14 Top-Rated Beaches in North Carolina

Highlights: A low-key, undiscovered beach with amazing white sand.

Highlights: Almost unlimited beach walking in either direction and easy access from the Wright Memorial Bridge.

Highlights: Fourteen miles of lightly developed beaches perfect for swimming and walking.

Emerald Island was named for the green maritime forest that covers the area and it maintains much of that feel, unlike more commercial beaches further up the coastline.

Highlights: Incredible sunsets and sunrises, golden sands, clear waters, and nature trails.

One of the main attractions is the 937-foot-long Surf City Pier. Here, you'll find a popular restaurant and a friendly atmosphere. Typical fish caught here include mullet and king mackerel.

On the Atlantic side, beach walkers can enjoy seemingly endless stretches of sand, and shell seekers will be rewarded with some of the best finds on the North Carolina coast. Swimmers can enjoy the waves and rolling surf.

Highlights: Almost endless beaches with clear waters and soft sands, a historical pier, and turtle nesting sites.

Highlights: An undeveloped stretch of beautiful sandy shoreline and dunes with free-roaming wild horses.

Getting to the island is easy. Car and passenger ferries run on a regular basis from Hatteras Island and Cedar Island to Ocracoke Ferry Terminal. The crossing from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke is free.

Close to town is a quiet beach in Springer's Point Preserve, not far from the lighthouse.

If you'd like to drive on the beach with your 4WD vehicle, purchase a National Park ORV Pass and head out on one of the many access roads.