Related: Click here to read about historic Howard Street in Ocracoke.
Ocracoke Preservation Society collects relics of Navy uniforms, old-timey artwork, and island cisterns — Ocracoke’s primary water collection process until the late 1970s — to showcase at this century-old house, named after David Williams, the first chief of the U.S. Coast Guard station on the island.
49 Water Plant Road
(252) 928-7375
ocracokepreservationsociety.org
Bluff Shoal Motel photograph by Chris Hannant
Since the mid-1960s, travelers have been pulling up right to their door and settling in beside knotted oak trees at this brick motor lodge. Named after the historic Bluff Shoal Lighthouse, the hotel has a back deck that overlooks Silver Lake Harbor with a clear view of the Ocracoke Lighthouse.
306 Irvin Garrish Highway
(252) 216-4664
thebluffshoal.com
Village Craftsmen photograph by Chris Hannant
Now stocked with glassware, handmade pottery and art, and homemade fig preserves, this shop in the heart of the island started in a Cree tipi Philip pitched in his parents’ yard to sell handicrafts. On Fridays, if figs are in season and your timing is just right, David brings fig cake in to share.
170 Howard Street
(252) 928-5541
villagecraftsmen.com
Books to be Red photograph by Chris Hannant
Past the end of Howard Street, this 19th-century cottage, situated behind a grove of live oak and cedar trees, was transformed into an independent bookstore in 1995 when two friends merged their love of books and pottery. Past the bright turquoise porch railings, readers find unique Outer Banks titles, children’s books, pottery, and gifts.
34 School Road
(252) 928-3936
ocracokebookstore.com
On Wednesday nights from May through September, musical performances like Ocrafolk Opry — with its lively fiddle bowed by David, guitar strums, drumbeats, and a little foot stompin’ — flow from this entertainment hall. The theater is home base for Ocracoke Alive, a nonprofit that enriches the arts scene on the island.
84 School Road
(252) 921-0260
ocracokealive.org
Pony Island Restaurant photograph by Chris Hannant
Black-and-white photos of Boy Scouts with wild horses line the walls of this 1959 breakfast joint called “The Pony.” Order a stack of hotcakes, and you can officially say you’ve dined at the island’s oldest restaurant.
51 Ocean View Road
(252) 928-5701
facebook.com/p/Pony-Island-Restaurant-100031771462553
What was a furniture store and dance hall in the ’60s is now a one-stop shop for islanders and vacationers alike. Need a wrench or a pair of sunglasses to go with your supper ingredients? This grocery and hardware store sells tools and souvenirs, along with fresh produce, meats cut in-house, wine, and beer.
950 Irvin Garrish Highway
(252) 928-4911
ocracokevariety.com
If you stop in for a cold beer, you can thank Ron Howard. Not the famous filmmaker, but rather the pub’s founder, who descends from one of Ocracoke Island’s early colonial landowners. A ban on the sale of beer (which didn’t stop meal wine drinkers) was in place from 1937 until this pub opened in the late ’70s. Today, villagers and travelers alike still gather at this license-plate-covered watering hole.
1175 Irvin Garrish Highway
(252) 928-4441
howardspub.com
“Down Point,” “’Round Creek,” “Up Trent” — these shorthands refer to different parts of town, and by the end of these tours, you’ll have learned some island lingo yourself. Join Amy Down Point or David ’Round Creek as they bring Ocracoke legends and history to life on most Tuesdays and Fridays from May through September.
villagecraftsmen.com/ghostwalk
On a remote island, a family of storytellers preserves local lore and neighborly traditions, beginning with one iconic thoroughfare.
From the expanses of needlerush at Cedar Island to the lush spartina feathering the shores of Bodie and Roanoke islands, our salt marshes are the threshold to a watery world — the heartbeat of our coastal ecosystem.
From remote beaches to sunsets that dazzle before they sink into the sound, here’s where to splash, dine, and cast a line in this Outer Banks town.
Amid planning seafood spreads for friends and family, our recipe developer finds isolation and inspiration Down East.
