Ocracoke Island is a small island off the coast of North Carolina, accessible only by ferry, and one of the most peaceful places on the East Coast. Long stretches of unspoiled beach, magnificent sunrises and sunsets over the Atlantic, and a pace of life that is genuinely slow make this a retreat in every sense.
The island's small village has just enough -- restaurants, a few shops, a bookstore, an ice cream parlor -- without any of the commercial clutter of the mainland beaches. Free time here means exploring by bicycle, walking barefoot along the dunes, going deep-sea fishing, watching the wild ponies and shorebirds, or touring the island's nineteenth-century lighthouse. Ocracoke was also the site of Blackbeard's last stand; the pirate was killed here in 1718, and the story is told at several spots around the village.
The ferry ride from Hatteras takes about an hour and is free. Ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter take longer and require reservations, especially in summer.