NC coastal town ranks among the nation’s best — again. Why it’s ‘underrated’
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- A North Carolina town ranks among the “most underrated” coastal destinations to check out.
- Beaufort made it onto the nationwide list from a longtime travel writer.
- The town, located near popular beaches, was recognized for its waterfront and history.
A North Carolina coastal town has been called a hidden gem — but it may not be a secret for long.
That’s because Beaufort again ranks among the nation’s best places for a waterfront getaway. This time around, longtime travel writer Will McGough put the town on a list of the six “most underrated U.S. coastal destinations to visit this summer.”
“In my more than 15 years of travel writing, I’ve come to realize that smaller coastal destinations offer just as much activity, history and scenery as the big names, but with far fewer crowds, lower prices and a more relaxed attitude,” McGough wrote in a June 1 report for Yahoo Travel.
Here’s what to know about Beaufort and its recent honors.
What makes Beaufort special?
Beaufort, home to about 4,500 people, was the only place in North Carolina to make it onto the list. The destination is a roughly 150-mile drive southeast from Raleigh, near the popular vacation spots of Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle.
“Beaufort, North Carolina, was founded in 1709 and is one of the state’s oldest towns, combining a working waterfront, historic homes and, most importantly in my book, easy access to some of the Atlantic Coast’s least-developed barrier islands,” McGough wrote in the Yahoo Travel report.
McGough also gave a nod to Beaufort’s waterfront area, calling it “compact and walkable, and filled with old homes, seafood restaurants and docks overlooking Taylor’s Creek.”
It’s not the first time Beaufort has made its mark. The town was named one of the prettiest in the South, The News & Observer reported in 2024.
The honors continued this year, when Beaufort ranked among the nation’s most-loved coastal towns, a fan-favorite place along the East Coast and a top Southern retirement destination. In their write-ups, websites have highlighted features ranging from waterfront restaurants to historic ties to the infamous pirate Blackbeard.
And in case you’re wondering, the town’s name is pronounced “BOW-fert” or “BOH-fert,” unlike a South Carolina that’s spelled the same way, Southern Living reported.
Other fan-favorite coastal destinations
Peaceful vacation spots have made it into the spotlight recently. Earlier this year, the small town of Holden Beach was named North Carolina’s No. 1 place for sand and surf.
In the report from Yahoo Travel, the winning destinations weren’t published in ranked order. Here are the other places that landed on the nationwide list:
- Cape May, New Jersey
- San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, California
- Oceanside, California
- Titusville, Florida
- Apalachicola, Florida
Portions of this story were previously published in The News & Observer.
This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 1:11 PM with the headline "NC coastal town ranks among the nation’s best — again. Why it’s ‘underrated’."
