Beaches

Cape Lookout Beach. White sand beaches, blue-green waters, and a tall lighthouse mark this quiet beach at the southern tip of Cape Lookout National Seashore. A boat is the only way to get here. Passenger ferries leave from Harkers Island and Beaufort, while passenger and vehicle ferries leave from Davis and Atlantic. Land on the sound side, then walk across a path to the beach, where you'll be greeted by a long beach strand full of seashells, including large whelk shells. In season, you can also climb the lighthouse tower or tour a museum in the keeper's quarters. Amenities: toilets. Best for: solitude; sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking. Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina. www.nps.gov/calo. Beach free; $17 round-trip pedestrian ferry from Harkers Island, $35 from Beaufort; vehicle ferry from Davis is $80–$150 (pedestrian $17); vehicle ferry from Atlantic $75–$95 (pedestrian $14). Ferry dates vary but are generally closed Oct. or Nov.–Feb..

Shackleford Banks. Wild, wooded, and undeveloped, this 7½-mile-long barrier island, the southernmost part of Cape Lookout National Seashore, is made even more magical by myriad seashells along the shore and about 100 free-roaming horses. Folklore offers two reasons for the Banker ponies' presence. One tale claims they swam ashore from a long-ago Spanish shipwreck, but some locals say early settlers first put these horses to pasture on the island. The horses may look friendly, but it's best to view them from a distance. The island hosted various settlements in the 1800s, but storms drove residents inland. Today, gravestones here and there are the only remaining evidence of the people who lived here. Island access is by ferry only, from Beaufort and Harkers Island, and although primitive camping is allowed (at no fee), there are no amenities aside from composting toilets. Amenities: toilets. Best for: swimming; walking. Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina. 252/728–7433; www.nps.gov/calo. Island beaches free, Harkers Island or Beaufort ferry $18. Ferry times vary, closed Oct.–Mar..