Around 800 people call Ocracoke Island their permanent home and more flood the area during summer. The National Parks protect most of the island as part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and you may have the beach, dunes and woods to yourself, though if you're lucky, you'll see the small herd of wild ponies that roam free on the island. The pace of life here is slow and that's what attracts so many people to this windswept island. Don't forget to stop by the shops of Ocracoke Village for some great souvenirs and appreciate the unique Ocracoke Island dialect, spoken by older locals.
