# North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

> 3-day road trip of about 157 km (98 mi) with 8 stops, from New Bern to Swansboro. About 1 h 45 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b10-crystal-coast/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 157 km (98 mi) with 8 stops, from New Bern to Swansboro. About 1 h 45 min of driving in total. Colonial New Bern, the wild horses and lighthouse of Cape Lookout, and the beaches of Bogue Banks.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 157 km (98 mi) |
| Driving | 1 h 45 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | New Bern → Swansboro |
| States | NC |
| Updated | July 17, 2026 |

## Route description

New Bern, the colonial capital where Pepsi was invented, is a pleasant start with Tryon Palace and a walkable waterfront. Take US-70 southeast through pine forest and past Morehead City to Beaufort, a seaport of 18th-century houses with a maritime museum and wild horses grazing on the islands across the channel.

Continue to Harkers Island, home of decoy carvers and boatbuilders. From here, or from Beaufort, passenger ferries cross to Cape Lookout National Seashore, where you can climb the diamond-patterned lighthouse in season and walk empty beaches; no cars go to the island, so plan for a half-day trip.

Back on the mainland, cross to Bogue Banks at Atlantic Beach and visit Fort Macon, a brick fort guarding Beaufort Inlet. State Road 58 then runs the length of the island through Pine Knoll Shores to the quieter beaches of Emerald Isle.

End in Swansboro, a small fishing town on the White Oak River; Hammocks Beach State Park just outside it runs ferries to undeveloped Bear Island. Late spring and early fall are the best times, warm without the summer rental crowds.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **New Bern** (NC)
2. **Tryon Palace** (New Bern, NC): A rebuilt colonial governor’s palace with formal gardens on the Trent River, plus a history center on the town’s waterfront.
3. **Beaufort** (NC)
4. **Harkers Island** (NC)
5. **Cape Lookout Lighthouse** (Harkers Island, NC): A black-and-white diamond-patterned lighthouse on a roadless barrier island, reached only by passenger ferry from Harkers Island or Beaufort.
6. **Fort Macon State Park** (Atlantic Beach, NC): A pentagon-shaped brick fort from the 1820s guarding Beaufort Inlet, with free entry and a beach next door.
7. **Emerald Isle** (NC)
8. **Swansboro** (NC)

## FAQs

**How long is North Carolina’s Crystal Coast?**
3-day road trip of about 157 km (98 mi) with 8 stops, from New Bern to Swansboro. About 1 h 45 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for North Carolina’s Crystal Coast?**
We suggest 3 days: about 1 h 45 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does North Carolina’s Crystal Coast start and end?**
It starts in New Bern and ends in Swansboro.

**Which states does North Carolina’s Crystal Coast pass through?**
North Carolina.