Crystal Coast

The Crystal Coast is an 85-mile stretch of beautiful coastline in North Carolina. It starts at the Cape Lookout National Seashore, which has 56 miles of protected sandy beaches, and goes southwest to the New River. This area is very popular with visitors and people who own second homes, especially during the summer. The name "Crystal Coast" was created by the Carteret County Tourism Development Authority.

The exact borders of the Crystal Coast can vary, but it mainly includes all the beaches in Carteret County, such as Bogue Banks, Harkers Island, and Down East. It also covers some beaches in southeastern Onslow County, like Bear Island and Hammocks Beach, as well as a few ports along the Intracoastal Waterway. Sometimes, the area is called the Southern Outer Banks to connect it with the well-known Outer Banks.

Main places to visit on the Crystal Coast include the coastal resorts of Atlantic Beach, Emerald Isle, Indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, and Salter Path. Inland, you can find ports like Beaufort, Morehead City, and Swansboro. Besides quiet beaches, the area has many shops, restaurants, and attractions such as Fort Macon State Park, which protects old coastal forts, and the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. There is also a group of wild Banker horses on Shackleford Banks, along with protected places like Hammocks Beach State Park and Cape Lookout National Seashore, which includes the ghost town of Portsmouth.

Tourism

Beaches

The Crystal Coast name was created by the Carteret County Tourism Development Authority to show off the area's beautiful waters. The area has many restaurants and hotels, such as the Doubletree Atlantic Beach, the largest hotel on North Carolina's coast. Beach cottages are popular to rent during summer, especially in Emerald Isle. Many people from cities like Kinston, Goldsboro, and Raleigh have second homes here.

Visitors can access many public beaches. One popular spot is "The Circle" in Atlantic Beach, with shops, houses, and fun rides by the ocean. This area is changing, with new tall apartments, restaurants, and shops being built.

Diving and fishing

Diving and fishing bring many visitors to the Crystal Coast. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream come close to shore here, making it great for divers. The coast is called the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" because over 2,000 ships have sunk there. During World War II, German submarines often sank ships in this area. Clear waters let divers see these wrecks deep underwater. Today, special fish called Lionfish have been found here, which are not natural to this area.

The warm waters also make this a great place for fishing, with the longest season on the Atlantic coast. A big fishing competition, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, happens in Morehead City. Fishers can catch many kinds of fish, and there are trips for families to join.

Pine Knoll Shores, Morehead City and Atlantic Beach

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is one of three aquariums along the coast. It has a large exhibit with a model of an old submarine and a tank that looks like a shipwreck from the sea.

Morehead City is a seaport and holds a big seafood festival each year.

In Atlantic Beach, Fort Macon is famous for its Civil War history. The fort was used by different sides during the war and was later fixed up. During World War II, it was used to protect important places nearby. Today, it is a state park with a safe beach.

Beaufort and Harkers Island

The town of Beaufort is old and rich in history. It has a museum with shells from all over the world and a place where people build and fix boats.

On nearby Harkers Island, there is a museum about wooden duck decoys that people used for hunting. Visitors can also go to see a special lighthouse and see wild horses on Shackleford Banks.

Neighbors

The shoreline communities east of Beaufort are called the "Down East" area of North Carolina. They are part of the Crystal Coast because they are in Carteret County. The beaches and islands north of here, like Portsmouth Island and Ocracoke, are known as the Outer Banks.

South of the Crystal Coast is an undeveloped stretch of coast near the mouth of the New River. This area is part of the Camp Lejeune military base close to Jacksonville. The next developed area further south is Topsail Island in Onslow County.

Places

The Crystal Coast includes many interesting places such as towns, islands, military bases, and parks. Some of the well-known spots are Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Emerald Isle, Fort Macon, Harkers Island, Morehead City, and Shackleford Banks. These locations are popular with visitors and people who own second homes in the area.