Beaufort, a community with meticulously restored homes and public buildings, is on the mainland at the southern end of the Outer Banks (near Cape Lookout).
Beaufort is also home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, an excellent museum devoted to both the science and the history of maritime life. If you have time, go on one of the guided nature walks through marsh and dunes.
Shoppers in Beaufort will enjoy the unique shops along the waterfront.
For more information, visit http://www.crystalcoastnc.org.