Bay River Campground is a little gem on the water all by itself. The owners and their kids are…read morevery friendly and helpful. The bathhouse and grounds are clean and well kept. The campground doesn't have a lot of other amenities. Fishing can be excellent. Kayaks, sailboats, jon boats, flats boats all can be docked at the campground. Oriental is a short drive. Tent and pull behind camper sits available. Trailer Campers available for rent. This is a very nice option and reasonably priced. I make a point of visit any time I can get away.

We wanted to go see the lighthouse so we stopped by the visitor center to purchase ferry tickets…read moreand wait for it. They have a little gift shop inside, a video you can watch, etc. The staff was pretty friendly and engaging. As it is basically a mobile dead zone way out there, they do have WiFi inside. 2025-08 #559

What a cool place. Never been here before. It's about an hr and half from me and I got so much…read moreinfo! You can get pedestrian ferry over to shackleford island and cape lookout from here! Sounds like great day trip if you plan early enough. They are doing new displays in month so all exhibits are in lobby. Cute gift shop too! My hubby has a national park passport and you can get stamped here and at lookout! I'll have to bring here soon. Took a walk on nature trail it was so quiet and freshly air was perfect! Found few shark teeth on gravel path but views were so nice! Staff was incredibly helpful and I was grateful for all the info.

I did a short retreat here and loved it! A comfy, clean room, good parking, very quiet, and lovely…read morewalks on a beautiful property. Highly recommend this retreat center. Reservations required. Church affiliation desired. PS: Delicious food too!

Trinity Center is first-rate!…read more This sprawling Episcopal Camp & Conference center is a multipurpose facility that can easily meet the needs of those who long for a time apart. The facilities are wonderful: From the well-maintained housing units which feature beds, restrooms, and showers, to the various conference rooms, and meeting rooms, to the dining facilities which are keen on hospitality and versatility, this place is designed to please. And just when you think it couldn't get any better, there is a beach house location which is part of the facilities, that is exceptional! The staff here, too, is attentive and bends over backward to ensure needs are met. I tell you, I felt like a king when I was here, glad to be staying at this wonderful place.

This was a great experience out to the lighthouse. We were able to catch the ferry and the driver…read morewas friendly, and gave a little informal lessons about the area. Overall it was great. Just make sure you don't miss the last ferry ride. 2025-07 #558

The official ferry of the National Park at Harkers Island provides access to the Lihjt-House and…read moreShankleford Island. Reasonable fare prices with ferries running throughout the day. You can reserve (suggest you do), and you pick your return time. You can return earlier if space is available, so pick the latest time if not sure. The ride was smooth, and Capt. Jordan & Crew made it fun and informative. We were lucky to see horses from the ferry while passing by, Capt Jordan slowed down so we could capture some photos. Our return trip was as smooth as our trip out and added to our amazing visit to this beautiful National Seashore.

Beautiful location! We stopped by use restroom before heading to big rock tournament and see what…read morevisitor center was. A very nice employee named Steve greeted us gave us some great info on the area happenings . The bathrooms were very clean and grounds well maintained. Outside they have covered picnic spot to grab bite enjoy the sea breezes. There's a boat ramp and dock to go down see the waterway..

Public rest stops are so hit or miss, we have driven cost to coast and up and down many times…read more Often state or county run rest stops are poor, dirty and smelly. But some states like IN, NC, KY, WV, and OH all have very clean rest stops, many are like nice parks worth stopping at to have a picnic, some even have really nice free museums and activities for kids so everyone can stretch after a long drive. This one looks like a resort from the outside, sits in front of a boat launch and has a park like setting. Locals come and park by the water and watch boats coming and going during lunch breaks and there is a nice visitor center too. The whole place is relaxing, clean and feels safe. I have stopped here a few times and always feel relaxed when I leave. Thanks for using our taxes right!

Nice relaxing tour of the bay. Didn't get to see any Carrot Island wild horses though, so I was a…read morelittle disappointed. Easy to make reservations, but its not guaranteed to go unless they have enough people. The boat is huge and accommodates a lot of people. Bathrooms were clean, snacks available, plenty of historic information. It's good for tourists, a nice relaxing ride.

Maybe we were lucky! We saw the wild horses plus a 6 month old foal with its mother and a junior…read morehorse about 2 years old. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and lead us to the wild horses. Well worth the trip! Jeannie, our guide was very helpful and the ferry captain shared a bit of the history of the port as we ferried out to Shackleford Bank.

Super impressed with the new owners of Morris Marina & Ferry Service. While I really liked the…read moreMorris family, with roots into the SF community - they did zero to upgrade. The Davis family, who owns the service to Cape Lookout now owns the Portsmouth service, they have painted the ferry, built and replace the landing on the shore side, putting in a walking pier, poured a ton of concrete pads, new structure for their office. Very impressive and I spoke with Captain Randy, lots are planned. Prices have gone up 30%. Shrug. They now will deliver ice, bait, whatever to Portsmouth if needed. They also have fresh water station and air up.

The best ferry service on the East Coast rode on the other boat The Green Grass was her name from…read more1979 until The Donza Lee took her place. I will be on her 11/2/2021 and still love going to the island by this ferry service family owned proud Americans and was passed down from generation to generation.

Boat launching and docking area with an interesting history attached to it! Look it up on google!…read moreAll docks are filled or taken almost all the time. Most days there is a group of men standing around the entrance, directing traffic and controlling foot traffic on site. Quaint view of the harbor here if you are allowed onsite. Despite being a public place, you may have to answer a few questions from the locals before you are allowed to walk along the piers/dockside.