Beaufort, NC

united states

Beaufort sits on North Carolina's Crystal Coast where the Newport River meets the Atlantic. Take US-70 east from New Bern (35 miles) or west from Atlantic Beach. The town serves as a gateway to Cape Lookout National Seashore, with the Rachel Carson Reserve protecting nearby salt marshes and wild horses on Carrot Island. Its 300-year-old cemetery has headstones facing west toward the sea, following an old maritime tradition.