When it comes to a North Carolina Coastal Adventure, one of my one of my favorite seaside getaways to return to time and again is beautiful Atlantic Beach, a laid back coastal retreat where you can set up your beach chair on the golden sand, while listening to the rhythm of the ocean waves…to quote Zac Brown, this is a place where “your only worry when the tide is going to hit your chair.”
I was fortunate to grow up going to Atlantic Beach with my family. Some of my earliest beach memories were spending time with my grandparents at their beach condo (Southwinds) as a kid. Those days we didn’t have cell phones in our pockets to distract us, only a bucket for building sandcastles and I was a kid with an imagination as we explored the beach combing for seashells.
And as hectic as this world gets, nothing still quite calms my soul and allows me to let the tide take my worries away so I can refresh my soul than a day enjoying the sun, sand and waves at Atlantic Beach.
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This area of NC’s coast is called ‘The Crystal Coast,’ with the water shimmering like crystals in the sun, and depending on the time of day and nuance of the light the waters are nearly tropical from aquamarine to deep blues and emerald green.
Atlantic Beach is the type of getaway that makes you slow down. While there are tons of great area restaurants in AB, nearby Morehead City and nearby Historic Beaufort…along with fun family activities like the Aquarium, Putt-Putt and Fort Macon State Park, day trip to Cape Lookout Lighthouse and endless exploring of the SOBX (Southern Outer Banks)…the beauty to me of Atlantic Beach is that it stirs you to pause in the moment and explore the beauty and history of the land and sea.
In this edition of American Nomad Traveler, I invite you on a virtual vacation to North Carolina’s Atlantic Beach and the surrounding Crystal Coast…We’ll learn about fun things to do, I’ll share a few spots I’ve enjoyed staying and we’ll tour a fortress of the sea, Fort Macon.
Getting to Atlantic Beach:
Atlantic Beach is only about three hours from my home base in Raleigh NC and just over the Causeway Bridge from Morehead City, and only a few miles from North Carolina’s third oldest town, Historic Beaufort (read my guide to Beaufort here).
Atlantic Beach is on the northern tip of The Bogue Banks, a twenty-six mile barrier island, fronting the Bogue Sound towards the west and Atlantic Ocean on the east. This area is part of the Southern Outer Banks, a unique ecological area shaped by geology, wind, sea, time and erosion. The Southern Outer Banks (aka SOBX) include eighty-five miles of barrier islands from Cape Lookout National Seashore, south of the island of Ocracoke, towards Emerald Isle.
Where to stay:
Atlantic Beach has lots of lodging options for travelers depending on your beach style. When I visit Atlantic Beach, I like beachfront access and some amenities, but also love spots that feel like a much loved beach cottage. While it is ideal to be right on the beach, the great news about Atlantic Beach is that with Fort Macon State Park having public beach access, including bathrooms and showers, you can stay at one of the non oceanfront spots.
During our recent trip, my mom and I checked into The Double Tree. I like the fact the Double Tree has easy beach access and its own pier. You can also lounge by their oceanside pool, and grab a bite to eat at the oceanfront restaurant Molly’s, which is known for their burgers. They have a restaurant in the hotel as well for breakfast-dinner. That makes it super convenient if you truly want to hang out by the beach stress free all day, without going to the store or driving to an area restaurant.
I also love staying at one of the area condos for rent like Southwinds or A Place at the Beach. Some of these are privately owned and not for rent, with others tied to time shares, but many units can be rented from individual owners or the beach property itself.
I highly recommend A Place at The Beach for the value. I’ve stayed there three times in the past five years, and love their outdoor poor, beach access and the rooms are super comfortable. A Place at the Beach encapsulates the beach experience where you can smell the salt air as you walk the property and the decor is carefully curated to each space with tasteful beach inspired art, and coastal furniture. While peak season in summer is expensive at any beach in NC, I’ve found Atlantic Beach is typically one of the better deals for the value. Check out their Facebook page here.
Other spots I recommend:
- Atlantis Lodge: This is a dog-friendly hotel with coastal character that has been beloved for generations. It’s cozy and offers great ocean views. “Most units at the Atlantis are dog-friendly suites with well-appointed kitchens and dedicated dining, living, and sleeping areas. All units have patios or decks facing the surf, are non-smoking, and are just steps away from the sand, waves, and pool.”
- Seahawk Inn & Villas: Vintage cool where you can enjoy coastal vibes in a cozy inn. From their website: Steeped in history, we offer 38 rooms with a beautiful oceanfront view, and a nostalgic feel of a “home away from home”. The Seahawk hotel rooms are non-smoking and have refrigerators, coffee makers, balcony or patio, and WiFi extends all over the property, as well as in all the rooms. In addition, we have designated pet friendly rooms with a daily $20 fee. Gas grilling area, beach bikes, hammocks and swings at the dunes, oceanfront pool…all complimentary to our guests!
- Oceanana: I haven’t stayed here, but it comes highly recommended from my beach loving friends. They have a waterfront restaurant on site.
- For more great options check out the Crystal Coast Guide: https://www.crystalcoastnc.org/towns/atlantic-beach/places-to-stay/
Start your day with coffee on the coast…Before any American Nomad Adventure, I need coffee and food to fuel the days adventures:
During my AB adventures I have to make at least one stop at my one of my favorite #destinationcoffee stops Atlantic Beach Coffee. (in shopping center with Food Lion in Atlantic Beach)
They have delicious lattes, smoothies, teas and cinnamon rolls (unfortunately I’m gluten free due to Celiac but they come highly recommended). You can also buy their ground coffee and take it to your beach condo if you are staying more than a few days. To me there is nothing more relaxing than sipping my coffee on the porch looking out at the ocean or sound side.
I also recommend: 4 Corners Diner…they have great breakfast!
4 Corners Diner has been a mainstay for our family over the years and is a laidback locals spot that has good breakfast and lunch. No fuss, just good eats.
I’ll share some good eats for lunch and dinner later in our adventures (keep scrolling, you’ll have worked up an appetite by them after our AB Fun in the Sun)…
Fun in the Sun: Day at the Beach
In addition to beachfront access from area hotels/condos, Atlantic Beach has multiple public access points for beachgoers.
My favorite public beach access site in the area is Fort Macon State Park. We’ll be touring the historic 19th-century Fort that has nearly 200 years of history as a guardian of the Crystal Coast in a moment… while the Fort is made for ‘war, not recreation’ (according to multiple signs as you walk the historic fort), the neighboring beach access, which is part of the state park, is designed for fun in the sun.
This beach provides the laid-back day at the beach experience, where you can walk on the sandy shores, grab a towel and your chair (most these days have a Shibumi for sunshade; I still need to get one), and just let the rhythm of the ocean waves crashing in and out with the tides, the sound of birds, and the crinkle of sand crunching beneath your feet transport you to relaxation.
During our recent visit, my mom and I enjoyed an hour at Fort Macon watching the sunset. The clouds rolled in as a light rain was due later that evening. Every beach sunrise and sunset is slightly different, drawing you into God’s canvas of colors, like a Monet painting. Fort Macon has a covered deck where you can sit and relax and enjoy seaside views. This was good for my mom, who was having a hard time on the sand this trip; she could still catch the ocean views from handicap-accessible viewing areas.
Fort Macon Public Beach Access is located at 2303 E. Fort Macon Rd, Atlantic Beach 28512. It is next to the 19th-century Fort via a separate entrance. There is a large parking lot (I always recommend parking earlier in the day for the best spot, but usually I’ve not had an issue getting a spot), bathrooms, and showering/changing rooms on site, as well as pristine beach access ideal for toes in the sand, jumping in the water, and relaxing.
Cape Lookout and Shackleford Banks
Another fun way to experience the pristine beaches and wild beauty of the Southern OBX is by taking a day trip to Cape Lookout and/or the Shackleford Banks.
Cape Lookout: We usually take the Island Ferry from Beaufort or Harkers Island (you can drive to Harkers Island and catch the ferry from the Cape Lookout National Seashore Visitor Center marina)… to Cape Lookout National Seashore and Lighthouse.
Some routes also drop you off at the nearby Shackleford Banks, which is one of the most pristine barrier islands in the world and a treasure trove for shelling. You can also see the beautiful wild ‘Banker Ponies,’ Spanish Mustangs that have lived here for centuries, originally swimming ashore from wrecked ships (Spanish and European) and learning to survive on the marsh grass and barrier islands for hundreds of years.
North Carolina’s Barrier Islands and Inner Banks include some deceptively shallow waters, ever-moving shoals that appear and disappear or even transition with the movement of waters, storm, and wind… this has made the area dangerous for ships at times, leading to hundreds of wrecks just off the coast of North Carolina. You can learn about the uniqueness of the North Carolina Coast and the Graveyard of the Atlantic in the region at the Cape Lookout National Seashore Visitor Center (Harkers Island), the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort, as well as the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse is one of my favorite lighthouses to visit with its striking diamond pattern. The current lighthouse dates to just before the Civil War and has so much history. You can tour the keeper’s quarters and learn about the life of lighthouse keepers over the years and the history of the lighthouse. Depending on restoration projects (they’ve been working to fix structural issues recently), you can climb to the top of the lighthouse for a wonderful view.
Fun facts about Cape Lookout Lighthouse: Standing 163 feet tall, it is a guardian of the Southern Outer Banks and a witness to time, having stood since 1859 as a witness to human and natural history. It was built to alert sailors of the dangerous shoals on the southern tip of the Core Banks, an area known as a ‘horrible headland’ since early sailors first documented the area in the late sixteenth century. The light could be seen from up to nineteen miles at sea, helping to save lives from the dangerous shoals. Until its sister to the north, Cape Hatteras, was built in 1870, Cape Lookout was the tallest structure south of New Jersey. It has weathered the Civil War, hurricanes, wind, and erosion, and yet remains a guardian light.
The original lens was removed by the Coast Guard, but an LED light continues to shine from Cape Lookout to help serve sailors even today.
When you arrive at Cape Lookout, there are lots of fun things to do. Depending on the season/availability, you can sign up for guided tours of the island, where you can learn about the history of those who once lived on the barrier island, as well as have the chance to take in the scenery and go to shelling areas. Depending on the season, the Island Express Ferry also has a UTV Rental Service.
For me, I love to tour the historic keeper’s quarters and hang out in the beach area near the marina. The water is typically almost crystal blue and the sand so white you feel as though you are in the tropics. The water on the sound side, right before it meets the Atlantic at the tip of Lookout Jetty, is calm and perfect for swimming. If you want the crashing waves and Atlantic surf, you can walk to the Atlantic Beach access.
Get to know the Keeper’s Quarters: The main Keeper’s House was built in 1873 to house all three keepers of Cape Lookout Lighthouse. At that time, keepers’ families did not live at the station, and it only housed the men on duty. In 1907, an additional quarters building was built so that the men’s families could join them. At that time, the principal keeper and his family lived in the new quarters, while the main museum house today was divided to accommodate the two assistant keepers and their families.
Today, the Keepers’ Quarters is a museum that tells the story of Cape Lookout Lighthouse, U.S. Life-Saving Services, the lives of the keepers who kept watch here, and information about the wildlife of Cape Lookout. The museum is open seasonally from March to October and is one of my favorite parts of a visit to Cape Lookout.
I also love exploring the nature boardwalk trail, searching for plants and animals native to the seashore. From early May through early August, monarch butterflies swarm the bushes on the path. Be careful where you step! Have you never seen the ocean before? Walk to the end of the boardwalk to the pedestrian beach to relax to the sound of waves crashing. This part of the beach is closed to vehicle driving, making it a perfect destination to build sandcastles and search for seashells. While walking to the ocean, don’t forget to look for the foundation of the original 1812 lighthouse. Between the current lighthouse and the boardwalk, look for a large mound of sand. There, you will find pieces of concrete and bricks. Remember, it is illegal to remove any artifacts from the seashore. You are only allowed to take seashells and pinecones!
Want to take a day trip to Cape Lookout and the Shackleford Banks? Here are some great resources:
Ferry Ride:
- Island Express Ferry: I love taking this ferry from either Beaufort or Harkers Island. Departing from Beaufort, NC and Harkers Island, NC their modern, comfortable ferries are helmed by experienced local captains dedicated to making your trip safe, informative, and enjoyable. I recommend making your reservations in advance here: https://www.islandexpressferryservices.com/
- Lookout Cruises: This is a fun and relaxing sailboat adventure that has different itineraries, but typically you stop for shelling and views at a secluded site on the barrier islands, see Shackleford Horses, and spend time on Cape Lookout. This is great if you want a mix of stops, but if you are looking to have plenty of time to tour the lighthouse and relax and swim on Cape Lookout, I recommend the Island Ferry. Love this tour—just a different flavor than the Island Ferry.
- Also, you can take fun boat rides to Carrot Island across from Beaufort’s Historic Waterfront, as well as dolphin, sunset, and even pirate cruises from downtown Beaufort. I love them all! If you want to cruise the seas without an entire day afloat, I recommend one of the shorter cruises from Beaufort by the Crystal Coast Lady. Waterbug Tour or Island Ferry Adventures
Tips for Your Day at the Beach!
We usually bring a cooler with plenty of water (make sure to stay hydrated) and snacks. Don’t forget to lather up with sunscreen and wear a sunhat. I also wear a sun shirt (Columbia or similar) with UPF sun protection. Looking for coastal apparel? Bert’s Surf Shop, Marsh’s, and AB Surf Shop are popular local spots to shop.
It bears repeating: bring water! You can purchase and refill at Fort Macon and Cape Lookout, but don’t forget to hydrate.
Speaking from experience, make sure to lather up with sunscreen. A few years ago, I forgot to reapply sunscreen on my feet during a fun day at Cape Lookout and I got sun blisters on my feet. I’d been vigilant with my face, arms, and legs, but couldn’t walk for two days because I forgot about my feet with toes in the sand. Never again!
Fort Macon: Fortress of the Crystal Coast
For nearly 200 years, Fort Macon has been a guardian of the land and sea… as you walk through the historic brick Fort, echoes of the past can be seen and felt in every footstep as you step on centuries-old bricks and peer into the drama of the past as you view casemate exhibitions, or stand by the battery of cannons facing the Atlantic Ocean.
Plan your Fort Macon vacation here: https://www.ncparks.gov/state-parks/fort-macon-state-park The state park is FREE to visit
And as strong as Fort Macon appears, one thing you’ll learn is just how powerful the sea, salt air, wind, and even sand can be… throughout its life, Fort Macon has faced periods of falling into disrepair as the sea attempts to ‘retake’ the fortress. Today, the NC Park Service has to do a lot of maintenance work to ensure it survives the elements. For me, that is a powerful reminder of the beauty and awesome power of nature and the sea and how this land’s story is so tied to the ebb and flow of the waters and ecology and geology of the land.
Quick History of Fort Macon
Today, Fort Macon is a beloved state park where tourists can interact with over 200 years of military history at Fort Macon, as well as enjoy relaxing beach days at the adjoining state park public access beach.
Why a fort at this spot on the tip of the Bogue Banks and Beaufort Inlet (also historically called Old Topsail Inlet)? Ever since the town of Beaufort was founded circa 1713 (dates to 1709 and laid out in 1713) as North Carolina’s third-oldest town after Bath (founded in 1705) and New Bern (founded in 1710), Beaufort and the region were at risk of attack from invaders from the sea… from pirates (although Blackbeard called Beaufort home for a time) to a Spanish attack in 1746 during the War of Jenkins’ Ear to the Battle of Beaufort in 1782 by the British attempting to raid the city in a supply-gathering mission during the tail end of the Revolutionary War… into the War of 1812…
Beaufort was the easiest to access deepwater port in North Carolina and vulnerable if Beaufort Inlet was cut off.
With increasing threats on the edge of the War of 1812, North Carolina built Fort Hampton about 300 yards from the present-day site of Fort Macon. This was considered a second-order fort, constructed of tabby (oyster shells) and rudimentary masonry. It had six cannons mounted to help protect Beaufort from invasion. While it served its purpose during the War of 1812, after the war ended a few years later, Fort Hampton was all but abandoned and eventually lost to the elements of saltwater, sand, and wind.
In the aftermath of the War of 1812, the U.S. military recognized it was in need of stronger fortifications as they had been ill-prepared to defend themselves during the war years.
Under the Monroe administration, Congress began to commission Third System forts. From 1816 to 1867, a total of forty-two of these Third System Coastal Defense Forts were built. The military constructed a chain of permanent fortifications to defend its harbors and ports against the threat of foreign invasion. However, as we’ll learn from the Civil War battle at Fort Macon, during the Civil War these forts’ technology couldn’t withstand modern warfare.
What is a Third System Fort?
The first forts commissioned by the United States were built of rudimentary materials like wood and mud beginning in 1794–1808. With the War of 1812 on the horizon, beginning in 1808 through the War of 1812, ‘Second System’ forts were built (ex: Fort Hampton) or older forts updated. Third System were intended to be long-term defense systems up and down the coast for the nation’s future protection.
Fort Macon’s strategic location on the eastern point of the Bogue Banks was chosen to help defend Old Topsail Inlet, now called the Beaufort Inlet, which is the entrance to Beaufort Harbor. It was named for Nathaniel Macon (1758–1837), who was a well-known U.S. congressman and senator. Macon had been an Anti-Federalist initially opposed to the Constitution due to the lack of a Bill of Rights. He was a Jeffersonian Republican who advocated for states’ rights.
Fort Macon was designed by French-born engineer Brigadier General Simon Bernard, who had emigrated to the United States after years of serving Napoleon and a forced exile from France. Simon worked on many important Third System Forts, including Fort Monroe (1819) and Fort Macon (built between 1826–34; Bernard was not present during the entire building but designed it).
Design: Five sided fortification built of brick and stone. It has over 2.3 million bricks. It has twenty-six casemates (vaulted rooms) with 4.5 foot thick outer walls.
Before he turned to the Confederacy years later, Robert E. Lee worked for the U.S. Army. In November 1840, at age thirty-two, Lee was sent to Fort Macon to assist with inspecting Fort Macon and securing the encroachment of the fort against the sea, and to formulate what repairs and costs were necessary to the fort itself. According to Paul L. Branch, a historian who worked at Fort Macon, Lee helped initiate a system of stone jetties that still protect the fort today. Learn more here
There were active garrisons occupying Fort Macon from 1834–36, then again in 1842–44, and 1848–49. During the period of 1841, engineers made structural improvements to the fort’s defenses, which were already experiencing assault, not from an enemy, but rather the sea that required constant upkeep against the forces of the ocean, wind, and sand.
Fort Macon in the Civil War
On April 14th, 1861, only two days after the first shots were fired at Ft. Sumter in Charleston, local Confederate militia forces from Morehead City and Beaufort commanded by Capt. Josiah Pender took over Fort Macon with no resistance. Over the next year, Colonel Moses White and 402 Confederate troops occupied Fort Macon. White worked to prepare for the battle he knew would eventually come by installing fifty-four heavy cannons, reinforcing walls, stockpiling ammunition, and standing guard. Most of that year, Fort Macon felt isolated from the war, with the biggest threat the waves crashing on shore, but the Union had not forgotten Fort Macon and was determined to win her back. Fort Macon helped to protect North Carolina’s deepest water port of Beaufort.
In early 1862, Union Maj. General Ambrose Burnside launched a major campaign through eastern North Carolina, first capturing Roanoke Island in February and then taking control of New Bern in early March. Burnside’s Union Army occupied Morehead City on March 22nd followed by Beaufort on March 26th without resistance. Burnside had hoped that Fort Macon would surrender without a fight, but Confederate Colonel White was not ready to give up.
Burnside assigned Brig. Gen. John G. Parke to capture Fort Macon. Parke landed troops on Bogue Banks in late March and early April, hauling siege guns through the sand (can you imagine how much effort it would take to drag them through sand!). The Union then set up artillery batteries within range of the fort. Parke offered Colonel White a chance to surrender. White refused, even though the fort was surrounded.
At dawn on April 25th, 1862, the Union Army began their bombardment of Fort Macon, opening fire with a mix of smoothbore cannons and newer rifled guns. The rifled cannons were the difference as they fired elongated shells with far greater accuracy and penetrating power than the round cannonballs the fort was designed to withstand.
From the ocean, four Union gunboats also began firing on Fort Macon along with floating batteries in the Bogue Sound on the backside of the fort. The bombardment lasted eleven hours, with Union artillery striking the fort around 560 times. Especially devastating was the rifled cannon fire from the land batteries that punched through walls that had been built to resist older weapons.
The Confederate garrison wasn’t going to give up easily and returned fire throughout the day and even repulsed the gunboat attack from the sea. However, the rifled cannons dismantled the fort’s defenses, knocking guns off their mounts and leaving gaps in the walls of what previously felt like an impenetrable fort. Fort Macon’s thick brick walls, designed to absorb round cannonballs, could not withstand the pointed, spinning shells of the new guns. This lesson was repeated at other forts throughout the war and led to a rethinking of coastal fortification design.
By late afternoon on April 25th, Colonel White finally raised the white flag of surrender. The formal surrender occurred the next day on April 26, 1862, with the 402 Confederate garrison paroled as prisoners of war, released on their promise not to fight again until formally exchanged.
The fall of Fort Macon was an important strategic victory, giving the Union complete control of Beaufort Inlet (also referred to as Old Topsail Inlet). The port of Beaufort became a resupply station for the Union Navy’s blockade of the Southern coast and a coaling station for the remainder of the war.
Fort Fisher to the south, however, remained the ‘Gibraltar of the Confederacy’ and the last major Confederate fort to fall in the South in January 1865, with the critical port of Wilmington soon to follow—a massive blow to the Confederacy and one of the contributing factors helping lead to the eventual surrender of the Confederacy a few months later.
The Union was focused on repairing Fort Macon, which took a massive hit from the artillery fire. You can learn about the life of both Confederate and Union officers garrisoned at Fort Macon throughout the war. One exhibit helps you to understand the struggles of day-to-day life at Fort Macon, from cramped quarters, dealing with lice, mosquitoes, heat, and cold, to disease and, for some, longing for home. Reading the letters and diaries of those who lived at Fort Macon during the tumultuous years of the Civil War brings the story and sorrow of the Civil War to life.
While you can take a self-guided tour of the casemate exhibits and walk the grounds on your own, if possible I highly recommend taking a tour with a ranger when they are offered. They are experts on the history of Fort Macon and bring the story to life from its early years to the harrowing days of the Civil War to World War II…
Fort Macon after the Civil War
During the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, the U.S. Army occupied Fort Macon continuously until 1877, using it as a prison.
While today the Bogue Banks area is bustling with beachgoers, restaurants, stores, and oceanfront lodging… in February 1869, when Army Surgeon Dr. Elliott Coues arrived at the fort, this area was remote, with only local whalers and fishermen alongside those attached to Fort Macon. There was no bridge over the causeway to Morehead City and easy driving access (carriages back then) to Beaufort. Atlantic Beach wasn’t incorporated until 1936! I’m painting this picture to help you imagine a time when this was almost virgin land, no major buildings or roads, just the ocean dunes, wild vineyards growing along the coast, and nature everywhere you go.
For Dr. Coues, who had been trained in medicine at Columbian University (George Washington University) in D.C. and also trained as a naturalist by none other than Spencer Baird, who helped found the Smithsonian Institution, his placement at the remote barrier island of the Bogue Banks and Fort Macon would become a perfect area for exploring the wild natural wonders of the area’s unique ecosystem.
Dr. Coues did not love his cramped sleeping quarters (I don’t blame him; touring Fort Macon makes you grateful for even a basic room in your own home), and lamented about the malaria that was prevalent with mosquitoes and marshes. Yet those were small prices to pay for a playground for a natural scientist.
He spent his free time heading into the salt marshes, exploring the maritime forests of gnarled centuries-old live oaks that you can still see remnants of today. They always give me encouragement that no matter what life throws at us, we can weather the crashing waves with deep roots.
The springtime was a seemingly endless stream of migratory birds, which he cataloged. His expertise made him one of the leading figures of his time in ornithology. He noted that oysters were so plentiful that a bushel sold for just thirty cents in Beaufort. There were nets full of mullet. (If you visit the NC Maritime Museum in Beaufort, they have excellent exhibits about early fishing life in the region, including catching mullet and oysters.)
While stationed at Fort Macon, Coues began to write prolifically about the birds, reptiles, bugs, and ecology he encountered in the region.
During his time at Fort Macon (Feb. 1869–Nov. 1870), Dr. Coues wrote prolifically about nature and his experiences at the Fort, including letters about his findings to Spencer Baird of the Smithsonian, which you can read snippets from at the Fort Macon museum… During his time at Fort Macon, he most notably worked on his landmark book, Key to North American Birds, which, when published with 2,000 copies off the press in October 1872, was considered the leading guide to North American birds at its time and made Coues one of the nation’s renowned ornithologists.
While Coues moved on from Fort Macon in November 1870 when transferred to Baltimore to be closer to Baird and the Smithsonian, Coues did not forget his time and the natural landscape of Fort Macon. He continued to publish his research about the fort. Fellow naturalist and army surgeon Henry Crecy Yarrow (1871–72) succeeded Coues in the role of Fort Macon surgeon and continued the naturalist work that Coues started. They worked together to publish “Notes on the Natural History of Fort Macon” in 1878.
Both the work of Coues and Yarrow were important in understanding the ecosystem of this important landscape and helping to build what would become a tradition of natural science and resource management guided by environmental science in the area.
You can walk the three-mile Elliott Coues Nature Trail at Fort Macon, where you can learn about the natural wonders of the Bogue Banks and also how we can be good stewards of the land. This is a fun trail (just make sure you are prepared for the elements: sunscreen and eco-friendly bug spray, which you can buy in the gift shop if needed).
The Coues Family
I love that Fort Macon’s exhibit on Dr. Coues doesn’t forget the impact of his wife and daughter, who also lived on site with him. Jeannie was the only adult female at Fort Macon and no doubt felt isolated at times, but she was the type to ‘seas’ the day and make the most out of her time at Fort Macon. Like her husband, Jeannie was a prolific writer, and there are records of her letters (mostly to her sister) that give a first-hand account of domestic life at an army fort in the 19th century. Jeannie wrote about the fauna of the beach environment and the daily work and activities experienced.
In the Fort Macon Visitor Center Museum, they have excellent interactive exhibits about the Coues family life at Fort Macon. One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was referencing the fort’s extensive library, which included over 200 books that Dr. Coues took advantage of as a surgeon and as a naturalist. A few of the books are on display—a ‘page-turning’ view into the past at Fort Macon. You can also learn about his life as a surgeon with displays about late 19th-century medicine.
By 1879, Fort Macon was deactivated by the U.S. Military and sat relatively inactive for the next twenty years. As I mentioned earlier, Fort Macon’s location on the tip of the Bogue Banks, where the Atlantic and the Bogue Sound meet, makes it constantly at odds with the wind, sea, ever-moving sand, and corrosive salt. By the time it was reactivated for use in the Spanish-American War in 1898, it was tattered by the elements, but retrofitted as needed and received a garrison. The fort’s six remaining Civil War cannons were remounted, while the fort was garrisoned by a company of U.S. Artillery and the all-black 3rd N.C. Volunteers under Colonel James H. Young.
The museum has a great tribute to Young and his men, as well as honoring many of the African Americans who worked and served at Fort Macon over the years.
In 1903, the U.S. Army completely abandoned Fort Macon. They continued to own it until 1924, when they sold it to the State of North Carolina under a Congressional Act on June 4, 1924, for use as a public park. It became North Carolina’s second state park after Mt. Mitchell (tallest peak east of the Mississippi and about thirty minutes from Asheville, NC).
During the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps was enlisted to help with park infrastructure. The state park officially opened in 1936. It continues to be one of the state’s most visited parks to this day, in part because of its amazing beach access right next door to the historic military fort, but also the hunger for history from visitors eager to travel through 200 years of Fort Macon’s history.
While most visitors associate Fort Macon with the Civil War era, one of the most fascinating and scariest times of its history was during World War II. When we study WWII, we learn about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and fights in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, but many, including North Carolinians, don’t realize just how close the war was to the North Carolina coast—from the Northern Outer Banks near Cape Hatteras to Cape Lookout to Fort Macon and area cities like Beaufort and Morehead City to Wilmington on the southern tip of the coast.
- Fun fact: Did you know that Wilmington is America’s First WWII Heritage City? I did a two-part series (Part One, Part Two)on WWII Wilmington from its role as a shipbuilding center to Camp Davis, and it’s now the permanent home of the battleship USS North Carolina.
The area of the Southern Outer Banks, including Cape Lookout, Beaufort, Morehead, and Atlantic Beach, was not just on alert from enemy attack; they constantly faced a ‘hidden’ war as German U-boats were constantly moving in and out of the waters off the North Carolina coast. Speaking with my grandfather who served as a minesweeper during the war, he told me that he’d report U-boats off the coast of Carolina when he was in that area before moving to the Pacific. It wasn’t widely publicized to avoid panic, but locals were aware of the dangers at their doorstep.
During WWII, from December 21, 1941, to November 1944, Fort Macon was reactivated with members of the Coastal Artillery Troops providing military defense. While touring the museum, you can learn about the critical work of Fort Macon in helping to protect the coast during the war. You can also get a window into the daily lives of soldiers garrisoned there.
While I was aware that German subs were off the coast near Beaufort and Atlantic Beach during WWII, I had no clue U-boats sank over 100 Allied and American ships off the coast during the war. That’s a war zone in itself. While these are treacherous waters regardless with the Graveyard of the Atlantic’s deceptive, ever-shifting sandbars, can you imagine having to fight off U-boats, too? Or living in the area as an everyday citizen knowing the war was so close? It brings the terror of WWII and the sacrifices on the home front and those defending against the ‘ghost’ U-boats that lurked off the coast.
German subs were called U-boats from the German term for sub, ‘Unterseeboot.’ During WWII, German U-boats wreaked havoc on Allied shipping up and down the East Coast, with the Germans making North Carolina’s waters one of their main operational areas. Fort Macon provided defense against enemy landings, local attacks, nuisance raids, and shore bombardment.
Deepwater History: Did you know one of the U-Boats the Allies shot down, U-352 still is at the bottom of the Beaufort Sound? U-352 was sunk by the Coast Guard on May 9th, 1942. The wreck has become an artificial reef actually helping to provide a home for underwater plants and fish. Divers use it to train. This article is from the perspective of a diver. I also recommend this article from NOAA.
I saw the general area where a German U-boat was sunk during the war not far from Beaufort.
By 1946, the U.S. Government returned stewardship of Fort Macon to the State of North Carolina, and it resumed operations as a state park and public beach area… the tradition continues to this day.
Pro-Tip: Want to spend a day at Fort Macon… we often will begin our day at the beach until peak sun (until around noon), then drive next door to the military fort and museum for a few hours before either returning to the beach or heading out to grab a bite to eat. Even though I’ve visited Fort Macon’s museum countless times, I always learn something new and enjoy spending at least an hour on the grounds. If it is your first time, I’d block off several hours.
Don’t forget the nature trails! The state park is unique in that it both tells the military legacy of Fort Macon and also the ecological story of the beautiful and unique natural landscape that continues to shape the land, as well as the challenges we face in the 21st century—from erosion to ecological changes and how you can help protect the land and plant, animal, and sea life that make their home here…
Rainy Day Adventures:
Looking for a family favorite even on wet rainy days? Don’t let the weather rain on your fun…here are a few fun things to do:
North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores: A must stop in the AB area is the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Some of my earliest childhood memories are visiting the aquarium and learning about sea life from turtles to stingrays and even an alligator encounter. The aquarium has wonderful permanent exhibits while continuing to profile new interactive learning opportunities about the North Carolina coast.
North Carolina Maritime Museum at Beaufort: This is one of my favorite museums to visit time and again. You can learn about the maritime history and ecology of the North Carolina coast, learn about Beaufort’s pirate past and former resident Blackbeard, whose ship the Queen Anne’s Revenge crashed off the Shackleford Banks near Fort Macon and Beaufort in 1718. Many items recovered from Queen Anne’s Revenge are on display in the museum. They have lots of fun activities for kids too.
Arts on the Coast:
During my recent visit to AB I learned that on certain nights you can catch a show in Atlantic Beach or nearby Morehead City with the Carteret Community Theatre. They have an awesome line up of professionally produced community theatre from Broadway to comedy, to mystery to kids theatre and everything in between! https://carteretcommunitytheatre.com/
Where to eat: After all our Atlantic Beach Adventures its time for some delicious eats…
Atlantic Beach has many great restaurants popular with locals and travelers alike. I also love to drive over to Morehead City and Beaufort for a great meal.
In Atlantic Beach, I personally recommend:
Amos Mosquitoes Great seafood and house made specialiities that will please the entire family.
Table 9: in the same shopping center as the Food Lion and Atlantic Beach Coffee, Table 9 has wonderful fresh seafood. I enjoy eating here.
Idle Hour: you might not think you’d find the best french fries beachside, but Idle Hour has amazing fries and spirits only steps from Atlantic Beach. Glad my friend Scott turned me onto this spot
Oceanana Pier: Great views and fresh seafood.
Bahia: Delicious seafood and cocktails.
Crab’s Claw: Oceanfront dining and mouthwatering seafood
Molly’s – good ocean front burger spot (at The Double Tree)
Michelangelo’s Pizza (near Food Lion, Table 9, Atlantic Beach Coffee)
Looking for the ‘scoop’ on dessert, for ice cream we enjoy: AB Ice Cream and Candy Shoppe
I also love driving over to Morehead City and Beaufort to eat…
Morehead City Eats:
I like Red Fish, Southern Salt and Jack’s on the Waterfront…I still have nostalgia for The Sanitary (I grew up eating there and the tee-shirts were must wear apparel back in the high school)…here is a guide to Where to Eat in Morehead
Beaufort:
- Check out my Beaufort Travel Guide here
I could spend a month eating through Beaufort, but a few quick recommendations: Dock House, Clawson’s, Queen Anne’s Revenge, Beaufort Grocery Company, Black Sheep, Discover more on the Beaufort Dining Guide here
Anywhere else you recommend – let me know in the comments!
Thanks for joining me as we got our dose of ‘Vitamin Sea’ at the Atlantic Beach.
Here are a few helpful links to help plan your adventure:
Atlantic Beach Official Website
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About American Nomad:
Hi, I’m Adele Lassiter aka ‘the American Nomad Traveler…’ I started this blog to share my passion for history, cool travel destinations, national and state parks, small towns, #destinationcoffee, books, art and music…In addition to my blog here, I have a Substack, and I’ve written features for Wilkes County NC, Randolph County NC, Wilmington CVB, Abingdon VA, Museum of Waxhaws and more…
I’ve been on a journey since 2025 following #america250, attending reenactments, researching the American Revolution and sharing the stories via my blog and socials.
When I’m not blogging, I am an Americana singer-songwriter and my debut EP American Nomad, and other singles can be purchased/streamed on Bandcamp (every purchase helps indie music!) https://adelelassiter.bandcamp.com/
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