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North Carolina’s 18 piers are stalwart landmarks for families and fishermen who’ve gone to their beach for generations. Cast a line, take a stroll, breathe in the salty air — and order that ice cream cone. This is your official NC pier bucket list.
Built in 1959
Inspired by the sunset-watching parties on Mallory Square in Key West, Florida, the Barnacle Bar at the end of the nearly 1,000-foot-long pier lures more than just fishermen. Order a frozen Painkiller and settle in for live music.
Oceanana Pier
700 East Fort Macon Road
Atlantic Beach, NC 28512
(252) 726-0863
oceanapier.com
Built in 1963
The weather-scarred wooden pier in Avon juts out 665 feet from Hatteras Island and is known for its excellent red drum fishing.
Avon Fishing Pier
41001 NC Highway 12
Avon, NC 27915
(252) 995-5480
facebook.com/avon-fishing-pier-nc
Built in 1960; rebuilt in 1984, 1997, 2012
Fish for Spanish or king mackerel, or grab an ice cream cone from the on-site convenience store and post up on top of the observation deck to watch the action.
Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier
100 Bogue Inlet Drive
Emerald Isle, NC 28594
(252) 354-2919
bogueinletpier.com
Built in 1960
Browse the beach shop and watch as the setting sun fills the sky with color.
Holden Beach Fishing Pier
441 Ocean Boulevard West
Holden Beach, NC 28462
(910) 842-6483
Built in 1953; rebuilt in 2008
The pier house often hosts weddings, but for simpler pleasures, it’s an excellent spot to watch the sunrise.
Kitty Hawk Pier
5353 North Virginia Dare Trail
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
(252) 261-1290
Built in 1923; rebuilt in 1955, 1984, 1996
The oldest pier on the Atlantic Coast is open 24 hours a day in the summer, so people come to fish, stroll, and hang out around the clock.
Kure Beach Fishing Pier
100 Atlantic Avenue
Kure Beach, NC 28449
(910) 458-5524
kurepier.com
Built in 1939; rebuilt in 1945, 2011
It’s no longer the only pier on the Outer Banks, but it stands alone as an eco-friendly educational center where children and adults alike can explore aquarium exhibits, learn about renewable energy, and, of course, learn how to fish.
Jennette’s Pier
7223 South Virginia Dare Trail
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 255-1501
jennettespier.net
Built in 1947
Catch a fish and the Pier House Restaurant will cook it — fried, grilled, or blackened — and then serve it to you on a plate piled with French fries, slaw, and hush puppies. The stunning ocean view is a bonus.
Nags Head Fishing Pier
3335 South Virginia Dare Trail
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 441-5141
nagsheadpier.com
Built in 1982; rebuilt in 1999
At more than 1,000 feet, this pier is one of the longest in North Carolina. At one end, it offers king mackerel fishing; at the other, a memorable cheeseburger.
SeaView Fishing Pier
124 Fishing Pier Lane
North Topsail Beach, NC 28460
(910) 328-3172
facebook.com/seaviewfishingpier
Built in 1955; rebuilt in 1972, 1992, 2019
At 27 feet above the sea, this is the tallest pier in the state. Take a stroll to the end and wonder at the views of Oak Island.
Oak Island Pier
705 Ocean Drive
Oak Island, NC 28465
(910) 933-6161
facebook.com/visitokipier
Bring your own beach chair to get comfy while you drop a line or relax beneath the shady gazebo at the end of this pier, which often hosts fishing tournaments.
Ocean Crest Fishing Pier
1409 East Beach Drive
Oak Island, NC 28465
(910) 278-6674
facebook.com/oceancrestpier
Built in 1957
Be sure to order a cheeseburger at The Pier Grill, then grab an ice cream or a beer from the small shop to enjoy in “the backyard.” The grassy area is filled with wooden tables overlooking the ocean and often features live music.
Ocean Isle Beach Pier
1 West First Street
Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469
(910) 579-3095
oibpier.com
Built in 1960
Go fishing, look for sea life, hang out in the game room with a cold drink, or simply take in the view of the coast dotted with colorful houses.
Rodanthe Pier
24251 Atlantic Drive
Rodanthe, NC 27968
(252) 987-0030
rodanthepierllc.com
Built in 1960; rebuilt in 1976
In 1864, Vesta, a Confederate blockade runner, ran out of fuel and then ran aground on what was then known as Bald Beach. It was unloaded and abandoned, set on fire, and, eventually, buried by sand. This pier was built over the sunken ship hull.
Sunset Beach Fishing Pier
101 West Main Street
Sunset Beach, NC 28468
(910) 579-6630
sunsetbeachpier.com
Built in 1951; rebuilt in 1974, 1996
The original Surf City Ocean Pier was mostly steel. Now, the wooden structure offers ocean views above and a different kind of beauty below — almost like a cathedral.
Surf City Ocean Pier
112 South Shore Drive
Surf City, NC 28445
(910) 328-3521
surfcityoceanpier.com
Built in 1954
This pier opens up early so that fishermen can get a weather update and a bag of breakfast sandwiches to go — but even if you aren’t heading out on the boat, you can still enjoy a tasty breakfast.
Jolly Roger Inn & Pier
803 Ocean Boulevard
Topsail Beach, NC 28445
(910) 328-4616
thejollyroger.com
Built in 1939; rebuilt in 1955
Spectators on Wrightsville Beach’s only wooden pier have the best seats in town to watch surfers catching waves. But those in the know stay for a meal at the adjoining Oceanic restaurant. Diners fill the window-facing seats, and more sit outside on the pier itself, where tables overlook the sand and sunbathers below.
Crystal Pier
703 South Lumina Avenue
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
(910) 256-5551
oceanicrestaurant.com
Built in 1937; rebuilt in 1955, 2002
This solid-concrete pier — unusual on the Carolina coast — is a favorite fishing spot year-round. When you want to get out of the sun, duck into the pier house, which features a tackle shop, grill, gift shop, and small arcade.
Johnnie Mercers Fishing Pier
23 East Salisbury Street
Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
(910) 256-2743
johnniemercersfishingpier.com
From its northernmost point in Corolla to its southern terminus on Cedar Island, this scenic byway — bound between sound and sea — links the islands and communities of the Outer Banks.
For the owner of The Country Biscuit, welcoming diners is the fulfillment of a decades-long dream. And diners’ dreams come true when they try the glazed biscuit doughnut holes.
Black bears are the embodiment of North Carolina’s adventurous spirit, immense and wild.
After nearly a century — or just a couple of years — these seafood restaurants have become coastal icons, the places we know, love, and return to again and again.
