Break Away from Beach Crowds and Head for the Carolina Coast
Escape to the edge of America for a Carolinas coastal experience that ranges from secluded beaches to fun-filled boardwalks. Witness high-flying hang-glider fun or get down to Earth at America’s first public sculpture garden.
North Carolina's History of Flights and Lights
Day 1: Start your trip off in the Outer Banks of North Carolina at the Wright Brothers National Memorial and stand where the first flight took place. See replicas of the Wright Brothers' early flying machines at the visitor center and satisfy your own hunger for flight at Jockey's Ridge State Park, where you can fly a kite, watch hang gliders soar through the air or marvel at the largest ever-changing sand dune on the Eastern seaboard. See (or even climb) the 158-foot Currituck Lighthouse, built in 1874 and visit the Whalehead Club, a recently restored 1920s-style hunt club. End the day on a dramatic note with a sensational performance of The Lost Colony at the scenic Waterside Theater.
Day 2: Day two takes you south along NC 158 into Manteo to visit the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, the very place where Sir Walter Raleigh and his explorers established what would become The Lost Colony. Explore an equally entrancing area of the Fort Raleigh grounds at the Elizabethan Gardens, featuring the Sunken Garden and Queen's Rose Garden. Across Highway 64 near the Dare County Regional Airport you'll find the North Carolina Aquariums, a water wonderland of Outer Banks marine life and educational exhibits for the family.
Day 3: And on the third day, there was light! A southerly jaunt along NC 12 will whisk you down the scenic Cape Hatteras National Seashore to two of North Carolina's finest lighthouses. Bodie Island Lighthouse is a stunning sight, standing taller than 150 feet with a striking black-and-white striped exterior. Next, climb all 268 steps of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, America's tallest brick lighthouse, and enjoy an unparalleled view of the Atlantic.
South Carolina's Beach Beauty and Attractions
Day 4: Following your Outer Banks odyssey, take US-64 West and I-95 South to Conway, South Carolina–the "Gateway to the Grand Strand." Take it slow as you stroll the boardwalk, settle into a quaint café, peruse art galleries and take in the town's historic buildings.
Day 5: On Day five, SC 905 North and SC 22 East take you to North Myrtle Beach, where there's more than a day's worth of fun for the whole family. Attractions like Alligator Adventure and The new O.D. Pavilion and Amusement Park will keep kids entertained for hours while Barefoot Landing provides high-class shops, restaurants and entertainment.
Day 6: Arise on day 6 and trek south on US-17, which meanders down the South Carolina coast and leads you to marvelous Myrtle Beach. Stroll down the magnificent Ocean Boulevard, where you'll be torn between shopping, restaurants and wide-open beach access. Make the most of your stay at entertainment venues such as the classic Carolina Opry, mouthwatering restaurants, nightclubs, numerous amusement parks or escape to Myrtle Beach State Park for a tranquil afternoon.
Day 7: The seventh and final day of this Carolina coast tour is set in Georgetown, South Carolina, just minutes south of Myrtle Beach on US-17. Observe nature at its finest with the wide beaches and wildlife of Huntington Beach State Park. Discover intricate natural and manmade beauty at Brookgreen Gardens, America's first sculpture garden. Venture to Murrells Inlet, a quaint fishing village with knockout seafood and a marsh-front boardwalk. Historic Georgetown has a lot to offer, from gift shops and historic tours to swashbuckling pirate ship adventures on the bay.
The Carolina Coast is one of the world's most unique places. From the Outer Banks to the Grand Strand, the coast is home to so many one-of-a-kind experiences that deciding what to do and see during your visit can be daunting (in the best kind of way). These four coastal destinations are your key to discovering what the Carolina coast is all about.
Captivating Cape Hatteras
For awe-inspiring Atlantic views, you can't do much better than North America's tallest brick lighthouse, the 208-foot Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. This iconic, diagonally-striped structure watches vigilantly over Cape Hatteras National Seashore, America's first national seashore. On summer days, visitors are invited to climb the 248 stairs to the top and reward themselves with a refreshing summer breeze and stunning scenery.
Take Flight at Jockey's Ridge
Located in Nags Head, North Carolina, Jockey's Ridge State Park is home to the tallest natural dune system in the Eastern United States making it a perfect destination for hiking, sand-boarding, kayaking, windsurfing and everyone's favorite–hang gliding. Only certified hang gliders can take flight, but crowds always gather to sit back and enjoy the spectacle. Those left itching for flight can take advantage of the coastal breeze for another favorite Jockey's Ridge pastime–kite flying.
Encore at the Carolina Opry
Hailed by media outlets across the nation as an entertainment hotspot, this bastion of Myrtle Beach music, dance and theatre has been producing the area's greatest shows for more than 20 years. From the classic, award-winning Carolina Opry show of humor, dancing and music to breathtaking laser light shows, the Opry never misses a beat when it comes to delivering top-notch live entertainment. Bask in the glow of prime performing talent and lose yourself in The Opry's sensational spectacles of sound.
A Verdant Paradise at Brookgreen Gardens
To visit South Carolina's Brookgreen Gardens is to escape to 300 acres of pure natural splendor. America's first sculpture garden, Brookgreen is serene and yet bursting with vitality at every turn. With more than 500 pieces of figurative sculpture, hours can seem more like minutes for gardening and art aficionados. There's even more to love beyond the garden–spy some local fauna in Brookgreen's wildlife sanctuary or take in the unique sight of the Atalaya Castle, a former winter retreat for Archer and Anna Huntington, two twentieth-century sculptors.