North Carolina's Best Waterfronts and Coastal Areas

North Carolina's 300 miles of Atlantic coastline is divided into three distinct regions: the Outer Banks barrier islands, the Crystal Coast, and the Brunswick Islands. The coastal sounds — Pamlico and Albemarle — are nearly as large as the Chesapeake Bay.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore
The most celebrated section of the Outer Banks — 70 miles of protected barrier island beach from Whalebone Junction south to Ocracoke Inlet. The Cape Hatteras area is renowned for surf fishing, world-class windsurfing and kiteboarding (the winds around the point are among the strongest and most consistent on the East Coast), and the historic Cape Hatteras lighthouse (198 ft, moved 2,900 feet inland in 1999 to protect it from beach erosion).

Ocracoke Island
The southernmost inhabited Outer Banks community, accessible only by ferry. Ocracoke village — with its Cedar Island ferry connection to the mainland — is one of the most isolated and charming communities on the NC coast. The island has historic connections to the pirate Blackbeard (Edward Teach), who met his end in the waters off Ocracoke Inlet in 1718. The beach here is some of the finest and least crowded on the entire Outer Banks.

Beaufort and the Crystal Coast
Beaufort (pronounced BOH-fert, not like Beaufort, SC) is one of the oldest towns in North Carolina (founded 1709). Its waterfront is a working port where wild horses on Carrot Island are visible across Taylor's Creek. The North Carolina Maritime Museum has a Blackbeard collection. Morehead City's commercial waterfront is the main port for Deep Sea fishing charters.

Wilmington Riverfront
The Cape Fear River waterfront in Wilmington has undergone significant revival. The Battleship North Carolina (WWII battleship) is moored across the river and open for tours. Wilmington Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and Carolina Beach are among the most accessible ocean beaches in the state from major cities.