Shopping, historic tours, walks: Beaufort, NC is a 5-10 minute drive from Morehead City. It is a beautiful, small, historic town with plenty of shopping, restaurants, and views. It’s a beautiful place to sit, check out the boats going by, and grab a drink or ice cream with your family. Sometimes, you will get lucky and see some wild horses on Shackleford Banks!

Across from Beaufort, a short 5-minute ferry ride away is Shackleford Banks. You can explore this undeveloped island and look around for wild ponies that have been there for over 400 years. There are plenty of hiking trails and places for kids to play and look for treasures.

The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament has been held for over 65 years. It is one of the largest United States fishing tournaments, bringing in about 275 boats and over $5,000,000 in purse money. Celebrities like Michael Jordan are known to frequent this fantastic event. Whether you enjoy fishing or not, it’s an experience to be by the dock and watch the boats come in with the day’s haul. It is fun for the entire family to enjoy the vendors and concerts throughout the event, which usually occurs in early June.

Fort Macon State Park is an NC State Park and is the perfect beach location for the family. When you enter the park, take the first right to the parking area. Parking is free. Nice showers, bathrooms, and multiple beach entrances. A handicap-accessible ramp, as well as a snack bar, is located at the main beach entrance. Lifeguards are here during the summer months to help make it safe for families.

Besides the beach access, this is also a very cool place to stop for a very educational tour of the fort. See some canons, canon balls, old bread ovens, 5-foot thick brick protective walls, interactive exhibits for kids, and much more.

The North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is great for kids, especially on a rainy day when the beach isn’t an option. It has 2 excellent hiking trails, plenty of parking, interactive exhibits for kids, animal encounters, shark feeding, behind-the-scenes tours, and much more.

The Cape Lookout Lighthouse (known as Diamond Lady due to the diamond pattern on the exterior) has watched the area for over a century. Visitors can learn more about it and the history of this Seashore at the Cape Lookout Visitor Center at the end of Harker’s Island. A quick ferry ride takes you to the beaches for a day of exploration and adventure.

Downtown Morehead City, NC has some fantastic restaurants. A recent favorite is Jacks Wood Fired Kitchen on the Water. It has a great menu that the entire family can enjoy. It is located on the water with a great view of the boats passing by and going in and out of the waterway. Another favorite is Tight Lines Brewing Company, which has good food, a great bar, a unique atmosphere, outside seating, and TVs to watch sports. Lastly, people travel all over the country to visit Sanitary Fish Market. It’s not just for the funny name; they have some fantastic fresh seafood on the water.

Happy Cakes Cupcake Bakery is a hidden national treasure located right here in Morehead City, NC. They are winners of the Cupcake Wars on the Food Network! Stop by and try a delicious treat. Take some for the road, too!

Year-round attractions at the Golfin’ Dolphin family fun center include Go-Karts, Mini golf, a Ropes Course, a Driving Range, Bowling at Mac Daddy’s, Arcade, Good food, and drinks. There are also plenty of TVs to catch a sporting event while the family plays.

Atlantic Beach was recently recognized as the #1 Top Beach in NC (along with Morehead City at #25), Atlantic Beach is truly a beach that your family needs to explore. Don’t settle on the first paid parking spot you see in the downtown area; instead, take a quick drive down to Fort Macon to park there for free (and enjoy the complimentary amenities of that park). Stop by the Oceanana Pier and do some fishing and/or sightseeing.

Sand Dollar Island is a perfect day trip for all ages. So much fun! It’s a quick ferry ride from Beaufort, but it’s only available at low tide, so check their schedule. The ferry drops you off on a small island as the tide starts going out. You can watch the island “grow” as you hunt for sand dollars. A couple hours later, as the island is shrinking with the tide returning, the ferry picks you up with your bucket full of newly found sand dollars and other shells and treasures. If you’re lucky, you will also get to watch some really excellent kite surfing while you are there.

There are plenty of places to rent a boat or jet ski in the area. We have had great experiences at AB Watersport and suggest trying them. The IntraCoastal Waterway is the perfect place to boat, fish, or jet ski, with calm waters and plenty of room to cruise.