The nearest major airport for commercial carriers is in Norfolk, Virginia. Two airstrips are on the Seashore, near the villages of Ocracoke and Frisco. Both airstrips have tie-down facilities and paved runways. They are only open during daylight hours and have neither runway lights nor fuel. Although the beach and sound can be accessed by foot, there are also designated four-wheeled drive ramps to reach them.
Closed sections are well marked.
Bicycling is hazardous on the islands. There is no bicycle path and NC Highway 12 is a narrow, busy road. Program schedules are listed in the In The Park visitor newspaper, available at visitor centers and campground kiosks. Swimming in the ocean is not the same as swimming in a pool. Underwater sandbars develop offshore, forming a trough of water between the bar and the beach.