When I returned to Beaufort, NC, I knew that the Beaufort Visitor's Center would be my first stop…read more I bought a ticket for the Double Decker bus tour as that seemed like the best way to get better oriented. Seating on the bus is either on the lower level or the top level and it is possible to switch if it gets too hot up top with the sun. It is a 1967 bus. A tour guide narrates as we went along discussing Beaufort's culture and history. The tour covers a lot of areas and the bus driver did an awesome job of getting us into tight spaces. I was fascinated about the spy Emilene Pigott who was a spy for the Confederates during the Civil War. She hid items in her hoop skirts. She even ate documents so they wouldn't be found. The Josiah Bell house was a Victorian styled house built in 1825. The Leffers cottage was built in 1778 and is an example of a story and a jump. It had a demonstration of weaving. I also got to visit the Courthouse which is where people came to be entertained. It was built in 1796 and is wood framed. I saw the Old Jail where one person was hung. It has 28 inch walls and was a home as well as a jail. The building was built in 1829. It has a pillory outside. The Apothecary Shop and Doctor's Office, was built in 1859 and has various items sold in the shop and the doctor artifacts. The bus tour and the historic sights are must sees while in Beaufort.

This center is on a side street, so don't miss it! They are…read morevery knowledgeable about the area and can give you directions and advise. Very nice staff, very helpful. Clean bathrooms that are open to the public, which is a welcome treat when walking around for hours. You can put on some costumes and take pictures, add to the weaving or shop in the small gift shop. The outside houses several old buildings which all have a great history. A nice, clean place to go when you are new to the area and need some direction on what to do and see!

The Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center is located on Front Street in Downtown Beaufort, NC, on…read moreTaylor's Creek. It is normally a working boatbuilding facility, and you can watch the volunteers work on wooden watercraft from a viewing platform. The boats can take 12 to 14 months to complete from start to finish. There are display cases, as it is also a small museum. But when I was in town, there was a miniature train show, so I was able to go on the floor where the boats are handcrafted. The Watercraft Center also offers classes in wooden boatbuilding to ensure this craft is not lost and hosts an annual boat show. There is no dedicated parking area, so you will need to use street parking or a parking lot, which is typical in most places in Beaufort. Stop here if you are interested in learning about maritime history.

Fort Macon is a great spot for a free and historic activity to take a break from the beach. The…read moreplace is very informative and touches on the for various purposes throughout the years as well as local wildlife. There's an inside museum and when you walk the floor, you can go into different rooms to view different exhibits. There's some things that could use renovations as far as the exhibits go, but overall it's very informative. They have an on-site tour guide that will give you a free tour or answer any kind of questions you may have, she was very informative. The ocean view at the top of the fort is breathtaking. Bonus: there's a souvenir penny roller machine with various designs to choose from

Worth a visit. Beach, views, walking trails. We had a good…read moreafternoon wandering and shelling

One of our mornings while at the beach, my wife and I got up early and drove down to Fort Macon…read moreState Park. We were told this would be a good spot to find trails to go for a short run, and it was true. There was plenty of trails, to safely walk and run on, rather than along the busy road with beach bums driving by at crazy speeds. There is plenty of parking and nicely maintained trails we found. After our run, we decided to poke into the fort it self, which was free to enter, and we explored some of the space, and some of the educations exhibits. They had a little bit of something for everyone, and tried to make the visitors center exciting and fun for kids. I'd 100% visit this spot again, maybe when it's not so hot, but either way, we enjoyed our visit. The park and fort are well maintained, and preserved, with clean restrooms, and staff to answer any questions you might have.

Okay, this place is quite the gem of beaches in the area. Tons of free parking. Lots of shelters…read morewith grills. Convenient and clean bathrooms. Even a massive covered shelter with a snack bar and lockers to keep your stuff in. Oh yeah, did I mention all of this is FREE?? Even at 3:00pm, the beach wasn't over crowded and there was plenty of parking. On rainy days, you can forgo the beach and check out the Fort Macon museum. There are even trails you can walk! Not hard to spend an entire day here! There were park rangers patrolling to keep everyone safe and maintain the beauty of the park. Not much more you can ask for.

This marker is located on the courthouse grounds and points out some important Revolutionary War…read morehistory. It is marker number C-13 and it was erected in 1962 by the Archives and Highway Departments. It reads, "Salt Works. Established by order of the Provincial Congress, April 24, 1776, for Revolutionary War use. They were located 1 1/2 miles east." It has the same text on both sides. The British government cut off all trade with the newly established American government in April 1775. The resulting scarcity of salt, a crucial resource for the colony, was one of the biggest worries, particularly in North Carolina. The North Carolina Provincial Congress hurried to establish salt factories in 1775 and 1776. The first one was set up close to Beaufort. Salt is required as a food preservative because, in the winter, most people relied on salted and dried meats. Americans also used salt to cure animal hides, care for cattle, and meet their fundamental nutritional needs. Given its significance, the government took prompt action. [Review 848 of 2025 - 4278 in North Carolina - 24405 overall] [6/20]

Was nice to visit however not much else on island to do other than beach . Little discouraging by…read more3hr wait after 15 minutes to see lighthouse and then 3hrs to wait to go back got sun poisoning

Cape Lookout Lighthouse is a must see if you are visiting the lighthouses. It is in need of repairs…read moreso was not open during my visit but the house was open and some valuable information was provided to us. The first floor of the house serves as a museum. We arrived to Cape Lookout via the 15 minute ferry from Harkers Island and we were dropped off at the docks and could walk up to the main area with restrooms and a gift shop that did serve cold drinks besides souvenirs. From there, the boardwalk leads you to either the ocean or the lighthouse depending if you go left or right. The island is pretty much undeveloped and as nature made it.

If you've ever been to Morehead City to visit or are a lifelong native, you are probably familiar…read morewith the historic Webb Memorial Public Library located down the street. Earlier this year, the town decided to relocate our stacks into the newly renovated Town of Morehead City Municipal Building. Come by to see it for yourself! The staff is super friendly and will help you with finding whatever you need!

This place is amazing! I wish I had known about this resource sooner upon arrival to the area…read more Coming up with a basic description of the place is almost difficult with all they have to offer--it's like a library of children's educational materials. In the front there are toys to play with on site, as well as to check out, in addition to the themed bins of toys and materials in the back on shelves. They are arranged generally by age range/skillset. There's also a selection of books, CDs, DVDs, etc on everything from activity ideas to baby sign language and pretty much anything in between. These are just the free resources. For a nominal yearly fee you can expand your access to other materials such as a Cricut machine, laminating machine, and a die cutter, for which they have a multitude of dies and cartridges to play with. Foam sheets and paper are available on the cheap for whatever you can come up with. For example, I saw a die for a child's size crown. Foam sheet crowns, anyone? AWESOME! It's an amazing resource for anybody with children, but I could see it being especially useful to home schoolers and teachers alike. This is one of three locations in Onslow County. I have not been to any of the others, but I like the feel of this one--quiet and laid back.