The Beaches of North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

Vacationers have managed to keep a secret, for a very long time, about a strand of beaches in North Carolina that are every bit as worthy as the Outer Banks. North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is dotted with beach access spots up and down the coastline leading tourists, and locals, to Cape Lookout, Indian Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Emerald Isle. For several years, some of these beaches have been North Carolina’s best kept secrets.

Sure, they all see some tourist action, but it’s nothing like you’d see in Myrtle Beach or at the Jersey Shore. There is still space at these beaches to spread out and enjoy yourself. Dig a hole, build a castle, or play a game of touch football on the beach and you’ll find, not only do you have enough space, but you’re probably going to pick up some friends in the process.

Part of the allure of Southern beaches, especially for Yankees (like myself) is that there doesn’t seem to be any sense of rushing on the part of the locals. It’s calm, everything moves at a crawl (something that will be infuriating for about a day), and the accents are almost as sweet as the tea. These beaches all have their own brand of specialness that you have to see to believe.

The Beach Breakdown

Cape Lookout –Now Lookout is a National Seashore, which means that it is protected by the National Parks Service. This also means it takes a bit more work to get to that just walking up from a beach access, a short ferry ride to be exact. However, once you’re there you can watch the wild horses play, score some great shells, or climb the lighthouse and take some photos.

Atlantic Beach –Atlantic Beach is one of the beaches on the Crystal Coast that you may have heard of, or at least seen people’s AB stickers on the back of their minivans, but there is so much more to it than you think. First, there’s Fort Macon, which is a great point of access with a huge parking lot, actual bathrooms, and a great little pavilion where you can eat without threat of sandy food or overzealous seagulls. There is also access to AB at the circle, but you’ll pay to park here during the height of summer.

Indian Beach –Between AB and Emerald Isle is the cute little beach known as Indian Beach. It’s quieter than the others and not anywhere near as crowded. If you’re a hardcore beachgoer and like to show up early, this is a great beach on which to do this. You can park your chair in the sand all day and not be terribly disturbed.

Emerald Isle –This is the most touristy of all the Crystal Coast beaches and probably the best known. For anglers, there is a huge fishing pier if you want to try your luck at ocean fishing. For beachgoers, there are plenty of little shops and restaurants in the area if you want to take a break from sunbathing. The water is pretty clear, starts warming up in April, and despite it’s popularity, you won’t have a hard time finding a spot on the beach. Most of the locals shy away from Emerald Isle proper during the height of summer.

Like OBX, Only Friendlier Due to the fact that the Crystal Coast requires on summer traffic to stay afloat during the off-season, the people here tend to be more accommodating that other NC beaches. However, one thing to take note of is that there ARE NO LIFEGUARDS on these beaches and the undertows can be deadly. Keep a close eye on your children if they’re swimming alone. Otherwise enjoy a truly southern beach atmosphere, and get some sweet tea from a local joint!