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North Carolina Coast · USA

Overview

North Carolina's 300-plus miles of coastline are fronted by a continuous series of fragile barrier islands. Broad rivers lead inland from the sounds, along which port cities have grown. Lighthouses, dunes, and vacation homes (often built by out-of-staters) dot the water's edge. The coast is generally divided into three broad sections that include islands, shoreline, and coastal plains: the Outer Banks (Corolla south through Ocracoke, including Roanoke Island), the Crystal Coast (Core and Bogue Banks, Beaufort, Morehead City, and the inland river town of New Bern), and the greater Cape Fear region (Wrightsville Beach through the Brunswick County islands, including Wilmington).

The Outer Banks, a chain of barrier islands in the Atlantic, forms a giant sandbar south of the Virginia border. Addresses here are commonly noted by mile markers, not building numbers. The picturesque Albemarle area, on the mainland, parallels a portion of the Outer Banks. New Bern is a bit farther inland on the Central Coast and has sights that provide a close-up look at America during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Wilmington, on the Cape Fear River, is home to the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and is the coast's largest city. It has fine restaurants and museums. Surrounding it are golf courses, white-sand beaches, and resort hotels, which have been voted some of the best in the nation by various sources.

Whereas once the coast closed up shop after the summer season ended, the entire area, home to two national seashores (Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout), is now considered a year-round destination. You can explore museums; spend the day swimming, hang gliding, windsurfing, or kayaking; or stop in restaurants with fresh seafood and increasingly innovative chefs after you've spent the day shopping at retail outlets. Whether you're seeking peace or adventure, you can find it on the coast.

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