Patty

How is Atlantic Beach? I would be interested in nice hotel, reading on the beach, restaurants and things to keep my 16 yr old son busy.

Rich

Atlantic Beach is okay, but I like some of the smaller towns on the same island a lot better. AB is on a barrier island that has AB at one end and Emerald Isle at the other. Those are also the two largest/busiest towns and a lot of Atlantic Beach is overly crowded and commercial if you're looking for a relaxing trip.

Better go 20-30 minutes (if that) farther down the island to places like Salter Path, Indian Beach, or Pine Knoll Shores. You can still drive up to Atlantic Beach or over the bridge back to Morehead City on the mainland to eat or whatever, but to me the beaches are nicer at those other places and it's much more peaceful.

There is a small but nice aquarium run by the state at Pine Knoll Shores. Your son might also enjoy Ft. Macon, a civil war fort in Atlantic Beach. There are also your usual putt-putt/go-karts type things in AB that appeal to the kids. I remember when I was a kid we used to go to a place called Jungleland that was a jungle-themed putt-putt course with bumper boats, arcade, etc that we found pretty entertaining, but then again this was the late 70s/early 80s and kids were more easily amused in those days. ;-)

Lani

Hey there Patty,

I much prefer Emerald Isle down at the other end of the Island...........we go there every year in October for a week, and love it! Atlantic Beach is the most commercial of the whole strand so I would go to Emerald Isle where it's prettier, more peaceful..........there's a theater for your son, good pizza parlor, etc. I think you'd like it, and Swansboro, a charming little town, is right across the bridge!

RB

It's a family tradition to rent a cottage at AB. IMO, AB doesn't seem overly crowded or commercial, but that's in comparison to other beach locations like Myrtle Beach or Panama City. However, during the summer, all of what is now being billed as "the Emerald Coast" (AB, Salter, Emerald Isle, Bogue) is thick with traffic. For that reason, I like being up in a cottage toward Fort Macon, basically to be closer to the bridge over to Morehead City and its restaurants. However, since you're looking for a motel, Salter Path or Emerald Isle will be your location. There are restaurants in that location; it's just tradition for us to go to Tony's or Mrs. Willis's over the bridge. As for your son, there are not as many attractions (like at Myrtle Beach)- Jungleland Golf is still there. We play every year! Something that both you and your son may enjoy is riding over and taking a boat ferry from Harkers Island (go to Calico Jack's) to Cape Lookout. They are building a duck decoy museum over at Harkers, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum; also several boatbuilders live in this community.

Andy

There is a beautiful SHERATON right on the beach in Atlantic Beach in the PINE KNOLLS Section --You will LOVE IT!!

As far as restaurants-
The super good ones are in Beaufort NC-about a 20 min drive N=but Beaufort is a charming quaint (looks like New England) fishhing village-where the sailboats and yachts tie up right in town-It is gorgeous and fun to walk around day or nite---

dan woodlief

Atlantic Beach is not all that crowded if you go in late September or after. We found it perfect during the last week of September/first week of October. It was very crowded the last time we went (Memorial Day), and the traffic can be bad when there are lots of people.

Things to do - Ft. Macon as mentioned, which is one of the state's most popular tourist sites. Piers if your son fishes. There are amusement rides in the center of Atlantic Beach near the bridge and another golf/amusement place (my daughter loved it, but she was two) farther down toward Indian Beach/Salter Path. Beaufort is a nice little old town to visit. Blackbeard's house is there, but you can't tour it. You can also visit nearby New Bern, which is a very historic town, and tour Tryon Palace, the old colonial governor's mansion.

There are several places north of the bridge toward Ft. Macon where you can rent a place (maybe 3-4 rooms) for a little over $100 a night. We enjoyed that area. I have only stayed in one hotel there but can't remember the name right now. Personally, I like Atlantic Beach for a place to stay because it does offer some activities. Go at the right time, and it can be fairly peaceful too.

Oh, food is fairly easy to find too. Sanitary Fish Market in Morehead City is one I would highly recommend. Of course, it is clean too...

Sant

I recommend Mosquito Cafe, just up from the Sanitary. Really good, inventive food. The inside is decorated like the Louisana bayou, icluding sounds of crickets and frogs.