To start my trip along the Crystal Coast, I’m hopping aboard a skiff with Dr. Sue Stuska to visit the Shackleford Banks portion of Cape Lookout National Seashore. We’re here to observe one of the country’s most majestic, organized societies! This is a society that not even many North Carolinians are aware of. Dr. Stuska herself only lived two hours away and had no idea these creatures existed until a few years ago. Any guess who they are? I’ll give you a hint – they walk on four legs!

Founded in 1709, Beaufort is North Carolina’s third oldest town and one of the most beloved in the whole country. Back in the day, it was a favorite haunt of the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Through the centuries, it’s always been a bustling port community, and its historic district boasts 16 beautiful examples of Queen Anne, Gothic Revival, and Greek Revival-style architecture. Check out what’s going on along the waterfront, and you may just stumble across artists like Barefoot Wade. He’s known for his ability to play multiple instruments while singing simultaneously.

As boatbuilder Tim White, and he’ll tell you – building a boat is less complicated than most people think! I met him at the Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center to see what he meant. This center is a working boatbuilding facility where you can build your own wooden boat. They have a few courses, including their “Build a Boat-in-a-Day” course. With a max of four people, you’ll build a 12-foot long, 32’ wide, 40-pound flat-bottomed plywood boa in about six hours. 

So, how exactly does someone from landlocked Durham become an oyster farmer? Well, for Ryan Bethea, it was a mix of things. The first step was falling in love with North Carolina’s coast through summers spent on Emerald Isle. The next step was reading about the state’s potential in the oyster industry. The final step? Returning to school to study oyster aquaculture and genetics, following that up with an externship, and then balancing teaching middle school with oyster farming until he was given the chance to buy an oyster farm! Today, he owns Oyster Carolina, where I joined him to learn how he farms the country’s saltiest oysters!

You’ll always find a beautiful handicraft duck decoy at any arts fair or boutique along the Crystal Coast. While some people still use them for their intended purpose –  attracting ducks for hunting – many now buy them to appreciate the artistry that goes into their creation. I traveled “Down East” to learn more about the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild at the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and to meet with one of the sons of the guild’s founders – Corey Lawrence. At his workshop, I got to see exactly how he makes one of his intricate decoys.

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There’s a lot to love about Cape Lookout National Seashore’s protected natural beauty; one happens once the sun goes down. As the only certified International Dark Sky Park on the eastern seacoast, Cape Lookout is the perfect place for stargazing. With NASA Solar System Ambassador Brandon Porter and the Crystal Coast Stargazers, I learned about the need to protect dark sky parks and witnessed some truly incredible constellations!

Everything about Oceanana Pier is like one giant exclamation point. It stretches 1,000 feet into the Atlantic Ocean! It’s on the southernmost bank of the Outer Banks! It’s the only pier in Atlantic Beach! Windswept beaches surround it! There’s exceptional surfing!

The most exclamation point-worthy reason to visit, though? The classic shrimp boil at Oceanana Pier House!!! I helped Chef Kevin Davis prepare ours. He’s a born and raised North Carolinian and has called the Crystal Coast home for over 20 years. His boils all come down to using the freshest, most local ingredients… and five beers!