For for those of you who have been following along, you know that Caleb and I recently moved to NC and to make the moving process more fun we decided to make a road trip out of our traveling back and forth between states. One of the main places we explored was the Outer Banks. We spent six days exploring up and down this beautiful place in our new home state and I couldn't have loved it more!
We started in Nags Head and explored the northern side of the Outer Banks (Duck, Kitty Hawk, Corolla, etc.) before heading south to Frisco. (see part one of our Outer Banks travel here). Frisco campground was a little hard to find at first as there is another campground similarly named that is very nearby. We accidentally stopped here first before finally realizing where we were actually supposed to go. Once we got there it was simple enough to check in and find our site. My favorite things about the Frisco campground was the long boardwalk to the beach, and the beach itself... oh my it was beautiful! Our first night there Caleb and I walked down to the beach and just laid down and looked at the stars. It was so peaceful and the stars were so bright. There were quite a few people out on the beach having bonfires which looked so fun. If you are planning on going there I would highly recommend getting a beach fire permit so that you can do this. You can just hang out on the beach listen to the waves, look at the stars and enjoy the warmth of the fire. It was truly an amazing beach. Bonus, in the morning the long, flat, and well packed beach was perfect for running and walking on. However, one thing to note is that the same boardwalk that I absolutely loved, ran over a long stretch of swamp that separated the campground from the beach, I did not realize the problem this created until night when the mosquitos were so bad that Caleb and I had to eat dinner in the truck.
Apply for beach permit: www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm
Frisco Campground Pros: the beach & the boardwalk
Frisco Campground Cons: terrible mosquitos
Things to check out nearby: Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop
After Frisco, we drove down to the Ferry and parked our car in line to wait for the noon ferry. There are some little shops and restaurants down there by the loading docks and so while we waited, we were able to park our car in line and then walk around. The ferry ride was very smooth, not very long but if you are traveling with kids definitely bring some activity to do in the car. You can get out and walk around once the ferry is in transit but I saw several people get hit by large waves and walk away drenched so I was happy to stay inside the truck. Once we docked in Ocracoke we got to drive down a long stretch of road with sand dunes on one side and beach on the other until we made a left turn into the campground. The campground here was a lot more open than the one in Frisco. It was essentially a wide open field with very little brush separating campsites. If you are seeking privacy at your campsite, this is not the ideal campground. Additionally, because of the lack of brush/trees/growth and the proximity to the beach (its maybe 50 feet away) it's very windy and sand will blow into everything. Caleb and I were not really at the campground to spend time there though, it was really just a place for us to crash while we explored the rest of Ocracoke and for that it was perfect. We had a propane stovetop so unlike some of our neighbors at the campground we had no problem cooking when the wind got strong. The beach in front of the campsite was beautiful, you have to walk over the sand dunes in front of the campsite to get to the beach but one the other side is a stretch of beach as far as you can see with large crashing waves and little crabs running all over. In Ocracoke you are allowed to drive your vehicle on many of the beaches and it was fun to see people parked and set up with chairs, beach games, coolers, and even grills just enjoying the beauty of the beach. After checking out the beach, and setting up camp, the next thing we did was check out the town center. The town center was adorable! Everyone drove around on golf carts, family biked around, and it almost gave me the feeling of being in a smaller version of Nantucket. Many of the restraints were open with outdoor dining and had adorable bistro chairs and lights strung all over. It seemed too picturesque to be true. And the shops! They were so cute! Two of my favorites were Island Ragpicker, and Books to be Red. Island Ragpicker was unique in that it sold primarily locally made items and was in a cottage so that you walked around into different rooms of the house to see everything. Books to be Red, stole my heart from the moment I walked past it. The name truly called to my book/pun loving self and inside was one of the most cosy and aesthetically pleasing bookstores I'd ever walked into. They had a whole section of "Blind Dates with a Book" and also sold handmade bookmarks, tapestries, baskets, and pottery. Caleb literally had to drag me out of the store when it was closing time because I was just so caught up in looking at everything.
Prior to visiting Ocracoke I had actually talked to someone who frequently visited there and gotten some recommendations of places to check out. One of the recommendations was the 1718 Brewing Company. After exploring the town centre we headed over there. Honestly, I wasn't too excited about going to a brewery because I'm celiac and never can drink anything. HOWEVER, if you are celiac or gf do not despair! 1718 Brewery has some of the best Hard Kombucha I have ever tasted and I was so thrilled! Additionally, they share a building with Plum Pointe Kitchen so you can grab a bite to eat. Some other restaurants we checked out during our trip were Ocracoke Coffee Company, SMacNallys, Dajio, and Ocracoke Oyster Company. SMacNallys and Dajio blew me away. They were amazing and had incredible food. SMacNallys seafood was perfect! But unfortunately I was disappointed by the Ocracoke Coffee Company. I originally wanted to go there because in addition to all sorts of specialty coffee drinks they sell fresh baked GF breakfast pastries. I was SO excited for this. We got there around 9am on Friday morning and waited in line for over 40 min before we finally got to the counter and to my great disappointment the lady directly in front of me order the last gf baked good (she wasn't even gf she just liked the flavor!) I was really bummed about this. The coffee was good but not really worth the 40 min wait* and so we didn't go there again on our trip. The Oyster Company was also just subpar, we ordered oyster and they were nothing special, especially for an oyster house. The seafood at SMacNally's was much better and honestly the environment at SMacNally's was a lot better (they have waterfront views and its beautiful).
Outside of food and shopping two of my favorite other things we did were visit Springers Point and go fishing. As a surprise to Caleb I chartered a fishing boat in Ocracoke to take us Red Drum fishing. We had such a blast! Within just a couple minutes of being on the water both of us had caught multiple fish (although we could only keep one each) and after we fished inshore for a while we went out farther and got to fish for some "big fish". At the end of the trip we docked right outside SMacNally's were they cut up and prepare our fish for us (if you want they will cook it for you too and you can just sit down and enjoy your catch) and gave ito us for dinner. We took it back to our campsite, wrapped it in foil, and cooked it over the charcoal grill. It was really good and it was so fun to go through the process of catching, prepping, and cooking your food. There is nothing fresher! Most days in Ocracoke we just hung out at the beach, even in mid-september it was extremely warm and the beach was the best place to stay cool. The beaches were beautiful and we enjoyed driving around and exploring the different access points, however, the beaches weren't the beat for walking because the top of the beach was were cars drove and the sand down by the water was very soft and sank every time you took a step. It was good for hanging out, reading a book, fishing, or surfing, but not great for walking or running. On the very last day of our time in Ocracoke we went down to the parking lot for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, parked the truck, took out a bottle of wine and watched the sunset. It was a great ending to this week-long adventure.
Overall, I would highly recommend Ocracoke as a town worth visiting in the Outer Banks (my next favorite would probably be Duck). Here's an overview of my travel tips and suggestions.
Ocracoke Pros: Small, laid-back, quiet, easy to get everywhere
Best for: Families, Couples
Best Food: SMacNallys, Dijio, 1718 Brewery (also heard great things about Flying Melon but wasn't able to go there)
Things to do: fishing, surfing, biking, hang out at the beach, shopping, rent kayaks, watch the sunset
Favorite Shops: Books to be Red, Island Ragpicker
If you are thinking about visiting Ocracoke or anywhere in the Outer Banks and are looking for suggestions or have questions please feel free to reach out! I'd love to help. The Outer Banks are amazing and well worth the visit.
*Disclaimer: because of COVID they were operating differently than normal so I can't attest to whether or not the 40 min wait time is normal
We started in Nags Head and explored the northern side of the Outer Banks (Duck, Kitty Hawk, Corolla, etc.) before heading south to Frisco. (see part one of our Outer Banks travel here). Frisco campground was a little hard to find at first as there is another campground similarly named that is very nearby. We accidentally stopped here first before finally realizing where we were actually supposed to go. Once we got there it was simple enough to check in and find our site. My favorite things about the Frisco campground was the long boardwalk to the beach, and the beach itself... oh my it was beautiful! Our first night there Caleb and I walked down to the beach and just laid down and looked at the stars. It was so peaceful and the stars were so bright. There were quite a few people out on the beach having bonfires which looked so fun. If you are planning on going there I would highly recommend getting a beach fire permit so that you can do this. You can just hang out on the beach listen to the waves, look at the stars and enjoy the warmth of the fire. It was truly an amazing beach. Bonus, in the morning the long, flat, and well packed beach was perfect for running and walking on. However, one thing to note is that the same boardwalk that I absolutely loved, ran over a long stretch of swamp that separated the campground from the beach, I did not realize the problem this created until night when the mosquitos were so bad that Caleb and I had to eat dinner in the truck.
Apply for beach permit: www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm
Frisco Campground Pros: the beach & the boardwalk
Frisco Campground Cons: terrible mosquitos
Things to check out nearby: Dancing Turtle Coffee Shop
After Frisco, we drove down to the Ferry and parked our car in line to wait for the noon ferry. There are some little shops and restaurants down there by the loading docks and so while we waited, we were able to park our car in line and then walk around. The ferry ride was very smooth, not very long but if you are traveling with kids definitely bring some activity to do in the car. You can get out and walk around once the ferry is in transit but I saw several people get hit by large waves and walk away drenched so I was happy to stay inside the truck. Once we docked in Ocracoke we got to drive down a long stretch of road with sand dunes on one side and beach on the other until we made a left turn into the campground. The campground here was a lot more open than the one in Frisco. It was essentially a wide open field with very little brush separating campsites. If you are seeking privacy at your campsite, this is not the ideal campground. Additionally, because of the lack of brush/trees/growth and the proximity to the beach (its maybe 50 feet away) it's very windy and sand will blow into everything. Caleb and I were not really at the campground to spend time there though, it was really just a place for us to crash while we explored the rest of Ocracoke and for that it was perfect. We had a propane stovetop so unlike some of our neighbors at the campground we had no problem cooking when the wind got strong. The beach in front of the campsite was beautiful, you have to walk over the sand dunes in front of the campsite to get to the beach but one the other side is a stretch of beach as far as you can see with large crashing waves and little crabs running all over. In Ocracoke you are allowed to drive your vehicle on many of the beaches and it was fun to see people parked and set up with chairs, beach games, coolers, and even grills just enjoying the beauty of the beach. After checking out the beach, and setting up camp, the next thing we did was check out the town center. The town center was adorable! Everyone drove around on golf carts, family biked around, and it almost gave me the feeling of being in a smaller version of Nantucket. Many of the restraints were open with outdoor dining and had adorable bistro chairs and lights strung all over. It seemed too picturesque to be true. And the shops! They were so cute! Two of my favorites were Island Ragpicker, and Books to be Red. Island Ragpicker was unique in that it sold primarily locally made items and was in a cottage so that you walked around into different rooms of the house to see everything. Books to be Red, stole my heart from the moment I walked past it. The name truly called to my book/pun loving self and inside was one of the most cosy and aesthetically pleasing bookstores I'd ever walked into. They had a whole section of "Blind Dates with a Book" and also sold handmade bookmarks, tapestries, baskets, and pottery. Caleb literally had to drag me out of the store when it was closing time because I was just so caught up in looking at everything.
Prior to visiting Ocracoke I had actually talked to someone who frequently visited there and gotten some recommendations of places to check out. One of the recommendations was the 1718 Brewing Company. After exploring the town centre we headed over there. Honestly, I wasn't too excited about going to a brewery because I'm celiac and never can drink anything. HOWEVER, if you are celiac or gf do not despair! 1718 Brewery has some of the best Hard Kombucha I have ever tasted and I was so thrilled! Additionally, they share a building with Plum Pointe Kitchen so you can grab a bite to eat. Some other restaurants we checked out during our trip were Ocracoke Coffee Company, SMacNallys, Dajio, and Ocracoke Oyster Company. SMacNallys and Dajio blew me away. They were amazing and had incredible food. SMacNallys seafood was perfect! But unfortunately I was disappointed by the Ocracoke Coffee Company. I originally wanted to go there because in addition to all sorts of specialty coffee drinks they sell fresh baked GF breakfast pastries. I was SO excited for this. We got there around 9am on Friday morning and waited in line for over 40 min before we finally got to the counter and to my great disappointment the lady directly in front of me order the last gf baked good (she wasn't even gf she just liked the flavor!) I was really bummed about this. The coffee was good but not really worth the 40 min wait* and so we didn't go there again on our trip. The Oyster Company was also just subpar, we ordered oyster and they were nothing special, especially for an oyster house. The seafood at SMacNally's was much better and honestly the environment at SMacNally's was a lot better (they have waterfront views and its beautiful).
Outside of food and shopping two of my favorite other things we did were visit Springers Point and go fishing. As a surprise to Caleb I chartered a fishing boat in Ocracoke to take us Red Drum fishing. We had such a blast! Within just a couple minutes of being on the water both of us had caught multiple fish (although we could only keep one each) and after we fished inshore for a while we went out farther and got to fish for some "big fish". At the end of the trip we docked right outside SMacNally's were they cut up and prepare our fish for us (if you want they will cook it for you too and you can just sit down and enjoy your catch) and gave ito us for dinner. We took it back to our campsite, wrapped it in foil, and cooked it over the charcoal grill. It was really good and it was so fun to go through the process of catching, prepping, and cooking your food. There is nothing fresher! Most days in Ocracoke we just hung out at the beach, even in mid-september it was extremely warm and the beach was the best place to stay cool. The beaches were beautiful and we enjoyed driving around and exploring the different access points, however, the beaches weren't the beat for walking because the top of the beach was were cars drove and the sand down by the water was very soft and sank every time you took a step. It was good for hanging out, reading a book, fishing, or surfing, but not great for walking or running. On the very last day of our time in Ocracoke we went down to the parking lot for the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, parked the truck, took out a bottle of wine and watched the sunset. It was a great ending to this week-long adventure.
Overall, I would highly recommend Ocracoke as a town worth visiting in the Outer Banks (my next favorite would probably be Duck). Here's an overview of my travel tips and suggestions.
Ocracoke Pros: Small, laid-back, quiet, easy to get everywhere
Best for: Families, Couples
Best Food: SMacNallys, Dijio, 1718 Brewery (also heard great things about Flying Melon but wasn't able to go there)
Things to do: fishing, surfing, biking, hang out at the beach, shopping, rent kayaks, watch the sunset
Favorite Shops: Books to be Red, Island Ragpicker
If you are thinking about visiting Ocracoke or anywhere in the Outer Banks and are looking for suggestions or have questions please feel free to reach out! I'd love to help. The Outer Banks are amazing and well worth the visit.
*Disclaimer: because of COVID they were operating differently than normal so I can't attest to whether or not the 40 min wait time is normal
