Atlantic Beach
Atlantic Beach is one of the primary communities located on North Carolina's Bogue Banks, a 21-mile barrier island off the state's mainland. Accessed by one of two bridges that run across Bogue Sound, Atlantic Beach is just minutes away from Morehead City and Beaufort, where the pirate known as Blackbeard made his home when not at sea.
Because the island runs east to west, the ocean beaches on Atlantic Beach face due south. Its subtropical climate and plentiful public beaches make it a desirable vacation destination, especially during the summer season.
Other attractions near Atlantic Beach are Fort Macon State Park, The North Carolina Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores, and Shackleford Island, home to the Shackleford group of North Carolina's wild horses.
Sea turtles nest on Atlantic Beach and the beaches of Bogue Banks from May 1 through October each year. Five of the seven sea turtle species are found in North Carolina, with loggerheads being the most common. Volunteers from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission walk the beaches every morning looking for signs that a sea turtle nest has been laid. They then rope off the area until the nest hatches and the hatchlings make their journey to sea. Click on the hatchlings photo below for a link to learn more about NC's Sea Turtle Program.
The area is also a popular location for divers as many shipwrecks lie in the waters off North Carolina's coast, including the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship captured and used by the pirate Blackbeard. A portion of it jutting out of the water can be seen from Fort Macon State Park.
Because the island runs east to west, the ocean beaches on Atlantic Beach face due south. Its subtropical climate and plentiful public beaches make it a desirable vacation destination, especially during the summer season.
Other attractions near Atlantic Beach are Fort Macon State Park, The North Carolina Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores, and Shackleford Island, home to the Shackleford group of North Carolina's wild horses.
Sea turtles nest on Atlantic Beach and the beaches of Bogue Banks from May 1 through October each year. Five of the seven sea turtle species are found in North Carolina, with loggerheads being the most common. Volunteers from the NC Wildlife Resources Commission walk the beaches every morning looking for signs that a sea turtle nest has been laid. They then rope off the area until the nest hatches and the hatchlings make their journey to sea. Click on the hatchlings photo below for a link to learn more about NC's Sea Turtle Program.
The area is also a popular location for divers as many shipwrecks lie in the waters off North Carolina's coast, including the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship captured and used by the pirate Blackbeard. A portion of it jutting out of the water can be seen from Fort Macon State Park.
See it in Atlantic Beach
Click on photo for more sea turtle info
NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores
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