Harborside Motel

Harborside Motel sits in the heart of Ocracoke village, just off Irvin Garrish Highway — the local name for the short stretch of NC-12 that runs through the village itself. It's a straightforward, motel-style place to stay, putting guests within walking distance of Silver Lake Harbor, the historic anchorage the whole village is built around, along with the shops, restaurants, and charter docks clustered nearby.

Getting to Ocracoke

There's no bridge or road onto the island, so every stay here starts with a boat crossing (or, less commonly, a small plane to the island airstrip). The free NC ferry from Hatteras village takes about an hour; the toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter on the mainland run roughly 2.25 hours each way. It's worth building that crossing time into arrival and departure plans, especially since ferry schedules can shift or pause on short notice during hurricane season.

Nearby

• Silver Lake Harbor and the village waterfront, an easy walk from the motel
• Springer's Point Preserve, a maritime forest tied to the island's Blackbeard history
• Ocracoke Lighthouse (1823), the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina — not open for climbing
• The NPS pony pen further up the island, home to Ocracoke's own herd of wild ponies
• Numbered beach-access ramps north of the village for swimming, fishing, or permitted 4x4 driving