Top Things to do in North Carolina Coast
Top Hotels in North Carolina Coast
- 1. Clarion Pointe New Bern
- 2. Hampton Inn & Suites Outer Banks / Corolla
- 3. Embassy Suites by Hilton Wilmington Riverfront
- 4. Bridgepointe Hotel and Marina
- 5. Sea Ranch Resort
- 6. Hampton Inn & Suites Carolina Beach Oceanfront
- 7. Best Western Ocean Reef Suites
- 8. Holiday Inn Express Nags Head Oceanfront, an IHG Hotel
- 9. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Rocky Mount, NC
- 10. Sanderling Resort
10 Historic Sites in North Carolina Coast That You Shouldn't Miss
North Carolina's coast and 300 miles of barrier island beaches are filled with lovely state parks, top restaurants and world-class golf courses. Cape Fear's beaches attract surfers. Wilmington's downtown contains fine antebellum homes and exciting shopping and dining. The wind-swept Outer Banks offer historic lighthouses, mysterious Roanoke Island and the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers hiking, biking and fishing. Ferry trips link islands with the mainland.
Restaurants in North Carolina Coast
1. Fort Branch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 6 reviews
Reviewed By Roving196678 - Carolina Beach, United States
The museum is just see and the reenactment is good and we'll organized. The area is not to far from other civil war sites.
2. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,566 reviews
The nation's tallest lighthouse was moved to a different location to preserve it.
Reviewed By GypsyJules1111 - Albany, United States
Was a great experience! Tour groups were formed quickly.. beautiful grounds around the lighthouse to explore, informative tour guide & well worth the climb to the top! Amazing views from the top deck! Just an awesome experience!
3. Wright Brothers National Memorial
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,204 reviews
Park where visitors can see a replica of the Wright Brothers' plane and receive an entertaining history of flight.
Reviewed By PHLee7ca - Ellicott City, United States
We visited this attraction on a sunny Saturday in October. The cost was $10/adult and lots of free parking. We first walked around the grounds and saw the old "runway", sheds, and climbed up Kill Devil Hill to see the monument and view of the town. Then we joined the narrated tour by one of the Park Rangers, she was very informative and animated! We then spent the rest of our time touring inside the info. center and got our "passports" stamped in the Gift Store! From the top of the hill, we noticed a full scale scene of the first flight and stopped by on our drive out....very nice, all the "characters" immortalized in bronze along with the plane. A very nice "park", museum and history lesson.
4. St. Paul's Episcopal Church
5. Whalehead in Historic Corolla
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 654 reviews
Take a step back in time when you visit Whalehead in Historic Corolla! Originally built in the 1920s, this magnificent residence has been restored to its original grandeur and is open for tours year round. Located inside Historic Corolla Park, the museum is situated on 39 acres of pristine waterfront property, and is located in the heart of Historic Corolla. Open year-round for a variety of tours - choose from various House Programs, Children's Activities and Park Programs that are perfect for all ages! Check our online calendar for exciting events hosted in the beautiful Historic Corolla Park.
Reviewed By tee168 - Appleton, United States
This is worth the stop. It's an amazing house with a very interesting history that's really well re-done. It's self guided where you listen to an "I pod" recording that tells you about each room. Very informative. Took about an hour. Would highly recommend if you love old restored homes and learning about the local history.
6. North Carolina History Center - Tryon Palace
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 901 reviews
Colonial Governors ruled, legislators debated, patriots gathered and George Washington danced. At Tryon Palace, where British rule once flourished, American independence took root and the state of North Carolina was born. Here you can still experience the adventure of North Carolina’s earliest beginnings and a living history like no other. Guided tours, live re-enactments and conversations with costumed interpreters from centuries past bring history to life in vivid detail at the Governor’s Palace, Gardens and Historic Homes. And, at the new high-tech North Carolina History Center, interactive games and hands-on exhibits delight visitors young and old. Whether you’re exploring one of our riverside gardens or sharpening your skills as a quilter, printer, ship’s captain or blacksmith, there are endless opportunities for making cherished family memories at Tryon Palace.
Reviewed By gwkelley - Raleigh, United States
We bought the ticket that included tours, garden and multiple locations. Beautiful grounds, passionate employees who honor the property and enjoy sharing their knowledge to the visitors. I would recommend planning 3 hours to tour, walk, and discover New Bern’s history.
7. Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,160 reviews
Open for the 2021 season, daily, 9a-5pm, weather permitting. Climb the 220 steps to the top for a breathtaking view while learning from docents, brochures, and exhibits about shipwrecks, the lives of lighthouse keepers, the history of the tower (it filled the last remaining dark space on the east coast in 1875) and the original 1st order Fresnel lens. The beacon continues to be an active aid to navigation (3 seconds on, 17 off). The station is preservation effort of the Outer Banks Conservationists along with the State of NC and the USCG through the NHLHP Act of 2000. $10/person (card or cash); Children ages 0-3 may ascend (free) but only in a carrier with adult 18 or over. All other climbers $10.* Children 13+ may climb alone with parent signature.
Reviewed By rbrich - Cherryville, United States
This is a beautiful lighthouse that from the top you can see the ocean and the sound, it shows just how narrow the strip of land that makes up the outer banks is. This is the second time we have visited this lighthouse and it was just as fun this year as it was 12 years ago.
8. Bald Head Island Lighthouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 237 reviews
Old Baldy, built 1817, is North Carolina's oldest lighthouse. Restoration projects by the not for profit Old Baldy Foundation allows visitors today to enjoy the tower and climb to the top for a breathtaking view of the island and surrounding area. Tickets available in the Keeper's Cottage, home to the Smith Island Museum of History and lighthouse gift shop.
Reviewed By navyprofessor - Vass, United States
Old Baldy Lighthouse (Bald Head Island Lighthouse)Is definitely worth the trip out to the island. The ferry is a bit pricey at $23, and the parking is nine dollars at the marina, but the lighthouse is a short walk from the ferry port. You can be there in 3 to 5 minutes from the port on foot. If you want to do other activities on the island, it would be helpful to rent a golf cart. Those rentals can be quite pricey. However, it is a lovely island with lots to do.
9. Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 315 reviews
Old historic fort that was the site of two major Civil War battles.
Reviewed By 511joei - Charlotte, United States
This is a quiet public beach offering free parking, easy access walk, seasonal lifeguards, restrooms, outdoor showers to rinse sand, small picnic area. If you have a four-wheel drive, you can obtain a pass at the office for a small fee and drive on a sandy trail to the beach. This is a different beach than the one at the parking lot. So no worries your little one won't accidentally be hit by a 4 WD. Bring your own food and snacks as there are none on site and none close by.
10. Cupola House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 62 reviews
Reviewed By ch-boro
we were pleasantly surprised to find it open and two volunteers were in the home, one did the first floor the other the second floor. very informative and enjoyable, very knowledgeable about the house and town. the 2nd floor guide allowed us to go into the cupola for a very nice view of edenton
