible on the side. — Outskirts of Ocracoke Village… and the glaring sun still present. Fortunately, our first stop is just ahead on the right.

Signs and a Favorite Place

I have been coming to Ocracoke and the Outer Banks since the early 80’s, starting when we lived in North Carolina. The Village has grown and changed over the years, slowly modernizing. Growth is restricted by the island’s remoteness, the restrictions of fresh water, and the difficulty building. Hurricane Dorian, in September 2019, did a lot of damage and the Village is still recovering.

There are several good eateries/ restaurants in the Village. But by far, my favorite is Howard’s Pub. Howard’s first opened in 1979. It has moved, grown, and evolved. Yet, it still retains the friendliness and fresh seafood (and cold beverages) that best characterize Ocracoke. When I first started coming to the island, it was one of the very few places open during the off-season.

(images 1,2 & 5 captured from iPhone)