Commercial and recreational vessels cruise a watery highway of natural and dredged channels, with one face toward the land and the other toward the ocean.
Bald Head Island
23 Breathtaking Views on the Carolina Coast
At the top of the loftiest lighthouse, on sugar-sand beaches, beneath ancient live oaks twisting their knobby arms toward the sun, and from coastal cottages perched in the dunes, the North Carolina coast offers endless beauty on the edge of the earth.
10 Beautiful Places to Go Stargazing in NC
Where to stop and look up from mountains to coast.
The 1970s: Managing Our Treasured Coast
As developers discover North Carolina’s beautiful shorelines and beachfront communities, lawmakers make a plan to protect their splendor for generations to come.
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.
Our State Knows Best: Sea Turtles
Find out what three conservationists have to say about loving and preserving North Carolina’s sea turtles — and learn how to spot these special creatures in the wild.
From Elizabeth: We Are All Keepers
It’s worth being mindful of the traces we all leave, the honor we all share in caring for our own small part of this earth.