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
The 10 Best Things to do in North Carolina Coast, North Carolina Coast
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. Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 493 reviews
Reviewed By jeanettelamm - Gibsonville, United States
the ferry is always a fun thing to do and takes you over to southport and oak island its a great thing for a day trip to go across and see more of our beautiful coast
2. Walton's Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 189 reviews
Walton's Distillery is a craft distillery making Moonshine, Whiskey and Bourbon. It is a full production facility with daily activities related to the mashing, fermentation, distillation and bottling of spirits. Tours offer a very thorough understanding of the process and the unique experience of seeing a functioning moonshine still. Free tastings of all Walton's products are offered and the facility has a gift shop which has lots of antiques and souvenirs. The Hours of Operation are Monday - Saturday from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm with tours running every hour, on the hour. The final tour runs at 4:00. Please call in advance if you have a group of more than 10 people coming. Times of tours may vary depending upon staffing and traffic volume. We will do our best to accommodate all visitors at arrival.
Reviewed By ericgY3142PB
We really enjoyed the tasting session and decided on the Pina Colada flavored moonshine. The store is full of interesting things to look at and buy
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. Battleship North Carolina
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,471 reviews
As you walk the decks of the NORTH CAROLINA, imagine yourself in the South Pacific during WWII searching the sky for enemy aircraft, anticipating what may happen next. Step aboard the most decorated US Battleship of WWII! Explore nine decks, crew's quarters, gun turrets, and much more. Discover where history comes alive. Located at the junctions of highways 17, 76, 74, 421 on the Cape Fear River across from historic downtown Wilmington. Open every day!
Reviewed By nowpacking - Dallas, United States
Very impressive! The kids loved it and were captivated by all the levels, rooms and the chance to see what life was really like at sea! Lots of exploring up and down the steep stairs - the ship is huge and the history is so interesting. We really enjoyed our visit and they are still talking about it.
5. Jockey's Ridge State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,240 reviews
Two of the highest sand dunes on the East Coast are located here, providing excellent take-off points for hang gliders.
Reviewed By donnajsatterlee - Princess Anne, United States
An absolutely magical place where there are really tall sand dunes There are trail markings for an easy round trip of 1 1/2 miles to the Roanoke Sound so that it is easy to find the route with shifting sands. The windswept sands make amazing patterns. There is a place that is wheelchair compatible, but only as far as a vista. The rest would be hard to negotiate without wide, sand friendly wheels. There are also some asphalt trails through some native to the area live oaks.
6. 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.
7. Carolina Beach State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 433 reviews
Reviewed By 962anthonyp - Charleston, United States
This is one of the few places in the state where the Venus Flytrap grows wild. While there are several carnivorous plants here, the flytrap draws the crowd. Unfortunately, it also draws cretins that steal the plants - to the point while we were there, they could only find one in an easily accessed viewing area. Not to worry, the rangers and the local university are on the case. They have been nursing flytraps and relocate many every year. One can learn about these and other amazing plants via ranger guided tours that are offered by the park. In addition, this particular park offers several trails of varied difficulty with different views and experiences, playgrounds, and picnics areas. This park is amazing and definitely worth a stop. You will want to go by the visitor center and see some of the plants grown by the rangers and the local university, as well as learn a bit more about them and find out about events in the park - of which there are plenty.
8. Airlie Gardens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,078 reviews
Reviewed By vacati0nbug
Loved Airlie Gardens! The gardens are beautiful, tranquil, serene and make for some great photography. I found it very relaxing. Definitely takes you out of the city feel and into what feels like an enchanted forest with all the hundreds of years old live oaks covered in dripping moss. Very special and worth a visit.
9. North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,491 reviews
The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island was originally founded in 1976 as the North Carolina Marine Resources Center, along with our sister facilities at Pine Knoll Shores and Fort Fisher. In 1986, the three facilities were renamed Aquariums, and we were joined by Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head in 2011. The state of North Carolina owns the Aquariums and Pier, which are administered by the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR). Located on the Outer Banks, three miles north of Manteo on Roanoke Island, the Aquarium is an educational attraction focused on “inspiring appreciation and conservation of our aquatic environments.” The Aquarium is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Reviewed By M1967XCjulieb
We’ve been going to the beach for days and decided we needed an indoor activity something that we could bring our granddaughter with to. The aquarium was wonderful and all of us loved it, especially our granddaughter (18 months)!! It was bigger than I thought it would be and our granddaughter loved the shark exhibit (baby shark song) and the jellyfish. We totally loved the sea turtle rescue center, and enjoyed seeing the sea turtles on the mend (we loved that part of our admission fee helped them) The hands on tank was so much fun for all ages!!!
10. Oak Island Beach
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 604 reviews
Reviewed By 985pennyg - Coeburn, United States
One of my familys favorite beach trips. Just a quiet, laid back family atmosphere. If you like to get away for the hustle and enjoy a peaceful family trip, Oak Island is highly recommended. So glad we gave it a try.
