McWilliams Landing I (WP23)

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Have a Sweet Treat

Ocracoke has a variety of ice cream and candy shops to satisfy every craving. Local shops offer a variety of sweet delights ranging from individual specialties or a wide range of goodies including ice cream, milkshakes, floats, frozen yogurts, sorbets, candy and fudge. A fun treat for the whole family!

Watch the Charter Boats Come in with Their "Catch of the Day"

The docks around Silver Lake Harbor will be brimming with the day's catch in the afternoon, when the charter boats arrive. You will see tired, sunburned (and happy) fishermen, whistling mates and captains. View a selection of the tuna, wahoo, mackerel, dolphin and other choice catches of the day. Watch the mates clean the day's catch at the fish cleaning station.

Enjoy a Local Seafood Dinner

Throughout Ocracoke, there are many great restaurants that serve the catch of the day and cook it how you like it. You can't go wrong with an authentic seafood dinner on Ocracoke. Catch of the day on Ocracoke often includes flounder, drum, mahi-mahi and bluefish. There are also clams, oysters, crabs and shrimp.

Visit the Ocracoke Library

Shared with the local school, library hours vary according to school activities and are posted on the front door. Internet is available for public use. The library's onsite collection includes Civil War, WWII, Ocracoke family history and pirate resources. Collection information is available online at http://www.bhmlib.org/bhm/Ocracoke.htm. Contact the library at (252) 928-4436.

Visit the Horses at the Ocracoke Pony Pens

Housed in a 180-acre pasture located just off Highway 12 on Ocracoke Island, the horses that live in the Ocracoke Pony Pens are a popular attraction. Maintained by the National Park Service, the once wild horses are a large part of the island's history. In the past, the herd of wild horses ranged from 200 to 500. Much like the Corolla Wild Horses, it is believed that these horses arrived on Ocracoke by swimming ashore from Spanish shipwrecks off the coast. When you make your trip to Ocracoke Island, don't forget to stop and visit the Ocracoke Pony Pens!

Historic Marker of Fort Ocracoke

This marker is a little hard to find, but it's worth seeking out. It's on a grassy patch behind the National Park Service Visitor Center and next to the boat ramp. Park the car and walk out to the sound and you'll see it. The marker commemorates Fort Ocracoke, the remnants of which lie submerged in Ocracoke Inlet toward Portsmouth Island. The fort was constructed by volunteers beginning in May 1861, on the day North Carolina seceded from the Union to join the Confederacy. One side of the marker lists all the men from Ocracoke and Portsmouth islands who were killed in the Civil War. It is located at Irvin Garrish Highway, behind the National Park Service Visitor Center.

Take a Photography Adventure with Your Camera

Instead of purchasing postcards to take home with you as souvenirs of your Ocracoke vacation, take a photography adventure with your own camera. Whether you choose to photograph the lighthouse, different species of birds, sunrises and sunsets, historic homes, boats or any of the other many highlights of Ocracoke, the natural beauty is sure to come through in your photographs. You can take your original photographs home and show them to all of your friends, or frame them and hang them in your home or office so you will always have a reminder of your stay!

Take a Self-Guided Walking Tour

The Ocracoke Walking Tour can help you discover every nook and cranny of this scenic village. This book is designed to help you discover the joys of this magical island. The first part of this book guides you along the Ocracoke Walking Tour, a specially mapped out and well planned tour throughout this charming village. The second part of the book, the Ocracoke Island Guide, gives you the lowdown on all the great attractions, activities, restaurants, shops and accommodations on the entire island. If you're planning a visit to the island or are already here and preparing for a tour, you're in for a real treat. Have fun exploring the history of Ocracoke!

Send Ocracoke Postcards To Your Friends and Family

Are you the lucky one among your friends and family who got to take a trip to Ocracoke this year? Take an hour of your precious vacation time and send postcard notes to your loved ones. There are beautiful postcards sold at almost any local gift shop, gallery or grocery store and they are very affordable. Let them know you are thinking about them and that you wish they could be visiting Ocracoke with you. If they can see a postcard of how beautiful it is, maybe you can persuade them to come along with you on your next vacation!

Have a Beach Campfire

A great way to relax and see the stars is to have a beach campfire. Take your family down to the beach just before sunset and set up your chairs, refreshments and firewood. If you would like, bring a few roasting sticks and some marshmallows. Once the sun goes down and the stars come out, you will be amazed at the view. Enjoy the stars (and the marshmallows!). Be sure to check the National Park Service website or stop by the NPS Visitors Center before planning your beach campfire.