North Carolina’s Outer Banks has been named one of the best island destinations in the Continental U.S., according to Travel + Leisure’s 2026 World’s Best Awards. The barrier islands were the only North Carolina locale to make the coveted list published Tuesday, July 7.
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FULL STORY: Spot off the NC Coast ranks among nation’s best island getaways, survey says
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The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
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This story was originally published July 22, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline “NC beach lands on Travel + Leisure’s top island destinations list for 2026.”
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