The town's most popular fishing pier and one of the major attractions is Janette's Pier. The 17 Most Romantic Hotels in the U.S. 3. You can check the inventory and house features online and make bookings there as well. Corolla - Best North Carolina Beaches. And to be clear, we didnt form this list based on our own biases we relied on the cold hard data. Here, you'll find an extensive assortment of family restaurants, mini golf, a Children's Museum, and beach shops. Editors Note: We updated this article for 2019. You'll find both hotels and vacation rentals in which to enjoy a classic beach vacation. Santa Cruz's median home price is about $909,500, while a one-bedroom apartment can be had for about $2,070 per month. The downtown is lively, home to numerous attractions (including the very visit-worth North Carolina Maritime Museum), and blessed with enough entertainment and amenities to keep everyone happy. Avon is a great place to stop and park yourself. This black-and-white beacon can be climbed, and the reward for the effort of going up 257 stairs is amazing views up and down the coast. The town, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is wonderfully restored to its original glory, and over 40 movies and television shows have been shot here. Swipe left for slideshow. Population: 21,099Percent Democrat: 72.8%$ Democrat Amount Per Capita: $75.38# Democrat Contributions Per Capita: 0.71More on Carrboro:Photos |Data. Some of these blips are barely more than resort towns, but others, like Rodanthe, are full of flavor. Population: 826,060Percent Democrat: 62.3%$ Democrat Amount Per Capita: $9.56# Democrat Contributions Per Capita: 0.04More on Charlotte:Photos |Data. Entertainment outside of the beach: Music, breweries, galleries, museums, and festivals also play integral parts of the culture. Founded by Charles and Laura Douglass in 1893, Charles was the son of the well . Nags Head is one of the few towns on the Outer Banks where you can find a good selection of hotels, including resorts. Our Top Valentine's Day Gift Ideas. Cn Gp Th Nail Cho Tim ng Khch In Liberal, KS. Carolina Beach is perfect for families, with the ocean in front and fun and games behind. Official Website. Whatever you're seeking, this lively beach community has plenty of watersports, family activities, and beachside events in the summer. The beach here is wide, and the sand is soft. Now this "Mayberry by the Sea" is an idyllic spot to meander, eat out at area restaurants, and soak up the suneveryone's welcome to enjoy beaches on both the Atlantic and Intracoastal Waterway sides, including dogs, who can hit the beach with their masters year-round (but must stay on a leash from May 15-September 30). Landlord Tenant Act: What are Your Rights as a Renter? Just south of Beaufort, this quiet fishing community known for retaining the Down East dialect has also become a popular spot for retirees. The beach is one of the best in the area, with soft sand, surf-ready waves, and a smorgasbord of activities to enjoy. But when you think of America's great beach towns, like the Hamptons, Miami, Malibu, Hilton Head, among many others, we get snapped right back into reality rather quickly the cost of living in these spectacular beach towns is pretty darn high! High 78F. Located at the tail end of the Outer Banks on Hatteras Island, these twin towns sort of meld right into one another. Delaware. Not to be confused with the South Carolina town of the same name (and pronounced differently), this small and charming harbor town at the southern end of the Outer Banks has a lively downtown marina, is dotted with historic buildings dating back to the 1700s, is home to a wonderful North Carolina Maritime Museum, and is a stone's throw from the natural riches of the Rachel Carson Reservelook for wild horses and dolphins across the water while you stroll on boardwalks downtown. Here you get beach town vibe mixed with southern historic town charm. Over the past several decades there have been significant changes in the population of the world. If you want a more outdoorsy experience, you may also want to consider camping in the Outer Banks. It is a calm, green place with large trees and stately homes. They have plenty of sites to explore, whether you're a pirate fanatic, intrigued by early colonial history, excited by sea turtles, or anxious to see herds of wild horses. Its proximity to the big city hasnt impacted this small towns development. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. Topsail Island. Thank you for providing all of this information! We aim to deliver infotainment about where you live that your real estate agent won't tell you. Why We Recommend This Beach Boasting its 16 miles of undeveloped shoreline, you'll be surprised with what's in store in Ocracoke Island. Myrtle Beach, SC, is one of the nation's most affordable beach towns. Bald Head Island, North Carolina. The Citadel - The Military College of South Carolina. The Corolla Adventure Park provides some fun outside of the water, and a plethora of local dining options include live music. There are plenty of things to do in Beaufort for all! ferry takes you from Hatteras to the northern tip of the island. Kitty Hawk is located just north of Kill Devil Hills, and if you are driving along the highway 158, with its big box stores and shops, you could be forgiven for not noticing that you are in a new town. The small town of Beaufort is the county seat of Carteret County, on the 'Inner Banks' coastal area of North Carolina (specifically, Beaufort is situated just where the Outer Banks end). The town has its roots in the railroad, which still operates today with the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. Then well take a closer look at each of our top 10 most liberal cities in North Carolina. Investopedia.com has named Oak Island as one of the best places to retire in North Carolina. 2,984) Weaverville (Pop . Accommodation: Where to Stay in Kitty Hawk. With its romantic historic mansions; a thriving downtown with great shops, restaurants, and bars; a picturesque Riverwalk on the Cape Fear River; and a youthful vibe thanks to the local University of North Carolina campus, this magnet is also a quick drive to the sands of Wrightsville and Carolina beaches. Best yet, Columbia's cost of living averages about 7% less than average. Named by Southern Living as one of the best beach towns in Northern Carolina, Emerald Isle is a small, charging community that makes the perfect home for families, singles, and professionals alike. Winston-Salem. Elizabeth also has a strong background in e-commerce content as both a fact checker and writer. Compared to other nearby states, South Carolina has more republican voters. Corolla is an OBX beach town full of lively ambience. On the days the waves are large, keep an eye out for surfers doing their thing beside the pier. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of a sixteen-county market region or combined statistical area with a 2016 U.S.Census population estimate of 2,632,249. This impressive concrete structure extends 1,000 feet out into the Atlantic Ocean. 1. Fresh catches are prepared in ways that will delight your taste buds. It's a fun family thing to do. A glance at the 2020 Florida election results says your beachside options are pretty limited: the Jacksonville area, the three counties in the southeast corner (Palm Beach, Broward and. 2. There are reasons people have been coming to this stretch of coast since the early 1800s. Adventure seekers can have an exciting day in . In 2016, the U.S.Census Bureau estimated the population was 842,051, making it the 17th-most populous city in the United States. Bookshops, boutiques, and art galleries allow plenty of chances to find the right souvenirs. Harkers island is served by a post office, a few restaurants, and a grocery store, but is primarily known for slowing life down to a pace that's nice and easy. Article continues below. When is the Best Time of Year to Purchase a House? Oak Island offers more than 10 miles of coast with immaculate sandy beaches. Once ashore, youll head on a one-of-a-kind drive between the dunes into downtown Ocracoke. Boiling Springs, North Carolina Gardner-Webb University iconic fishing pier with a conservation focus. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Wrightsville Beach is just a short drive from Wilmington, so getting here is easy and quick; parking is in well-marked lots, and you can pay by the hour and recharge your time via your phone. Chapel Hill, Durham, and the state capital, Raleigh, make up the corners of the Research Triangle, with a total population of 1,998,808. In fact, the mountain towns of Blue Ridge GA and Blairsville GA are just over 20 miles to the south. The town has plenty of dining and entertainment offers, so youll never get bored, and has held on to its Southern charm to make it feel like home. Yes, named (with a smile) for the abundance of waterfowl that traditionally lured hunters to this northern end of the Outer Banks, this resort town has low-key sophistication that's utterly winning, including a vibrant small community of independent shops and restaurants (and a respected jazz festival). The town has grown up and spread out a touch over the years, and its proximity to Asheville has rubbed off on it. Florida Tech is a technical research university in Melbourne, Florida, on the Atlantic coast. When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. 1,516) Trent Woods (Pop. The US Office of Management and Budget also includes Durham as a part of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 2,037,430 as of U.S. Census 2014 Population Estimates. Corolla retains wild horses and enough identity to be one of the best small beach towns in the state. Home - North Carolina - NC Towns - 22 BEST Small Towns In North Carolina. Its greatest claim to fame is that its home to the steepest railroad grade in the region. Because North Carolina has 3,000 miles of coastline (including more than 300 miles of barrier beaches alone), there are many wonderful beach towns and harbors that are just a short boat ride away from the sand. Not to be confused with the replica courthouse, this original structure looks out over a large green space and faces out onto the sound with cannons at the water's edge. Small: No major cities allowed. Best Towns To Live In North Carolina. Kitty Hawk. If you're looking for a liberal city in the purple state of Pennsylvania, look no further than Pittsburgh, the 19th most liberal city in the US and the 15th most affordable on our ranking. Sure, youve got all the amenities youll need, but rather than chain stores and drive-ins, youll get an eclectic range of independent boutiques and eateries. It has many historical churches, some dating from the early 19th century. 20. Some of these towns don't have large off-season populations, though, and may be pretty quiet/dull during winter months. This barrier island town has amenities to please the entire family, like a town park with splash pad, skatepark, and mini-golf, and the nearby aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores. Located right on the coast near Wilmington, spending a day here is never dull. Perhaps as expected, the small town of Athens, Ohio was named after the ancient center of learning in . Corolla/Currituck Beach. The colorful shrimp boats are quaintly decorated and the whole town radiates saltwater charm. Surrounded by water on three sides, the town has a maritime feel about it. Plenty of alumni have stuck around and built up a vibrant arts scene that emphasizes the towns culture. Myrtle Beach, SC. Other forms of accommodation include vacation rentals and comfy bed and breakfasts. The island is 4 miles long and offers vast and unspoiled beaches, and water sports like kayaking, paddleboarding, and surfing are popular. Founded in 1705, it is the state's oldest town and was North Carolina's first port of entry. Morehead City, NC (28557) Today. Carolina Beach is not just a beach, but an island between the Cape Fear River on the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. A world-class golf course at nearby Pinehurst resort has defined the town as the golf capital of a state rich in opportunities for a tee time. Chief among its attractions are its beach towns. Nearby, Western North Carolina University more than doubles the population of this cute, North Carolina small town that has plenty to offer every time of the year. Calabash-style seafood is lightly breaded right off the boat, and there are plenty of restaurants featuring the local fare. Expect to find usual favorites, plenty of pizza, and fresh seafood. Thanks to its short driving distance from Wilmington, youll never be far from the city lights. Compared to the nation as a whole, North Carolina leans more republican. The area was one of the states industrial headquarters, and as businesses died down, warehouses and brick mill buildings morphed into a hip district worth checking out. Her days were spent reading a book on the beach and enjoying a cold glass of sweet tea in between classes at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. With two fishing piers, a miniature golf course, and a clutch of ice cream parlors to its name, its a paradise for nostalgia lovers. Early inhabitants dug a canal here that used to power local mills. Come to have easy access to the outdoors and stay to feel a part of the family oh and have a drink at one of the best Brevard breweries. You'll know you are in the right spot when you see the colorful kites of the kiteboarders just offshore. Right along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Beaufort has created a wonderful Carolinian destination that showcases the sea that has given the area life. Nags Head is well located for easy day trips. If you are looking for easy access to the Smoky Mountains, it doesnt get much better than here. This 30-minute ride across the mouth of the Cape Fear River is a cheap way to see the seaside scenery and much better than taking the long way around to get to town. If you can plan for it, the North Carolina Seafood Festival happens the first weekend in October each year and is considered one of the most popular festivals in the state. 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