One of the neat things about coming to the beach along North Carolina's Crystal Coast is that you get to create your own definition of fun.
I love beaches and do not need much more than warm water on my toes and a fishing rod in my hand to make me happy.
Perhaps that I why I enjoyed so many trips to the Buxton area of Hatteras Island.
Beyond the beach, the light house, and a few restaurants, the area had not much to offer aside from wind surfing.
When you come to the Crystal Coast, the choice is a whole lot broader. In the twenty five miles from Beaufort to Swansboro, there are a lot of choices. You can stay in anything from a fancy bed and breakfast to basic hotel or a huge sand castle on the ocean. You can choose to paddle a kayak in the sound or charter a boat to go deep sea fishing.
You can even pick from beaches. Both Cape Lookout and Hammocks Beach are only accessible by boat or ferry. Some beaches require some walking to enjoy and others have large paved parking lots.
When it comes to activities, there is everything from swimming and fishing on the beaches to visiting the Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores or the Maritime Museum in Beaufort. While we are not a golf resort like Myrtle Beach, there are plenty of courses to play in the area.
Even the towns are different, Beaufort has many beautiful historic homes while Emerald Isle has great beach houses. Swansboro still retains much of its heritage as a fishing village.
Your choice of places to dine could range from the reasonably price specials at Mike's in Emerald Isle or El's in Morehead City to a fancy meal in one of Beaufort's finest restaruants like Front Street at Stillwater, Spouters, or Blue Moon Bistro. You can find everything from local softshell crabs and grouper to fine steaks. Morehead City has a long list of chain restuarants while the smaller towns specialize in great family owned restaurants wth wide ranging menus.
Some people come to the coast to relax and read books. Others come to kayak or fish. Then there are those who just want to cook on the beach. Whatever your pleasure, the Crystal Coast can accomodate you.
