Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June - Dec

Skip to the Outer Banks

The North Carolina Coast is over 320 miles. Most of the 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.

This page lists the best beaches in North Carolina on the mainland and the NC Outer Banks. Find oceanfront hotels, cheap motels, resorts and beach accommodations at discount rates; oceanfront and on the beach. Whether you are planning a short romantic getaway or an extended family vacation, we have a hotel to suit your budget.

NC Coast cities / towns

search for a hotel, motel or resort

• Atlantic Beach
• Bald Head Island
• Elizabeth City
• Carolina Beach
• Edenton
• Havelock
• Jacksonville
• Kure Beach
• Morehead City
• New Bern
• Pine Knolls Shores
• Plymouth
• Ocean Isle Beach
• Shallotte
• Sneads Ferry
• Southport
• Sunset Beach
• Swansboro
• Tarboro
• Washington
• Wilmington
• Wrightsville Beach
• Williamston

Coastal Mainland

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.

Jacksonville NC is the location of the US Marine Corp base.

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.

Kure Beach, Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach are located on Pleasure Island near Wilmington. Wrightsville Beach is about 10 miles from Wilmington.

Outer banks Accomodations: Hotels/Motels

Travel North to South

• Corolla - north
• Duck
• Kill Devil Hills
• Kitty Hawk
• Nags Head
• Roanoke Island
  • Manteo
• Bodie Island
• Pea Island national Wildlife Refuge
• Rodanthe
• Waves
• Salvo
• Avon
• Cape Hatteras Island
  • Famous for the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and shipwrecks
  • National Seashore
• Buxton
• Frisco
• Ocracoke Island
• Portsmouth
• Cedar Island
• Cape Lookout National Seashore
• Harkers Island
• Shackleford Banks
• Atlantic Beach - south

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 Outerbanks and known as the Crystal coast. Historic Landmarks near Atlantic Beach include Fort Macon, a Civil war fortress. Pine Knoll Shores once belonged to Theodore Roosevelt. The area has lots of interesting things to see and good seafood restaurants.

Corolla is the location of the Currituck Lighthouse. 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).

Ferry service

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

• Cedar Island
• Hatteras
• Knotts Island
• Ocracoke
• Pamlico River
• Swan Quarter

Lighthouse Locations

8 total lighthouses

1. Bodie Island Lighthouse - built 1872 located North of Hatteras Island on the Oregon Inlet
2. Bald Head Lighthouse - located on Smith Island, 1st in NC, Built 1795. rebuilt 1817 - guides ship around Cape Fear and Frying Pan Shoals.
3. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse - built 1870, covers the area around Cape Hateras and Diamond Shoals
4. Currituck Lighthouse (Whalehead) - built 1875 located on the Currituck sound at Corolla, covers the coastline between Cape Henry Lighthouse VA and Bodie Island Lighthouse.
5. Ocracoke Lighthouse - built 1823 on Ocacoke Island, one of the oldest lighthouses still operating in US,
6. Oak Island Lighthouse - built 1950s, brightest lighthouse in US, near Southport NC
7. Prices Creek Lighthouse - built 1848, no tours, 2 miles from Southport, covers the Cape Fear River area,  it has been inoperable since the second battle of Fort Fisher during the Civil War.
8. Cape Lookout Lighthouse - built 1859 on the Core Banks, covers the Lookout Shoals area. take boat from Harkers Island, Morehead City or Beaufort.