For the current Knotts Island Ferry schedule, click here.

The Knotts Island Ferry is a year-round free ferry that's managed by the North Carolina Department of Transportation's ferry system. An instrumental mode of transportation for Knotts Island locals, and a fun on-the-water day trip for Currituck County visitors, the ferry is accessible, scenic, and allows visitors to explore new and wild regions which are otherwise hard to access.

About the Ferry Terminals

The Knotts Island Ferry crosses the Currituck Sound and has two terminals - one on the mainland in the town of Currituck and one located at the southern waterfront edge of Knotts Island.

The Currituck Terminal is easy to access via Courthouse Road, which is found off of US Highway 168. (Brown signs also mark the route for travelers.)

The ferry terminal is bordered by a handful of historic sites, including the Historic Currituck Courthouse, as well as a sample of restaurants, like Pass The Salt Cafe and a local McDonalds.

The Knotts Island Terminal is found at the Southern end of Route 615, and is surrounded by a small collection of year-round and second homes. There are no major gas stations, stores or restaurants within the vicinity of the ferry terminal, but visitors can stop by the Knotts Island Market, which is just a couple miles away, to grab a quick deli-style lunch on the go.

Both ferry terminals have limited facilities, but do offer public restrooms, picnic areas, and area information, and the Currituck Terminal also has vending machines.

About the Ferry Ride

The Knotts Island Ferry ride covers a span of 5 miles across the Currituck Sound and lasts roughly 45 minutes. Vehicles, passengers, and cyclists are all welcome, although availability on the ferry is based on a first-come, first-admitted basis.

It is recommended that motorists arrive 15-30 minutes before a preferred departure time to secure a spot on the ferry. Lines may be longer on summer weekends, and relatively desolate in the winter months.

Once on board, passengers are free to leave their vehicle and look around. The ferries do offer small air-conditioned and heated passenger lounges with water fountains, as well as public restrooms.

Ferry passengers should also keep the following NC state rules in mind while on the ferry.

  • Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the ferry, even in a vehicle.
  • Alcohol is not allowed on the ferry, and it is illegal to have open containers of alcohol in a vehicle in the state of NC.
  • Priority loading is given to vehicles with a proper priority pass. This can include service vehicles, government employees, and school busses.
  • Passengers are allowed to explore the ferry, but should note rooms or areas which are marked as private or closed to the public.
  • Dogs are allowed on the ferry and can even walk around, but must be leashed at all times. Use caution in the summer months when the shiny metal surface can easily burn a dog's paw pads.

What to do on Knotts Island

Once on Knotts Island, visitors will find a small but enticing collection of things to do. The area has a vineyard, seasonally open peach and berry farms, a deli at the Knotts Island Market., and a local campground called Sandy Point Campground.

The biggest attraction on the island, however, is the Mackay Island National Wildlife refuge. At the refuge, visitors can enjoy the following activities:

  • Hiking and Biking via three nature trails and several hard-packed roads that run through the heart of the refuge.
  • Kayaking in the Currituck Sound and along the small creeks that cut through Knotts Island.
  • Bird Watching at the Charles Kuralt wildlife viewing platform.
  • Hunting during designated seasons with the proper permits.
  • Fishing along both the Marsh Causeway and in the Currituck Sound.
  • Boating via the public boat launch at 129 Brumley Road.

Please note that facilities are very limited at the Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge and certain portions of the refuge may be seasonally closed off. For more information, visit the refuge's website at http://www.fws.gov/Mackayisland/.

Knotts Island Ferry Schedule

The ferry has a seasonal schedule, with fewer runs during the summer from early June to early August, when school is not in session.

The current schedule for the ferry is as follows. Note that the schedule may adjust from year to year, and passengers can find the most updated schedule online at https://www.ncdot.gov/travel-maps/ferry-tickets-services/routes/Pages/default.aspx. Also, the ferry does not operate in hurricane or high wind conditions, generally classified as sustained winds of 35 mph or more.

 

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The Cotton Gin

For those traveling to the Outer Banks, The Cotton Gin is a beloved landmark with its large windmill and picturesque gardens. The Cotton Gin has stood in the same location since 1929, starting as a working cotton gin and growing to a gift store with 4 locations. Visitors are treated to a unique shopping experience in our main store in Jarvisburg, as well as our beach stores in Corolla, Duck, and Nags Head. Explore room after room filled with décor for your home and coastal fashions for both men and women. Discover the brands you really want, like, Vera Bradley, Vineyard Vines, La Mer Luex, Simply Southern, Lindsay Phillips, Scout, Pandora, Kameleon, Brighton, Spartina, Tommy Bahama, Southern Tide and Salt Life and Old Guys Rule - all under one roof!

 

Don’t forget the gourmet market, or shop our beautiful linens for your bedroom and bath. We also feature coastal books and fine art, or just a whimsical fun gift to bring home to family and friends. Stop by soon and don’t forget to try our estate grown wines in our stores or visit our vineyard and winery, Sanctuary Vineyards, located adjacent to the original Cotton Gin in Jarvisburg.

 

Most know The Cotton Gin as a must-stop shop for fine gifts, beachwear, souvenirs and so much more, but this retailer has a long-standing history within the Outer Banks. A local landmark that holds almost a century of memories, The Cotton Gin started from humble beginnings and continues to adapt to the times and tourists. Tommy Wright’s family has been in the Outer Banks for nearly 200 years. His great-great grandfather, Jacob Francis Wright, shipwrecked in Duck back in the early 1800s. Calling these barrier islands his new home, Wright and his family acclimated to their new environment.

 

Adaptation is a common theme for the Wright family. Tommy and his wife Candace, who continue to steer The Cotton Gin, have seen not only their business change with the times, but the Outer Banks as a vacation destination as well. A farm market in Jarvisburg eventually transformed and flourished into several retail locations dotting the Outer Banks.

 

“As the area changed and tourism took off in the 1960s, the family saw people coming for vacations, so they began to grow vegetables and things developed from there,” says Tommy Wright. The Wright family expanded upon the farm market and began to remodel a working cotton gin, later transforming the gin into The Cotton Gin general store in the late 1960s. While the additions to the farm store drew visitors, it was their encounters with the Wright family that kept people coming back year after year, which is something that remains true today.

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