Beaufort

This small town on North Carolina's southern coast combines century-old cottages, oak-shaded streets, and a laid-back atmosphere that will charm you. This place is easy to fall in love with. Beaufort is located on the very tip of North Carolina's southern coast. Dotted with century-old cottages frosted with white gingerbread woodwork, sleepy, oak-shaded streets snake down to the water in a neat grid. This former fishing village is relaxed and low-key, but it welcomes visitors with open arms. People smile and say hello here; they'll stop in the middle of their work to ask passersby how they're doing.

It's a community that pulls together when times are tough; just weeks after Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc on Beaufort in September 2018, it had almost completely recovered, with live music drifting down the wooden boardwalk, floating between boat masts and across brick storefronts. It's the kind of place you visit once or dozens of times before deciding to stay for good. Beaufort has created a wonderful Carolinian destination that showcases the sea that has given the area life right along the Atlantic Ocean's coast. Kayaking excursions leave from near the town center to explore the many barrier islands that make up the town's more natural areas. There is something for everyone in Beaufort! Once you're off the water, the area's economic center has packed in microbreweries and homestyle meals to keep you busy.