Ocracoke Island is arguably the cutest and most interesting area on the Outer Banks. We recently spent some time with the crew at Visit Ocracoke to learn more about this little village, and we are going to walk you through a two-day one-night weekend getaway. Ocracoke has awesome activities to offer for people of all age ranges. Get your notebook ready because this guide has it all!

We suggest you arrive in the afternoon because the crowds and ferry lines can be a bit overwhelming early in the day. Most people drive down on the weekends and settle in for a few days before they start exploring. We suggest you hit the ground running and head down on the weekend. We arrived at the ferry at 5pm and caught the 5:30 ferry with no problem.

This is a must! Parking around town can be a bit tricky, so a golf cart makes it easier to get around. Every hotel has a charging area, so be sure to plug your cart in overnight. Trust us, the battery life is not endless!

We made our home base at Blackbeard’s Lodge. The room was adorable with an attached bathroom, minifridge, coffee maker, complimentary soaps and towels, and a fantastic view. The receptionists were personable and always said hello when we ran into them around town.

Time to hit the beach! We built a bonfire on the beach, sat around, told stories, and roasted marshmallows while we watched the sunset melt into cotton candy clouds.

All that traveling and those smores had us a little thirsty. Off to the brewery! 1718 Brewing Company has live music, small plate offerings, and a fantastic selection of beers. I went with Happi Jaq, a juicy refreshing IPA suggested by one of the beer tenders. I also ordered the sliders. They were amazing!

After a full day, it is time to wind down and head to bed. Everything was comfortable and clean at Blackbeard’s Lodge. And we had a great night’s sleep.

The next day we woke up, had coffee from the lobby coffee cart, and headed out for our full-day adventure.

We stopped in at Ocracoke Coffee Company and got a smoothie for the road. If you are looking for a sit-down breakfast spot, Pony Island Restaurant has that small town diner-feel with fast service and tasty food. Make sure you tip the staff, because they work hard so you can have a great vacation!

We took a tour of Portsmouth Island with Portsmouth Island Ferry and Tour company. They gave us some history and information on the way and then dropped us off at the beach. We had a fun time shelling the inlet side of the island before our guide scooped us back up and took us to the village. We walked around and got the chance to explore the old, abandoned buildings. I won’t divulge too much because you need to see it yourself! PSA: Bring plenty of sunscreen and bug spray, the flies are brutal on a no-wind day!

Of course, we had to stop at the infamous Smacnally’s. We had drinks and great food with a great view. All tables were shaded, and the service was great!

Don’t forget to grab your island essentials. After lunch, we stopped at the Kitty Hawk Kites shop next door to grab some last-minute necessities. Sunscreen, an umbrella, a beach paddle ball, and an extra towel. They have everything you need for a day in the sun. Make sure you say hi to Keith, the manager!

We hopped right back into a boat after lunch and shopping. We headed out to the sandbar between the marina and Portsmouth Island. The Island was so fun. We set up our umbrella and chair, soaked in some rays and splashed around the water. We had the boat for 4 hours which was the perfect amount of time.

Back to the hotel to pack up before heading to the ferry dock. Of course, we had to stop at Eduardo’s and grab some to-go tacos for the ferry. We caught the sunset on the way home and snapped some amazing pictures from the water!

There you have it, our full Ocracoke Itinerary. We had the best time and can’t wait to go back and try some new things. That’s all for now, we’ll see you next week!