Atlantic Beach

Atlantic Beach is the oldest beach resort community on North Carolina's Bogue Banks Island. This island is found in the Crystal Coast region, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean waters in Onslow Bay. Of all the Outer Banks barrier islands, Bogue Banks enjoys some of the best weather, due to its southern-facing orientation, and there are plenty of sandy beaches to indulge in when the sun is shining.

As is true of most beach vacation destinations in the United States, Atlantic Beach is at its busiest during the summer season. The local economy is almost entirely fueled by tourism, in that restaurants and hotels are the main fixtures around town. Most, if not all visitors come to enjoy the beaches, and outdoor enthusiasts can also have plenty of fun at Fort Macon State Park. There is a protected swim area at this park near Atlantic Beach, and it doesn't cost anything to access most of the park's facilities and amenities during the summer season.

Various public beach access points can be found in and around Atlantic Beach, as well as parking spaces, restrooms, showers, and picnic tables. This helps to make the Atlantic Beach beaches family-friendly. Dogs are allowed on the sand provided that they are on a leash at all times. As for the kinds of things that you can do at the local beaches, building sandcastles, shelling, and flying kites are popular pursuits. When a break from the sand and surf is in order, there are shops in town to duck into, and Atlantic Beach also boasts a variety of restaurants. At night, the bars and clubs heat up, providing ample options for nightlife enthusiasts. In other words, there's pretty much something for everyone in Atlantic Beach North Carolina.