From the heart of Beaufort’s Historic Waterfront District, the 1866 Inn on Turner epitomizes North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. Every architectural detail is steeped in history, like covered porches on both stories to maximize breezy summer-afternoon rocking chair sessions. And natural wonders await a short walk away. Strike up a conversation with owner Kim Bell and her knowledge and passion about her community become quickly evident.

Beaufort is one of 11 waterfront towns tucked along 85 miles of beaches on the stretch of North Carolina known as the Crystal Coast. Like many locals, Bell’s livelihood depends on tourism. But promoting her home is easy — she naturally takes in every sunrise over the waterfront; dives into each plate of fresh, local seafood as if it’s her first; and greets return guests with new ideas for how to get out and explore, no matter how many times they’ve visited.

“It never gets old here,” she says. “Like Cape Lookout, that’s my happy place. Every time I go, it’s new and fresh and exciting.”

Living on the Crystal Coast, Bell and her fellow locals spend their days off wisely, paying extra care to where they go and what they do in their seaside homes. We caught up with four of them to find out their favorite ways to enjoy the place they call home. Then we packed our bags, hopped in the car, and headed east.

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Local’s Pick: Walk in Croatan National Forest

Mindy Ballou Fitzpatrick owns The Friendly Market, a big red barn that started out as a roadside stand. Everybody on the Crystal Coast knows about this Morehead City mecca for sweet treats, savory dips, freshly baked bread, and deli salads.

Fitzpatrick has two personal favorites, including the Betty Ballous, her mom’s famous cookie recipe, and the chicken salad — her husband’s recipe. “It’s our number-one seller,” she says. “I take them anytime I go anywhere. And when we have people in from out of town, we load up on our market food at home because it’s just so easy.”

Almost every day, she drives about 15 minutes inland to walk in the Croatan National Forest, one of her favorite natural resources on the Crystal Coast. “We have two labs, a little over two years old, and I take them on a six-mile walk. You’re still in Carteret County, but it feels like you’re a long way away.”

Her favorite is the Patsy Pond trail network, which is comprised of three smaller trails labeled by color. The green trail is .75 miles, the blue 1.75 miles, and the orange 1.9 miles.

Sandy landscapes punctuated by creeks and shaded by pine trees give way to hardwoods the more you walk. “It always smells like pine trees,” she says, “but deeper in the woods, you get more of a floral smell — especially after the rain.”

Beaufort’s Front Street offers plentiful opportunities for waterfront dining. Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

Local’s Pick: Oysters and Beer

Kyle Frey lives in Newport but runs his Crystal Coast Oysters company out of Morehead City. Many of his days are spent along the nearby Newport River, which runs about 12 miles from the inland town of Newport to Bogue Sound — “right between Morehead City and Beaufort,” he explains. “The river has been known for its wild oysters for centuries.”

Chefs (and diners) have easy access to fresh seafood. Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

When Frey’s craving oysters after a day on the water, he drives across Morehead City’s and Beaufort’s high-rise bridges to reach Blue Moon Bistro in downtown Beaufort. “In my industry, I have to study restaurants and choose where we do business,” he says. “Blue Moon Bistro is really passionate about where they get their food from, and I find that translates into how they cook it. Every time I go, it’s really good.”

And for a Friday-night beer? Frey and his friends make the quick drive across Bogue Sound to Atlantic Beach, where they can hang out 1,000-feet offshore at the Barnacle Bar. “It’s at the very end of the Oceanana Pier. They have a really good frozen Painkiller, and it’s a great spot to wind down from the week.”

Kayakers experience an up-front view of the Crystal Coast from the water. Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

Local’s Pick: Bike, Boat, (Low Country) Boil

From her home in Emerald Isle, a 12-mile stretch along the southernmost end of the Crystal Coast, Alesia Sanderson loves her proximity to outdoor adventures.

It’s all easily accessible via the Emerald Isle bike path, which runs the entire length of town, from the Indian Beach community to the end of Coast Guard Road (known by locals as “the Point”). “The Point has some of the most beautiful sunsets you’ll ever see,” Sanderson says.

When she’s in the mood for hiking, Sanderson will ride her bike from the Point to Emerald Isle Woods Park, a 43-acre maritime forest located on the left side of Coast Guard Road. “This is a beautiful place to go hiking,” she says. “If you have your own kayak and a dolly, there’s a kayak launch about a quarter of a mile in.”

Sanderson likes to dig for clams on the little islands that dot Bogue Sound. “You don’t need any special equipment, but if you’re really serious and want to provide an appetizer or dinner, I suggest taking a clam rake or a three-prong garden rake.”

Spend a morning exploring peaceful creeks and estuaries in a kayak or on a paddle board.  Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

Other top kayak launches along the path include the Emerald Isle boat ramp, as well as Cedar Creek Park. If you don’t own a kayak, you can rent one at Island Water Sports on the border of Emerald Isle and Indian Beach. “They also have Jet Skis and stand-up paddleboards,” Sanderson says.

Her quintessential coastal tradition: summertime Low Country boils. “I love the abundance of fresh shrimp and clams here,” she says. “Cap’n Willis Seafood Market is one of my favorite places to get fresh fish, and Captain’s Choice at the Market at Cedar Point on the mainland. Both places have everything you need, and the Market at Cedar Point even carries corn and potatoes.”

Wild horses roam two of the picturesque islands off the Crystal Coast. Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

Local’s Pick: Island Hop by Ferry

Guests at Inn on Turner may have been to Shackleford Banks or Cape Lookout before, but Bell has a fresh take on how to experience the islands beyond Beaufort. It starts at the Harkers Island ferry station, about a 30-minute drive from Beaufort. “There’s a mile-long trail behind the ferry station that takes you past the Pamlico Sound through a maritime forest and ends at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center,” Bell says.

“They do a lovely job personalizing the area and teaching how it was settled by fishermen and whalers back in the day,” she adds.

If you have a day to explore, Bell recommends taking the ferry’s combo trip that goes from Harkers Island to Shackleford Banks then to Cape Lookout.

“If you can picture a triangle, the ferry will take you to the far side of Shackleford Banks,” she describes. Here, the natural habitat shines, Bell says. “The sand’s whiter, it’s flatter, wildlife is more active, and you often see wild horses trotting down the beach.”

Day trips to Cape Lookout, accessible by personal watercraft or ferry, offer opportunities for shelling, sun bathing, and swimming. Photography courtesy of The Crystal Coast

Next stop, Cape Lookout: After you check out the lighthouse (with its distinct black-and-white diamond pattern), the bath houses, and the gift shop, “catch the shell truck, which takes you to the best part of the island for shelling,” Bell says. Or rent a Kubota. “You can ride around the island and get a lot farther than by foot, especially if you want a more secluded experience.”

With a motto of “will travel for food,” Bell always makes a culinary recommendation for after your day on the water. “Stop by the Fishhook Grill on Harkers Island for a fried fish platter and a bowl of the Downeast clam chowder — a really flavorful, thin broth with little bits of potato and clam. Even if it’s the heat of the summer, it’s really light and delicious.”

So, pick your experience: Whether you want to hike like an outdoorswoman, eat seafood like an oysterman, or island hop in a national park, click here to learn more about adventures on the Crystal Coast.