6 Best Sights in Ocracoke Island, The North Carolina Coast

The 16 miles of undeveloped shoreline here are often considered some of the best beaches in America. These beaches are among the least visited and most beautiful on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The shelling is amazing, the solitude unparalleled. Four public-access areas are along the highway and easy to spot; just look for large brown-and-white wooden signs. The National Park Service has a mid-island campground ($28/night) with bathrooms, where you can park and sleep just behind the dunes.  There are lifeguards only at the day-use beach ½ mile north of Ocracoke Village in late May through early September. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (no fee); toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming.

On May 11, 1942, the HMS Bedfordshire, an armed British trawler on loan to the United States, was torpedoed by a German U-boat and sank with all 37 hands lost off the coast of Ocracoke Island. The men were buried on Ocracoke in a corner of the community graveyard. The wreck was discovered in 1980 and some artifacts were recovered. It's still frequented by divers.

Built in 1823, Ocracoke's 77-foot tower is the second-oldest operating lighthouse in the United States. (Sandy Hook, New Jersey, has the oldest.) It was first fueled by whale oil, then kerosene, and finally electricity. The lighthouse is built entirely of brick, 5 feet thick at the base and 2 feet thick at the top, with a white finish once achieved with a blend of unslaked lime, glue, rice, salt, and powdered fish. Although it's not open to the public for climbing, the grounds are accessible year-round.

From a small observation platform, 6 miles southwest of the north Hatteras–Ocracoke ferry landing, you can look out at the descendants of the Banker ponies that roamed wild before the island came under the jurisdiction of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The National Park Service manages the population of 25–30 animals; the wild herd once numbered nearly 500. All the animals you see today were born in captivity and are fed and kept on a 180-acre range. Legends abound about the arrival of the island's Banker ponies. Some believe they made their way to the island after the abandonment of Roanoke's Lost Colony. Others believe they were left by early Spanish explorers or swam to shore following the sinking of the Black Squall, a ship carrying circus performers.

This small museum and gift shop is located in a restored American Foursquare house built more than 100 years ago, containing photographs and artifacts illustrating the island's lifestyle and history. On display in the backyard is a round-stern fishing boat from 1934.

This quarter-mile trail through a 124-acre preserve leads to Springer's Point, a sound-side beach where Edward Teach (aka Blackbeard) gathered with fellow pirates and ultimately met his demise in a battle with British naval lieutenant Robert Maynard. The enchanting trail traverses maritime forest and coastal marsh.

There is no parking at the trailhead—walk or bike from the village.