Island Travels

The beautiful Cape Hatteras Lighthouse at dusk. 

I don't know if you can tell, but I have an obsession with beaches...especially the beautiful beaches of North Carolina. Some of my all time favorite memories are when I have spent my day exploring a local coastal town. Today we will talk about Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke Island. What beautiful adventures we have had! Cape Hatteras is a wonderful place to rent a house for a few weeks in the heat of summer or in the off season. We have taken multiple family trips to Hatteras and rented beautiful two story houses to stay in. The North Carolina Outer Banks are different from other beaches. Towns are far and few in between. Don't worry though, if you take the seven hour trip (from Lexington, NC) to Cape Hatteras it is well worth it.

The only flying saucer I have ever seen! 

When you arrive in Hatteras the first thing you need to do is to stop by Scotch Bonnet Fudge. featured on Food Network, they are well known to have the best fudge in the area. When you go in you can choose from a multitude of different flavors such as Jelly Doughnut, Creme Brulee or even my personal favorite Espresso. In addition to delicious fudge, they sell an assortment of unique, locally hand-made beach themed items. It's fun to walk around and view their items while eating some yummy salt water taffy!
Another must on your trip to Hatteras is to stop by the actual lighthouse around sunset, The sight of the sun setting in the background of the lighthouse is just too beautiful to describe. Also, while you are there, go ahead and purchase a ticket for the night climb. My husband and I had a wonderful time climbing up the stairs of the lighthouse in the middle of the night, while being told stories of ghosts, pirates, shipwrecks, and buried treasures! It was such a fun experience that we did it again the next time that we went. Also, the beautiful view from the top of the lighthouse of the moon on the ocean has no comparison. On your way back see if you can find the Alien Spaceship located on the side of the road. Something everyone should grab a picture of!

My favorite of all of the Lighthouses I have seen so far!

Now that you have explored a few places in Hatteras, you can take the forty-five minute ferry over to Ocracoke. Ocracoke is the most adorable little town, and the Ocracoke lighthouse is one of my favorites that I have seen! Situated on a beautiful lawn with a well-kept quaint house for the light keeper, and surrounded by beautiful angel oak trees, the Ocracoke lighthouse looks like something from a storybook. After you have visited the adorable lighthouse, head to "downtown" Ocracoke to experience a wonderful day of adventure and fun activities. Park your car at the boat dock and rent a bike with a friend. Enjoy all the sights and sounds of the small town and make sure to stop in and view some of the different shops. There are several cute art and craft stores that have plenty of memorabilia for your trip. Make sure to grab a bite to eat at the ocean front Back Porch restaurant. Get a yummy steak sandwich or try the catch of the day. Enjoy watching boats coming in and out and the wonderful view of the ocean. While you are on Ocracoke, don't forget to venture out onto the hot sands and visit the ocean, although it isn't much different from the rest of the outer banks, it is said that if you are quiet and you venture around enough you have a pretty good chance of seeing the wild horses that are said to live there. I haven't personally experienced this yet, but that is just a reason for me to head back sometime soon!