Travel

North Carolina’s Most Beautiful Beach Locations

posted by Chris Valentine

 

Each year I take the family from our home in Atlanta, Georgia across to the beaches of North Carolina. Usually we will grab a vacation rental from the excellent Elan Vacations who have a wide collection of stunning properties where you can stay and enjoy the very best of the Atlantic coast. I have been going to North Carolina each year now for the last 10 and there is still so much more that I would like to discover. With that being said, I believe that I am well travelled enough in this region of North Carolina to offer advice to anyone who plans on going there as to which are the best beach spots across the coast. If you are planning on a trip to North Carolina, here are my three recommendations for which beach spots you should go to.

Pine Knoll Shores

Coastal Living magazine ranked Pine Knoll Shores as “North Carolina’s Best-Kept Secret Beach” and I would tend to agree with them. This beautiful setting is not too far from the popular and lively Atlantic Beach and for those who are looking for something a little more family-orientated, Pine Knolls Shores is the place to go. The beaches feature vast open areas of sand and windswept dunes set amongst the backdrop of the crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. Behind the beaches you will find plenty to do from the Aquarium to the fascinating salt marsh behind it.

Nag’s Head, Outerbanks

The Outerbanks are that part of North Carolina that you will see jutting out into the Atlantic and acting as a barrier between ocean and mainland. Throughout this stretch of land you will find some beautiful beaches to stay on the Nag’s Head is without question my favorite. When you get down there, everything else in the world feels insignificant, here you will find tranquility between the dunes and the beaches themselves rarely get busy which make sit perfect for a family vacation. Behind the beaches you will find the Jockey’s Ridge State Park which is packed with shrubbery and green pathways where you can enjoy nature at its finest and get well and truly lost in this beautiful part of the world.

Ocracoke Island

Here on this island just a 30 minute ferry ride away from the mainland you will find one of the most iconic lighthouses in North Carolina. The islands itself is actually considered to be the oldest on the shores of the state and after you have seen this impressive old lighthouse you can take a break on some of the finest beaches which North Carolina has to offer. There is not much else to to see or do on the island but that is not necessarily a bad thing. To best enjoy Ocracoke, pack up some supplies and head out on the ferry for a day of dong absolutely nothing, perfect.

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