INFORMATION
NC Crystal Coast Calendar of Events

All of our event listings have either a contact phone number or website link.
PLEASE, contact the event organizers to confirm the event schedule before making a special trip!

NC Aquarium - NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, while closed for expansion, does have field trips, limited programs and Outreach Programs still available. Some require advance registration and a fee. Contact Visitor Services at 252-247-4003 or toll free 866-294-3477 for additional information and registration.

Fort Macon - Fort Macon State Park on N.C. Hwy. 58 N, Atlantic Beach, NC (252) 726-3775
On the tip of Bogue Banks, Fort Macon offers periodic re-enactments, talks on the Civil War-natural history, a variety of nature walks are conducted year round. Parking is free and ample and it is only a short walk from the fort to the spacious beach.
Visitors enjoy the sandy beaches, a seaside bathhouse and restrooms, a refreshment stand, designated fishing and swimming areas and picnic facilities with outdoor grills. A short nature trail winds through dense shrubs and over low sand dunes. The fort is open daily from 9 AM to 5:30 PM. Admission is free.

Cape Lookout National Seashore - Cape Lookout National Seashore Headquarters, 131 Charles St., Harkers Island, NC, (252) 728-2250
Cape Lookout National Seashore encompasses about 28,500 acres of islands, most of which run roughly parallel to the eastern shores of Carteret County. Stopping by Park Headquarters on Harkers Island before you take off for the islands is recommended. The visitors center is open seven days a week from 9 AM to 5 PM. The center has lots of free parking available 24 hours a day. You access the seashore from one of the private ferries operated out of Harkers Island. Bear in mind, these islands are really undeveloped.
Visitors are welcome in the restored lighthouse keeper's quarters that houses a small natural history collection. Other associated structures (a coal shed, etc.) are also preserved near the lighthouse where there is a shelter for picnicking, a nice swimming beach and a boardwalk that leads from the lighthouse area, over the dunes, to the ocean beach. The lighthouse itself accepts visitors only a couple of times a year so anyone really wishing to see the coast from up top should be sure to contact the Ranger and plan their visit around one of those special days.

Beaufort Historic Site - 100 Block of Turner St., Beaufort, NC (252) 728-5225, (800) 575-SITE. A 2-acre area with seven beautifully restored buildings in the center of Beaufort. The Beaufort Historical Association, annually hosts nearly 60,000 visitors, who tour the buildings and participate in the tours, classes, workshops and historical re-enactments scheduled throughout the year. Guided walking tours of the buildings are conducted 4 times a day Monday through Saturday year round for $6 per adult and $4 for children.

North Carolina Maritime Museum - 315 Front St., Beaufort, NC(252) 728-7317. The North Carolina Maritime Museum’s preserves and interprets all aspects of the state’s maritime heritage through educational exhibits, programs and field trips. Museum hours are from 9 AM to 5 PM Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM Saturday and 1 to 5 PM Sunday. The Watercraft Center is open those same hours but is closed on Monday and Tuesday. No admission fee is charged.

Crystal Coast Civic Center - 3505 Arendell St., Morehead City, NC (252) 247-3883 on the campus of Carteret Community College overlooking Bogue Sound. The Crystal Coast Civic Center is a facility with a 12,000-square-foot exhibition hall. Exhibitions and trade shows are frequent throughout the year, as are peripheral events such as awards dinners.

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum - 1785 Island Rd., Harkers Island, NC (252) 728-1500. The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum was established an outgrowth of the Decoy Carvers Guild. Each December the museum hosts the Core Sound Waterfowl Weekend, the weekend celebrates the entire community with preview events ranging from wild-game feasts to boatbuilding demonstrations, community church services and children's activities along with the mid-Atlantic region's finest carvers, artists and writers.
There is no admission charge to enjoy the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum. Hours from New Year's to Christmas are 10 AM to 5 PM Monday through Saturday and 2 to 5 PM on Sunday. Membership categories start at $25 for individuals, and benefits vary based on the amount of contribution.


If you know of an event or exhibit of interest to Crystal Coast visitors, submit your event with the event name, date, description and website address or contact phone number. We'll review your event for inclusion in the NC Crystal Coast navi-gator event calendar!

Back