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A scenic town on North Carolina’s Crystal Coast has been recognized as one of 14 favorite small towns on the Atlantic Coast, according to WorldAtlas.
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Beaufort, North Carolina, is known for its serene waterfronts, 18th-century architecture and fishing adventures, making it a top pick for travelers seeking a coastal getaway. Its “rich maritime history” is also a major draw.
“The North Carolina Maritime Museum (in Beaufort) holds artifacts from Blackbeard’s flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge, which ran aground a few miles offshore at Beaufort Inlet in 1718,” WorldAtlas reported. “The wreck was located in 1996 and is still being excavated.”
The town of around 4,500 residents is no stranger to the national spotlight. Travel + Leisure once crowned Beaufort as “America’s Favorite Town.”
More recently, USA Today ranked it among the nation’s 10 Best Coastal Small Towns in 2026, highlighting its “exceptional waterfront dining,” sailing excursions and year-round arts and culture festivals.
The quaint seaside town was established in 1709 and is third-oldest town in North Carolina.
“Originally a fishing village and port of safety dating from the late 1600s, Beaufort has been visited by patriots, privateers, merchants, and skilled craftsmen who built Bahamian and West Indian-style homes and public buildings,” the town’s website says.
If museums and water activities aren’t your thing, Beaufort is also home to an array of acclaimed eateries, boutiques and art galleries to explore.
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Other noteworthy sites and attractions include:
Here’s the full list of favorite small towns on the Atlantic Coast, according to WorldAtlas:
Southern Living recently recognized Sunset Beach for its white sand and crystal clear waters, as well as Boone as the one place in North Carolina everyone should visit. The latter earned high praise for its “outdoor adventures, rich history, walkable downtown, nearby High Country attractions, upgraded lodging and diverse dining scene.”
The magazine also recognized Calabash, a town in the Outer Banks known as the “seafood capital of the world.”
Last year, Oak Island, Hatteras Island, Topsail Beach, Ocracoke, Duck, Beaufort, Emerald Isle, Nags Head and Wrightsville Beach landed on Southern Living’s list of 50 best beach towns in the South, The Charlotte Observer reported.
This was inspired by a story reported by the Biloxi Sun Herald. Portions of this story were also previously published in The Charlotte Observer.
This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 4:04 PM with the headline “This town on NC’s Crystal Coast is among top US travel spots, WorldAtlas says.”
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