The June 2026 Issue

From remote beaches to sunsets that dazzle before they sink into the sound, here’s where to splash, dine, and cast a line in this Outer Banks town.

Surfer and waterman Pat O’Neal knows the difference between a good ride and a great one, and why the waves off Hatteras hold their power longer than anywhere else on the East Coast.

On a remote island, a family of storytellers preserves local lore and neighborly traditions, beginning with one iconic thoroughfare.

From the outskirts of Ocracoke Village to the heart of Silver Lake Harbor, find where to rest your head, sip a beer, and learn about island history from the locals.

For generations, shove poles have helped boaters navigate the shallow waters of Currituck, Albemarle, and Pamlico sounds.

From a young age, a writer felt the pull of Hatteras Island, a place whose sand and stories have always felt like home.

These man-made islands — once dismissed as byproducts of dredging ­— offer some of the coast’s most important bird-nesting habitat.

From the expanses of needlerush at Cedar Island to the lush spartina feathering the shores of Bodie and Roanoke islands, our salt marshes are the threshold to a watery world — the heartbeat of our coastal ecosystem.

Nearly 150 years after the USS Huron sank off Nags Head, weather and water still dictate her fate.

Along our coast, shipwrecks rest in sand and surf, revealing stories of storms, war, rescue, and mystery. Here are eight to see.

On a quiet farm in Burgaw, sun and time turn seawater from Wrightsville Beach into bright, briny seasoning.

A Wilmington couple dives deep to spear invasive lionfish off North Carolina’s coast — then serves the catch at their restaurant.

What washes ashore can become something more: the unexpected artistry of an Oak Island beachcomber.

Near the beaches of Brunswick County, Ludlum’s Produce turns humble peanuts into a Southern delicacy — each pot seasoned with salt, patience, and memory.

After decades of quiet, a historic Coast Guard station will soon open its doors to Down East visitors to explore the science, stories, and wild beauty of North Carolina’s coast.

As the hottest days of the year approach, mayonnaise promises to hold salads, sandwiches, and Southerners together.

Baking with mayonnaise might raise some eyebrows, but this retro trick yields a cake that’s impossibly moist and tender.

Amid planning seafood spreads for friends and family, our recipe developer finds isolation and inspiration Down East.

Marinate fresh shrimp overnight in the refrigerator to make this bright and briny appetizer.

Give cooked butter beans a summer-salad spin by tossing them with a tangy vinaigrette and chilling until you’re ready to serve.

After a beach vacation, Chef Lynn Wells brings a taste of the coast home with her recipe for crab pie, a simply seasoned, savory tart packed with jumbo lump crab meat and baked until bubbling.

Raised on and by the waters around his Carteret County home, a fisherman found his calling guiding fellow anglers to far-flung destinations.

Once the youngest commercial fisherman on Ocracoke Island, one man returned to his village to continue a legacy that’s been honored for generations.

In Sea Level, three generations of oyster farmers cultivate a symbiosis of taste and place through their bivalves.

Although an industry’s tide has swelled and receded, a Carteret County native preserves her family’s tradition of hand-weaving fishing nets, one rope, cable, and knot at a time.

Armed with a cooler of fresh shrimp, a Beaufort couple began their campaign to bridge the gap between fisherman and consumers.

After spending his life on the water, a Dare County captain embarked on a journey to craft his own vessels, developing a signature style that have drawn buyers from around the world.

In Dare County, a devoted marine scientist pioneers tools for conservation, protecting marine life and sustaining the families who make their living on the water.

As the sole physician in a once-remote coastal community, a Dare County doctor spent decades caring for his neighbors, setting the standard for modern medicine in the Outer Banks.

Drawing inspiration from the barrier islands he calls home, a Nags Head painter brings everyday coastal landscapes to life on canvas and across the pages of beloved children’s books.

Captivated by the craft since childhood, a self-taught surfboard shaper on Hatteras Island sculpts thousands of bespoke boards, his artistry a steadfast fixture along the Outer Banks.

Shaped by the oral traditions of his rural upbringing, a Carteret County historian works to preserve the full collective memory of our eastern region.

Whether it’s the cottage passed down through generations or a rented retreat for a week, the Carolina beach house calls us back with its easy, salt-air simplicity.

Settle into a table at this historic Carteret County cottage where fine dining meets coastal character.

Housed within reimagined bungalows and cottages from Duck to Wilmington, these kitchens and cafés bring a new meaning to beach eats.

Through her custom interiors and shop in Duck, Nicole Peters brings her inherited sense of coastal design to homes.

With a photographer in the family, memories of decades at one cherished beach house are collected like seashells, each image a moment of an evolving landscape and lineage.