Things To Do

Fort Macon State Park

Fort Macon State Park might be one of North Carolina’s smallest state parks (424 acres), but it is typically among our most visited. That’s primarily because of its beautiful location on Bogue Banks, near Atlantic Beach and Morehead City.

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

The N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is situated in the Theodore Roosevelt Natural Area, which is mostly maritime forest. Descendants of President Theodore Roosevelt donated 298 acres of maritime forest to the state in 1971. They stipulated the acreage be maintained as a nature preserve and used for nature and wildlife education and estuarine studies. Acres surrounding the aquarium dedicated as natural area commemorate Presidents Roosevelt’s commitment to conservation.

Atlantic Beach "Boardwalk"

Cape Lookout

A day trip to the nearby Cape Lookout National Seashore will introduce you to a completely different side of the Crystal Coast that you can’t get by staying on the mainland.During the summer, tours run daily from both nearby Beaufort and not-so-nearby but reachable Harkers Island (which incidentally, while very small, is a deeply interesting place that is home to one of the only unique dialects of English in the United States). Be sure to climb the lighthouse itself (it’s one of the prettiest lighthouses in North Carolina) for absolutely magnificent views, to enjoy the bright, shallow water on the beach that is more reminiscent of the Mediterranean Sea than most of the typical beaches on the Crystal Coast, and look for wild horses across the water on Shackleford Banks!

Shackleford Banks Shelling & Wild Horse Expedition

Shackleford Banks is a barrier island system on the coast of Carteret County, North Carolina. It contains a herd of feral horses, scallop, crabs and various sea animals, including summer nesting by loggerhead turtles. It is a tourist and beach camping site.

Beaufort

Beaufort's historic and altogether picturesque downtown is one of the most visited and most acclaimed town centers in the Inner Banks. Filled with a history that intermingles seamlessly with acclaimed shops and restaurants, (as well as front row views of the activity at the expansive harbor front docks), this otherwise typical Eastern North Carolina town has become a favorite among Inner Banks visitors.