Ferry ride adventure (Raleigh, Havelock, Ocracoke: houses, live, beaches)

[nc99]

New to NC...Was looking on the beaches in google maps and found that there are several ferrys....

Thought about a intersting adventure...will this work ?

Raleigh to swan quarter(car) (170 mi, 3 hrs 30 mins)
swan quarter to Ocracoke(ferry 2 hrs 30 mins)
Ocracoke to hatteras (car, route 12, 20 mi, 1 hr)
Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry ( 40 mins)
Hatteras-Whalebone (60 mi, 2 hr 30 mins)
whalebone to Raleigh (I-64) (193 mi, 3 hrs 30 mins)

May be a overnight stay at Whalebone will be less tiring ?

[Dire Wolf]

As long as you have time for it all (say over a long weekend or more), it looks like a great route. Make reservations for the Swan Quarter ferry (I think it is only running 2 a day due to budget crunch).

[uncletupelo]

You might also want to consider the Cedar Island Ferry in Carteret County. Take 70 east to Havelock then to 10(i think) back to 70 east. It is a 2:15 ride. You should be able to get to Cedar Islane in 3-3:15 minutes.

[jjg39069]

How about an overnight in Ocracoke? There's so much to see along the way. Take your time and enjoy everything along that route.

[macjr82]

Growing up, on the way home from church, we'd ride the Minnesott Beach-Cherry Branch ferry, and feed the seagulls. Speaking of which, bring a loaf of bread with you. The seagulls will catch the crumbs right out of the air.

[emanresu2]

Allow PLENTY of time for the ferry and don't try to take it at night.

Here is my horror story. I tried to go to Ocracoke for a dinner cruise with my 3 young kids 2 summers ago and waited for the ferry on hatteras for 3 hours (in 95degree heat) - plenty of ferrys came, but they loaded every line of cars several times except mine. So we missed the dinner cruise. We walked around ocracoke for a while and every place for dinner had a 2 hour wait. After we finally got some food, we headed back to the ferry and waited for 2 hours in a line of cars that had to be a mile long. It was pretty miserable because it was still over 90 and just swarming with mosquitos - the car kept overheating with the AC on and we got eaten alive when we opened the windows or got out. Thankfully we got on the very last ferry. When we left there were still cars lined up as far as you could see waiting - I assume that those people would just have to sleep in their cars.

But other than that it was great!

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by uncletupelo

You might also want to consider the Cedar Island Ferry in Carteret County. Take 70 east to Havelock then to 10(i think) back to 70 east. It is a 2:15 ride. You should be able to get to Cedar Islane in 3-3:15 minutes.

We took the Cedar Island Ferry home from our trip to Ocracoke Island last summer. We stopped at several good road side vegetable stands. Good stuff, good scenery, & good folks.

[uncletupelo]

I should have typed highway 101 in Havelock.

[nc99]

Thanks..good ideas..

Which is the best place to stay overnight...based on cost/availability and activities..

Ocracoke or Hatteras or Whalebone ?

[Beachgirl111]

You could do it in a day but I don't think you would want to. It will less tiring and also you would have more time to check things out like the three lighthouses you pass. Ocracoke, Bodie island and Hatteras. You will have to make reservations for the Swan quarter or cedar island ferry. I personally like the drive to swan quarter much better than cedar island island and it is a shorter drive. You can check online and get the times. Cedar island does have more times. Ocracoke would be my pick for a place to stay although you might find a less expensive room along Hwy 12 on Hatteras island. You might can find a good deal on Ocracoke but again make sure you call in advance as they book up this time of year. Also depending on the time of day you might have to wait to get onto the Ocracoke hatteras ferry. They don't take reservations and sometimes the line backs up in the summer to get off the island.