Windswept lighthouses, wild horses & salty shores
Windswept lighthouses, wild horses & salty shores
Corolla, NC 27927Folly Beach, SC 29439
Trip overview
Embark on a salty, windswept journey down the Carolina coastline, discovering wild horses, historic lighthouses, and authentic coastal dining.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Corolla
Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Climb the 220 steps of this iconic, unpainted red-brick lighthouse for sweeping views of the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.
1102 Corolla Village Rd, Corolla, NC 27927
Bodie Island Lighthouse
A striking black-and-white horizontally striped lighthouse nestled in marshland, offering brilliant photo opportunities and a serene boardwalk hike.
8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Rd, Nags Head, NC 27959
Sam & Omie's Restaurant
One of the oldest active restaurants on the Outer Banks, serving up classic crab cakes and raw oysters in a cozy, unpretentious fisherman's joint.
9223 S Old Oregon Inlet Rd, Nags Head, NC 27959
Ocracoke Harbor Inn
Relax along the tranquil Silver Lake Harbor on Ocracoke Island, accessible only by ferry, boasting beautiful sunset views over the water.
211 Silver Lake Dr, Ocracoke, NC 27960
Day 2 — Ocracoke
Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Visit North Carolina's oldest operating lighthouse, a solid white, 75-foot structure tucked away in a quiet residential maritime forest.
90 Lighthouse Rd, Ocracoke, NC 27960
North Carolina Maritime Museum
Explore incredible pirate history and artifacts recovered from Blackbeard's flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge, which ran aground nearby.
315 Front St, Beaufort, NC 28516
Beaufort Grocery CO
Indulge in locally sourced seafood and gourmet southern classics inside a charming, restored historic grocery store in the heart of town.
117 Queen St, Beaufort, NC 28516
Inlet Inn
A classic waterfront inn offering harbor-facing balconies looking out over Taylor's Creek and the wild horses of Carrot Island.
601 Front St, Beaufort, NC 28516
Day 3 — Beaufort
Shackleford Banks Wild Horse Safari
Take a passenger ferry to an uninhabited barrier island to view the famous herds of wild Banker horses that have roamed the beaches for centuries.
Shackleford Banks (via Island Express Ferry, 600 Front St, Beaufort, NC 28516)
Fort Fisher State Historic Site
Walk the massive earthen remains of the Confederacy's largest fort, surrounded by gnarled live oaks whipped into shape by the salty wind.
1610 Fort Fisher Blvd S, Kure Beach, NC 28449
Provision Company
Feast on fresh steamed shrimp, crab cakes, and cold beers on an open-air deck overlooking the bustling Southport yacht basin.
130 Yacht Basin Dr, Southport, NC 28461
Day 4 — Murrells Inlet
Huntington Beach State Park & Atalaya Castle
Wander through the Moorish-style ruins of Atalaya Castle, then stroll the pristine, undeveloped maritime forest and windswept shoreline.
16148 Ocean Hwy, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
Bowens Island Restaurant
An iconic, graffiti-walled marsh-side oyster shack serving legendary local steamed oysters by the shovel-load in a truly authentic salty atmosphere.
1870 Bowens Island Rd, Charleston, SC 29412
Morris Island Lighthouse Viewpoint
Witness the hauntingly beautiful historic lighthouse that now stands isolated out in the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded entirely by water.
East Ashley Ave, Folly Beach, SC 29439
Experiences & guides
Bookable tours and stops worth a detour along this route.
Guide content may not reflect current conditions. Always verify information before your trip.
Frequently asked questions
The Carolina Shoreline road trip covers about 542 mi and roughly 12h 54m of driving, comfortably spread across about 4 days.
This itinerary maps out 14 stops from Corolla, NC 27927 to Folly Beach, SC 29439. Highlights include Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Shackleford Banks Wild Horse Safari, and Huntington Beach State Park & Atalaya Castle.
It begins in Corolla, NC 27927 and ends in Folly Beach, SC 29439, following a mapped, road-following route the whole way.
The estimated cost is around $1,004, covering fuel, lodging, food, and activities. Your actual total varies with the season, your pace, and the choices you make along the way.
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