Recs for Campgrounds and Sites to See Outer Banks to Baltimore?

[Karen B.]

Hi, all-

This is a little short notice, but I'm headed towards Beaufort NC up the Outer Banks to Baltimore next week to do some book research and would love some campgrounds and sites to see along the way. Places to avoid? Where to linger? Tips for getting to Ocracoke and beyond? I prefer electricity, so I'm avoiding dry camping, but don't mind rustic. I was thinking a night on Okracoke, maybe a couple nights around Nag's Head, then towards Chincoteague? How much time I spent in a place is very negotiable.

I've never been over this way before, so any tips and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[Gail H]

Oregon Inlet is great and has a dozen or so electric sites. It's always reserved ahead, but you might get a single night or two. I think it's accessed through recreation.gov.

[Karen B.]

It's on my list, so I'm glad to hear it's good!

Did you see the house collapse in Rodanthe with the storm yesterday? Wild! Glad I'm not trying to camp in that weather right now!

Originally Posted by Gail H

Oregon Inlet is great and has a dozen or so electric sites. It's always reserved ahead, but you might get a single night or two. I think it's accessed through recreation.gov.

[Mike Meyer]

Originally Posted by Karen B.

Hi, all-



This is a little short notice, but I'm headed towards Beaufort NC up the Outer Banks to Baltimore next week to do some book research and would love some campgrounds and sites to see along the way. Places to avoid? Where to linger? Tips for getting to Ocracoke and beyond? I prefer electricity, so I'm avoiding dry camping, but don't mind rustic. I was thinking a night on Okracoke, maybe a couple nights around Nag's Head, then towards Chincoteague? How much time I spent in a place is very negotiable.



I've never been over this way before, so any tips and advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

Ocracoke is only assessable by ferry. Coming from the south you have two options, Cedar Island and Swan Quarter, both are fee based with require reservations accessible on line, costs are based on total length. A free ferry takes you off going north. Camping options on Ocracoke are limited to a couple private and the NPS campground which is the largest. Camping is semi primitive, no electricity,cold outside showers indoor flushers.We like it and visit from Indiana about 2 times per year in the Spring (just left Saturday) and fall. It does have potential issues: storms which can strand you on the island for days or hurricanes that you must flee, traffic in the summer, mosquitoes like you have never seen before and noseeums nasty little buggers. You will likely not see a less crowded beach. We have visited for almost 50 years since discovering it the summer I spent at Duke studying environmental chemistry.

[theresa p]

As we have a 13" without any bathroom facilities (except for our portapottie), when we were at Ocracoke, I took my electric kettle to the bathhouse and boiled up some water in the electric plug found by the sink.
And then, I used my Ivation rechargeable/portable shower with some nice hot water in my bucket (mixed with the cold from the showers) and had delightfully warm showers. Cold showers may feel good after a 100F day, but otherwise, I want warm.



The bathhouse electric outlet is always on, as per the Rangers. So, some electricity when none available at one's site.