Hatteras — Local services in Hatteras Island

I hate posting a negative review. But I am mostly doing this so others don’t go through what my family and I went through. I was there for Easter weekend both Saturday and Sunday the ferry had problems. Saturday there were barge issues and no indication on when it was going to be fixed. Then on Sunday we were able to make it from Hatteras to Ocracoke but went through a really time trying to return back to Hatteras. There are no updates on the website and you have to call them to check ferry status. Calling them is difficult because there’s not a lot of service on the Ocracoke side and sometimes they don’t event know what’s going on. On Sunday we waited from 12pm - 7:00pm to get on the ferry from Ocracoke to Hatteras due to strong and heavy winds. We were hungry and had a small child but could not leave our spot because we could have possibly be left stranded on the island and there were no hotel vacancies. The vending machines at the terminal in Ocracoke were not stocked and the ladies room did not have toilet paper. Ultimately the captain made the decision to take us back to Hatteras around 7pm. The ferry ride back was extremely scary because the waves were strong but the Captain got us back safely. This experience was terrible and I lost all desires to ever return. If after reading this review you decide to still take the ferry please make sure to stock up on snacks, be prepared to wait a lot and have an emergency plan just in case you...

The Hatteras to Ocracoke ferry is a great way to get to the island, but the wait can be a drag. We arrived just after 12 PM and had to wait for the 2 PM ferry, which was a bit of a bummer. Ferries generally run every half hour, though sometimes it's hourly, so plan accordingly. Cars are organized into lines, with each ferry taking about a full line plus some, depending on cargo. While waiting, there’s a small tourist shop, a snack shack, a sit-down restaurant, and bathrooms to keep you occupied. We ended up napping in the car to pass the time.

The ride itself was pleasant—our kids loved it! We brought bread to feed the birds, which was a hit. You can stay in your car or stand along the edge, but space is limited. Overall, a solid experience despite the wait. Tip: arrive early to avoid long delays! Oh and when you're done on Ocracoke you get to turn around and do it...

The NCDOT websites boarding times are not accurate. We came in mid September on a Monday. The website said there was a 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30. We pulled in about 4:20, the 4:30 ferry left at 4:27. Sat there until 5:15 then began loading so there was no 5:00 ferry. We were on the water before 5:30. We were in the second lane so had to wait for the reservation line to board first then the lane to our left then our lane loaded. Website said are boarding time of year, day and hour was a “green” blocked wait time which is supposed to be a shorter wait. We waited for almost an hour but not quite which is probably fast compared to other times and days. Also the ferry loads cars facing the back of the ferry. Passengers could not walk up the stairs on the ferry we rode. Authorized personnel only. 25 cars give or...