North Carolina Oyster Trail

The NC Oyster Trail isn’t just about oysters - we showcase clam growers too! Hooper Family Seafood grows hard and sunray venus clams on their farm overlooking Cape Lookout National Seashore and Core Sound. Visit their farm, where the Hoopers themselves will show you how to harvest and grade these shellfish. You can even try your luck with the bull rake! They have a wonderful spot on the water and can steam up harvested clams to enjoy afterwards. 😋

📍Smyrna, NC
📸 : Hooper Family Seafood

🏆🦪 Want to stay on the ice? Check out weekly oyster specials from NC Oyster Trail members. Raise a shell to the Carolina Hurricanes championship season and enjoy North Carolina oysters all year long. ❤️🖤

Whalebone Seafood Market is the place to find fresh, locally sourced North Carolina seafood in Nags Head. Prioritizing strong relationships with Outer Banks fishermen, the market is committed to bringing customers the highest-quality seafood from local waters. Stop by to browse their daily selection of hand-picked seafood, including N.C. oysters harvested from the surrounding waters. 🦪

📸: Whalebone Seafood | Fresh Fish Market Outer Banks, NC
📍101 E Gray Eagle Street, Nags Head NC

Have you ever had the opportunity to see and touch shellfish in its initial life stages? At Down East Mariculture Supply, you can tour their hatchery and nursery to learn about the importance of protecting our waterways, the role oysters play in a healthy ecosystem, and how oysters make their way from their nursery to your favorite restaurant. Optional kayak tours allow visitors to explore the natural beauty of Jarrett Bay that serves as a nursery to a variety of small marine life, including a couple of oyster farms along the way. Give them a call for tour reservations! 🦪

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📍586 Hwy 70 Williston, Smyrna NC 28589

White Oak Oyster Company is a family-run oyster farm out of Swansboro, NC along the White Oak River 🌊. Their proximity to Bogue Inlet gives their signature Croatan Selects a strong, salty punch 💪🏼. You can find their oysters along the coast at Front Street Grocery in Swansboro (), in the oyster fridge at Captain’s Choice Seafood Market (), or in the triangle at Local’s Seafood and the South Durham Farmer’s Market! 🦪🦪

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🇺🇸🦪 Happy Memorial Day from the NC Oyster Trail! 🇺🇸🦪

Today, we honor the men and women who served for their courage, sacrifice, and bravery. We hope your day is filled with friends, family, and North Carolina oysters! ❤️🤍💙

Carolina Beach Oyster Co. is a woman-owned farm dedicated to growing high-quality oysters while sharing the importance of oyster farming along the North Carolina coast. Their CB Salt oysters are grown in the high-salinity waters of Stump Sound, giving them a firm texture, crisp ocean brine, and distinctive Carolina mineral finish. Stop by and grab oysters on-site or have fresh CB Salts delivered straight to you! 🦪

📸: Carolina Beach Oyster Co

If you’re craving fresh local seafood and N.C. oysters, Blackbeard’s Grill and Steam Bar has you covered. From steamed oysters to crispy fried favorites, their menu highlights seafood sourced straight from eastern N.C. waters. The owners have spent most of their lives fishing this area and are committed to serving the freshest seafood from local harvesters, including their very own friends and family. Be sure to check out their rotating weekly specials and special events! 🦪

📸: Blackbeard’s Grill & Steam Bar
📍1644 Live Oak St., Beaufort NC 28516

🦪🩵 May marks the start of oyster spawning season.

From late spring through early fall, warmer water temperatures signal oysters to begin spawning. This process creates the next generation of oysters that help grow wild oyster populations. Tiny oyster larvae released into the water eventually settle onto hard surfaces, typically other oyster shells, where they strengthen existing reefs and support marine life and coastal habitats. 🦪