North Carolina Beaches - NC Outer Banks and Southern Coast - Family Vacation Spots, Lodging, Attractions - Beach Access Points, Golf Resorts, Fishing Spots, Historic Sites, Recreation

The Outer Banks and Southern Coast Beaches

There are over 320 miles of shoreline in North Carolina. Most beaches are located on the Barrier Islands. The sounds separate the islands from the mainland, they are north to south: Currituck, Albemarle, Roanoke, Croatan, Pamlico, Core and Bogue Sound.

Kure Beach, Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach are located on Pleasure Island near Wilmington.

Jacksonville NC is the location of the US Marine Corp base. It is in Onslow County, Closest beaches: Hammocks Beach State Park on Bear Island.

New Bern is noted for the Tryon Palace where the British appointed governor of NC lived just prior to the American Revolution. Beaches are 35 miles away.

Hotels near NC coastal attractions

N-S

• Knots Island - just south of the Virginia line, main road is NC 615 - quiet isolated area with private homes, Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge - hiking, biking, bird watching
• Currituck Banks - Carova Beach, North Swan Beach, Swan Beach, Ocean Beach, Currituck National Wildlife Refuge
• Corolla - northern Outer Banks - location of the Currituck Lighthouse. 
• Duck
• Kill Devil Hills is near Jockey Ridge Park where you can hand glide or fly kites. 
• Kitty Hawk has a monument dedicated to the Wright Brothers who flew the first airplane (glider).
• Nags Head - Jockey Ridge State Park

• Roanoke Island

  • Manteo
• Bodie Island - lighthouse
• Pea Island national Wildlife Refuge
• Rodanthe
• Waves
• Salvo
• Avon
• Cape Hatteras
  • Famous for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and shipwrecks
  • National Seashore
• Buxton
• Frisco
• Ocracoke Island - lighthouse
• Portsmouth
• Cedar Island
• Cape Lookout National Seashore - lighthouse
• Harkers Island
• Shackleford Banks
• Beaufort
• Morehead City
• Atlantic Beach - is on Bogue Sound and is close to Havelock, Pine Knoll Shores and Morehead City. It is the most southern point of the Outer Banks and known as the Crystal coast.
• Pine Knoll Shores
• Indian Beach East
• Salter Path
• Emerald Isle
• Hammocks Beach State Park
• Camp Lejeune
• Sneads Ferry
• Top Sail Island is close to Sneads Ferry and Jacksonville on the mainland. There are many shipwrecks off the coast here. You can go scuba diving and search for sunken treasure. At low tide you can even see the tops of sunken ships from the beach.
• Surf City
• Top Sail beach
• Shell Island
• Wilmington
• Wrightsville Beach is the closest beach to Wilmington (10miles)
• Pleasure Island - Carolina beach town, Kure Beach, Fort Fisher
• Carolina Beach State Park
• Southport - lighthouse 2 miles away
• Brunswick Islands
  • Oak Island - lighthouse
  • Bald Head Island - lighthouse
  • Ocean Island

NC Coast Attractions Highlights

Ferry service

• Knots Island to Currituck
• Cedar Island
• Hatteras
• Knotts Island
• Ocracoke
• Pamlico River
• Swan Quarter

see ncferry.org  for schedule (link opens in new window)

There are lots of seafood festivals, events and fishing tournaments taking place all year round throughout the North Carolina Coastal Region