Join Our State and experience the charming allure of one of the most picturesque spots along the North Carolina coast as we tour waterways, learn the area’s history, and dine on local cuisine.

March 27-30, 2025

 

Package Includes:

• Three nights’ accommodations at the Beaufort Hotel NC
• Breakfast daily
• Welcome dinner
• Farewell dinner
• Seaside supper at 127 Middle Lane, Beaufort’s newest boutique event venue
• Our State host
• All sightseeing and admissions per itinerary

 

Itinerary Highlights:

• Meet New York Times best-selling author and Beaufort resident Kristy Woodson Harvey as we tour her historic home along the waterfront in town. The package includes her latest release, A Happier Life.
• Meet Carl Cannon Jr., Beaufort’s own Blackbeard, and hear about the pirate’s connection to the area
• Double-decker bus tour of Beaufort with narration from a local historian
• Tour of the historic buildings at the Beaufort Historic Site
• Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island
• Ferry ride to Cape Lookout and free time to explore

 

Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival
Thursday, March 27, 2025

• 4 p.m. — Check-in Beaufort Hotel
• 2:30-5:30 p.m. — Our State welcome | Hotel Lobby
• 6 p.m. Welcome reception followed by dinner at the hotel | Horse Island Room / Bird Shoal Room

Day 2: Beaufort
Friday, March 28, 2025

• 7-9 a.m. — Breakfast at your leisure | 34° North Restaurant
• 10 a.m. — Leave for Beaufort
  • Double-decker bus tour of Beaufort with narration from a local expert. We will stop at the Beaufort Historic Site and Visitor Center Museum, where we will explore a number of uniquely different structures that include the 1732 Russell House, the oldest in the group and the current home of the Mattie King Art Gallery; the 1778 Leffers Cottage, which is filled with Colonial artifacts; the 1796 Carteret County Courthouse; and the “Old Jail,” which was built around 1829. Docents will be on hand to bring the site to life with history, stories, and insights.
  • Lunch on your own, plus exploration and shopping time along the waterfront in beautiful Beaufort. Restaurant suggestions and maps provided.
• 3 p.m. — Meet Carl Cannon Jr., Beaufort’s own Blackbeard, and hear about the pirate’s connection to the area
• 4 p.m. — We will meet New York Times best-selling author and Beaufort resident Kristy Woodson Harvey as we tour her historic home along the waterfront in town. She will regale us with stories about her writing life and what it’s like to live in Beaufort. The package includes her latest release, A Happier Life.
• 5–7:30 p.m. — “A Seaside Supper” at 127 Middle Lane Events. The bounty of Beaufort comes to life with a delicious meal from Seaside Sensations Catering at one of Beaufort’s most picturesque boutique event venues.
• 7:30 p.m. — Return to the Beaufort Hotel for a relaxing evening on the porch overlooking Taylor’s Creek or indoor lounge, or turn in early to get ready for tomorrow’s adventuresome day.
   

Day 3: Harkers Island • Cape Lookout
Saturday, March 29, 2025

• 7-9 a.m. — Breakfast at your leisure | 34° North Restaurant
• 9:30 a.m. — Leave for Harkers Island
  • Start the day with a visit to the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center at the “end of the road,” where Core Sound traditions — including an exhibition of decoys — are lived and shared throughout the year.
  • The art of duck- and bird-carving is celebrated with displays in the main gallery. Collections of historical artifacts and antiques highlight everyday life on the island in the second-floor gallery.
  • An elevator ride to the Lookout Tower provides magnificent views of Core Sound, Back Sound, Barden’s Inlet and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Core Banks to the east and Shackleford Banks to the west will remind you how near the great Atlantic Ocean is to our Down East communities. It is the closest you can possibly get (without boarding a boat) to experience Cape Lookout’s beauty.
  • A local will regale us in the Gathering Room with a private presentation of stories and insights.
  • We will then enjoy a boxed lunch before heading to the Cape Lookout Visitor Center.
• 1 p.m. — Island Express Ferries depart for Cape Lookout for a brief tour and free time to explore
• 4 p.m. — Depart Cape Lookout for Harkers Island to head back to hotel
• 6:30 p.m. — Farewell dinner at the Beaufort Hotel
   

Day 4: Departure
Sunday, March 30, 2025

• 7-11 a.m. — Brunch at your leisure | 34° North Restaurant
• 9-10 a.m. — Our State departure gift and fond farewell | Hotel Lobby
• Noon — Check out

* Please note: This is tentative schedule. Times for the various activities are subject to change.
 

Tour Rates:

Regular rate: $1,900 per couple
Single rate: $1,360 per person

Includes taxes, gratuities, and valet parking.
 

For Reservations & More Information:

Trey Hardesty at the Beaufort Hotel
(252) 838-7261
Trey.Hardesty@concordhotels.com
Mention “Our State trip” during reservations.

For more information on physical requirements and what to expect on an Our State trip, click here.

 

Explore More

Get excited for your trip and learn more about your destination with our curated list of books, films, music, and more.

 

Read

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks (1999) — In Beaufort, a high school bad boy and a minister’s quiet daughter fall in love despite external pressures — including when Jamie reveals that she has leukemia. Mandy Moore starred in the 2002 movie adaptation, which was filmed primarily in Wilmington.

Peachtree Bluff series by Kristy Woodson Harvey (2017-2021) — Set in a small coastal town in Georgia, this four-book series begins with Slightly South of Simple, a heartfelt novel about the bond between three sisters and their mother — and the family secret that could tear them apart. During our trip, we’ll meet Harvey and get a copy of her latest book, A Happier Life, which takes place in Beaufort.

Under the Sea-Wind by Rachel Carson (1941) — Famous for her influential book Silent Spring, on the environmental danger of pesticides, Carson’s first published work — following different sea creatures through the seasons — was inspired by her time researching the islands south of Beaufort, which now make up the reserve that bears her name.

Island Born and Bred: A Collection of Harkers Island Food, Fun, Fact and Fiction edited by Karen Amspacher (1987) — Compiled by a group of women from Harkers Island United Methodist Church, this award-winning community cookbook includes 625 recipes passed down through generations of Harkers Island families, plus history, folklore, and memories of Down East.

From the Our State archives:
“The Core Values of the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum” by Cate Doty
“Beneath Still Waters” by Leigh Ann Henion
“At Cape Lookout Lighthouse, Darkness Shines” by Katie Kane
“The Liveaboard Life in Beaufort” by Karen Langley Martin
“Exploring Beaufort on Two Wheels” by Katie Saintsing
“In Search of Down East” by Ryan Stancil
“Becoming Blackbeard in Beaufort” by Billy Warden

 

Watch

Beaufort Remembers, PBS NC (2019) — In this one-hour documentary that won Best Feature Documentary in the 2022 North Carolina Film Festival, Beaufort residents share their photos and memories of the town throughout the 20^th century.

“Harkers Island” on North Carolina Weekend (2023) — This short segment takes viewers to Harkers Island to learn about Down East culture, decoy carving, and life on the water.

From the Our State video archives:
“NC Icons: A Pirate’s Life”
“NC Icons: The Wild Horses of Shackleford Banks”

 

Listen

Beaufort Blues by Big Boy Henry (2002) — After taking a decades-long music hiatus, Beaufort native Richard “Big Boy” Henry was recognized in the early 1970s by some young local musicians who encouraged him to play again. He went on to win two heritage awards and record several albums, including his final one, named for his hometown, Beaufort Blues.

The Landing podcast by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum & Heritage Center (2024) — Interviews with Harkers Island locals on the history of waterfowl hunting and making decoys — traditions that continue today — give listeners insight into an important part of the local culture.