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A Guide to Carolina Beach

Known for its friendly atmosphere, signature boardwalk, and natural diversity, this town and its beautiful shoreline have been capturing visitors’ imaginations for more than 130 years.

Recipes

Features

Tales From the Ghost Coast

When the sun sets on long days at the beach, families still reach for Charles Harry Whedbee’s beloved Outer Banks legends and spooky stories, years after the raconteur of Nags Head put them to paper.

Design in the Dunes: A Photo Essay

Not your average beach house: From the clean lines of a flat-top cottage in Southern Shores to the extravagant opulence of an Art Nouveau icon in Corolla, landmark architecture defines our coastal villages — and chapters of our history.

Sun & Fun

Vacation State of Mind

The North Carolina coast is dotted with towns and cities, resorts and beach houses, where families return for annual getaways. These places are backdrops for memories, sometimes forged over generations. Yet vacationing — especially at the beach — is about more than just where you go.

The Lure of Rod & Reel

Although Holden Beach has grown over the past 50 years, not much is different in this Brunswick County community. Really. Even less has changed at The Rod & Reel Shop, which has become an unofficial welcome center for vacationers — complete with worms.

Family, Faith, & Fish in Wanchese

In the village of Wanchese, two families have helped shape the local seafood industry for the past century. Today, their descendants are learning to overcome the modern-day challenges of commercial fishing and carrying on a Roanoke Island tradition that runs as deep as the ocean.

The Cream of Calabash

In a town known for its seafood, a family ice cream business serves up nostalgic standards and creative concoctions that change with the seasons.

Sit. Stay. Relax.

For almost 60 years, vacationers have been bringing their pampered pets to Atlantis Lodge in Pine Knoll Shores for beach getaways worthy of man’s best friend.

The Locals' Joints

The Crab Shack is Here to Stay

More than 45 years ago, a fishing family started a seafood market to sell their catch. The market expanded into a mainstay restaurant in Salter Path whose varied menu includes a seasonal special that celebrates coastal resilience.

History