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Village lodging in Ocracoke, an easy reach of Silver Lake Harbor and the ferry docks
Sand Dollar Motel of Ocracoke sits in Ocracoke village, the only developed stretch of this remote barrier island at the southern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. There's no bridge or road connecting Ocracoke to the mainland, so getting here is part of the trip: the free NC ferry from Hatteras village runs about an hour, while the toll ferries from Cedar Island and Swan Quarter each take roughly 2.25 hours. Once you've landed, the motel's village location puts you an easy walk or drive from Silver Lake Harbor, the historic anchorage where the local commercial and charter fishing fleet still works, and from Springer's Point, the preserved maritime forest long associated with Blackbeard, who was killed in a battle in nearby Ocracoke Inlet in 1718.
Ocracoke Lighthouse, built in 1823 and the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina, is also close by, though it isn't open for public climbing. North of the village, NC-12 runs through undeveloped National Park Service land with numbered ORV and pedestrian beach-access ramps (a permit is required for beach driving) and a fenced pasture holding Ocracoke's wild ponies, a herd distinct from the wild horses further up the Outer Banks in Corolla. Keep in mind that Ocracoke's remoteness — with no road-based evacuation route — makes hurricane season (June through November, with the sharpest risk from August through October) a bigger factor here than almost anywhere else on the coast; mandatory evacuations and ferry suspensions can happen on short notice, so it's worth checking conditions before you go.
108 reviews
2 months ago
Huge shout out to Jill. Clean and fresh and just the best. If you need a place to stay , this is the Gem! From the moment you arrive its screams Welcome. Cottage type rooms, clean bedding and super clean bathrooms that is loaded with towels. When you open the door and seem fresh, you know you hit the jackpot. My husband and I always try and stay here, but sometime she’s booked up. Book in advance friends.
3 months ago
To come to Ocracoke and just relax the owners Jill and Rick Gunter are great down-to-earth people, clean rooms, nice pool and down-home hospitality. Can't wait to come back and stay again
5 months ago
7 months ago
My husband and I were not able to leave Okracoke Island due to bad wind, and we stayed at the Sand Dollar Motel until we could leave the next day. Jill (the owner) was super sweet and accommodating and had a room available right away. I had never stayed at a motel before and was nervous due to things you hear, but the Sand Dollar Motel was super cute, cozy and very clean! I was very impressed! It felt like I was staying in a room at a friend’s house, not a motel! The bathroom was clean, had plenty of towels with washcloths, shampoo, body wash and hand soap. The floors and wall were clean and very well maintained. There was a smart TV on the wall, a kuerig coffee maker, a microwave and mini fridge, all of them super clean! The bed was very comfortable and the bedding was fresh and clean. There was an alarm clock and a clothes rack to hang clothes and room darkening curtains in the window. I don’t know if we will ever stay the night in Okracoke again but if we do, we will definitely be staying here! Highly recommend!!
7 months ago