A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Cruising the Carolina Coast" is from the May 2007 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.

FOR MORE INFO:
Editors' City Guide: Outer Banks, NC

Just the Facts: Lodging, Shopping, Dining, and Activities.

Boat shoes or flip-flops? We say both. The communities of Beaufort, Morehead City, and Atlantic Beach join to create a jumping-off point for the southern tip of the Outer Banks. Who wants to jump, though, considering that within a 30-minute radius you can be strolling a harbor boardwalk or kicking back in your beach chair? This is a great place to spend an early-summer weekend.

above: Beaufort's boardwalk off Front Street extends the length of the harbor downtown.