Oriental, NC

united states

Oriental is a small sailing town on North Carolina's Neuse River, known as the "Sailing Capital of North Carolina." Drive US 17 south from New Bern, then take NC 55 east directly into town. The waterfront community of 873 sits where the river meets the Intracoastal Waterway, making it popular with boaters. The town hosts an annual Croaker Festival each July, named for the fish that originally gave Oriental its name.