Area Attractions
 North Carolina AquariumThe North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores takes you across the state on an aquatic journey “from the mountains to the sea.” Five galleries depict the aquatic habitats and inhabitants of each major zone – Mountain, Piedmont , Coastal Plain, Tidal Waters and Ocean. You can watch – and talk to – divers in the Living Shipwreck exhibit, meet an alligator or other animal face to face in daily programs in the theater and participate in a number of other fun activities. The Aquarium recently underwent a $25 million renovation that tripled it's size to 93,000 square feet. The remodeling brought nearly 40 new exhibits and many new programs. |
 Decoy making has long been an established tradition in coastal North Carolina. Like other everyday activities that become obsolete with a changing lifestyle, the practice of turning wood into ducks had been taken for granted, ignored, possibly even forgotten. What was once an everyday practice might have become extinct had it not been for those whose love and appreciation for the art had been passed down through generations and outweighed the changes taking place around them.  Decoys have become a symbol of the heritage of eastern North Carolina. Used by Indians as well as settlers, these tools were an essential part of the individual's equipment in utilizing the natural resources for survival. Through the story of Core Sound waterfowling heritage the museum has expanded its mission to include the CORE SOUND STORY ... the history of its communities, the perpetuation and support of its local craftsmen, the importance of protecting its natural resources and all the traditions that make up this coastal way of life. |
 Fort Macon State ParkFORT MACON stands stately and weathered on an island at the southerly end of the outer banks of North Carolina. It is one of the finest examples of the many coastal forts constructed along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States after the War of 1812. |
The Legend of Blackbeard Tour
The "Fiercest Pirate to Ever Live" is the focus of this Fun and Interactive, fully Guided walking tour through downtown Beaufort, NC. Hear the story, from birth till death, of one of history's most infamous pirates. Edward Drummond, who later became known as Blackbeard, lived a life full of adventure, combat, debauchery, romance, and even luxury. And, the story of his death will recount one of the fiercest battles ever seen off the shores of North Carolina's Outer Banks. See Blackbeard's House, walk the same streets as the famed buccaneer. Kids and Adults will enjoy this look back into the Golden Age of Piracy. Excellent for families and school groups. See real replica Pirate weapons and authentic artifacts FREE Pirate Treasure Ring for Kids of all Ages Meets Every Day at 6:30pm. Come to downtown Beaufort and join us for a relaxing and enjoyable walk. |
 Cape Lookout National SeashoreWant to know what our coastal barrier islands looked like before postwar development got the best of them? Visit Cape Lookout. It is the closest thing to a seaside wilderness to be found south of Maine. But dont let the pristine appearance of this national seashore's three islands - North Core Banks, South Core Banks, and Shackleford Banks deceive you. People have lived and worked in this difficult environment for a long time. Verrazano reported natives living on Core Banks during his 1524 voyage to the New World. Colonial sailors frequently used Lookout Bight as a safe harbor during storms and hurricanes. Pirates, such as Blackbeard, found its protected waters a convenient place to launch raids on merchant shipping. The wild ponies that live on Shackleford Banks today are believed to be descendants of feral ponies left behind by Spanish explorers.  Portsmouth, on North Core Banks, was established by North Carolina's colonial assembly in 1753 and settled shortly thereafter. At its peak in 1860, the village had 505 permanent residents, of which 117 were slaves.
While many of Portsmouth's buildings remain, the traces of other human habitations on the seashore have all but disapperared. Diamond City, at the eastern end of Shackleford Banks, was a thriving whaling and fishing village of 500 people in 1899. But a succession of hurricanes prompted residents to load their homes and belongings onto boats and move to the mainland. By 1903, Diamond City was a ghost town. No trace remains today except a few pieces of lumber and shards of pottery and glass. The legacy of human habitation shapes this landscape today nonetheless. The feral horses on Shackleford Banks eat vegetation such as marsh grass and young trees, stunting plant succession and limiting the island's ecological diversity. The maritime forests that once covered much of the entire Seashore has been reduced to a small remnant near the western end of Shackleford Banks. The most enduring and romantic legacy of human habitiation on the seashore is the Cape Lookout lighthouse. Built in 1859 to replace a smaller one built in 1812, its height of 150 feet makes it one of the tallest on the East Coast. |
 Rachel Carson Estuarine Research ReserveThis string of small islands is located across Taylor’s Creek from historic Beaufort and on the sound side of Shackleford Banks. A half-mile interpretive trail on the west side of the Rachel Carson Reserve highlights the area’s common species and special features. The trail meanders through mudflats, uplands, and salt marshes, illustrating the various unique environments found in estuarine systems. A small herd of feral horses roams the islands and over 200 bird species have been recorded here. Late summer through winter offers great birding for seabirds, shorebirds, marsh birds, and wading birds, including piping plover, oystercatcher, and terns. You may go on a guided tour of the islands from the N.C. Maritime Museum on Beaufort’s Front Street, or you can kayak out on your own steam. It is only about a hundred yards across the narrow channel to the reserve. |
 NC Maritime MuseumThe North Carolina Maritime Museum documents, collects, preserves, and researches the maritime history—and its corollary natural history—of coastal North Carolina for the purpose of interpreting this history through educational services and exhibits for our contemporary society, and passing intact its material culture to future generations. The museum and its facilities—especially its auditorium, library, and Watercraft Center—are made available to community, civic, and educational groups. The Chamber of Commerce, Professional & Business Association, Library Board, Coast Guard Auxiliary, and others frequently use the museum auditorium, the only local hall that will seat more than 100 people.  Watercraft CenterThis beautiful watercraft center, an extension of the NC Maritime Museum, is just across the street from the main exhibit building on the Beaufort waterfront. The watercraft center is a working boatbuilding facility, alive with the sounds and smells of traditional wooden boatbuilding. The viewing platform above the shop floor is a great place to watch the boats take shape, from frame to finished product. |
 Tour Historic BeaufortBeaufort Historic Site, located in the heart of downtown Beaufort, where you can experience the history of North Carolina in a quaint seaport village setting. We offer lively guided tours of authentically restored homes and buildings, the mysterious Old Burying Ground, and Beaufort's charming historic district. You'll love discovering our coastal heritage! 
Enshrouded in the shade created by a thicket of majestic hundred-year-old live oak trees, the Photo of weathered tombstones at the Old Burying Ground in the Historic District of the old seaport town of Beaufort, NC Old Burying Ground is a fascinating place. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cemetery was deeded to the town in 1731 by Nathaniel Taylor. The weathered tombstones chronicle the heritage of Beaufort and the surrounding coast with graves of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, star-crossed lovers, and famous privateers. Walk along the sandy paths of one of the state’s oldest cemeteries, and feel the history each grave has to tell. Observe the graves that are facing east so that they would “be facing the sun when they arose on judgment morn”. Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, freed blacks, and slaves all rest together in the Old Burying Ground. As early as the eighteenth century, coastal residents were laid to their final rest here in Beaufort. |
 North River ClubNorth River Club is a world-class facility that includes the 18-hole Bob Moore-designed championship golf course, a swimming and tennis center, along with a number of custom-built single-family housing options. Located just five miles from the historic Beaufort, NC, waterfront, the North River Club stands as the centerpiece of the area's newest community. Already hailed as Beaufort's premiere residential development. The North River Club's 620-acre layout features something for everyone, as its village-style composition will include single-family homes, bungalows, patio homes and condominiums, all within minutes of the best boating, fishing and other water sports that the Crystal Coast has to offer. |
101 Ann Street
Beaufort, NC 28516
Phone: (252) 728-2600
Reservations: (800) 726-0321
