Beaufort is a historic town with coastal charm
Established in 1709, Beaufort is one of the oldest towns along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. Its history and coastal location help establish its legacy, and its 4,800 residents maintain its community-oriented essence. “The great thing about life here is it’s the true representation of small-town, coastal living,” says local Realtor Greg Moss of Beaufort Realty, who has lived in town for almost 15 years. “You can build relationships, get to know your neighbors, and truly be a part of a community if that’s what you’re seeking.” Beaufort’s early economic success as a fishing industry has yielded to tourism and shipbuilding. Residents enjoy a historic downtown and location along the water, offering access to restaurants, paddle trails and beaches.
Rocking chairs in historic downtown Beaufort
Beaufort is a rocking chair community. “We have so many [rocking chairs] on front porches,” Moss says. “I’m sitting on one right now.” He says its common for residents to sit on their porch and talk to people passing by. “It’s what we do here,” he says. “You get to know people from your front porch.”
The community’s oldest homes are downtown, including craftsman bungalows, colonials and Victorians that date to the 19th century. Moss notes that Beaufort also has homes built across the 20th and 21st centuries. “Beaufort has something for everyone,” he says. “Whether you’re looking for a coastal estate, 40 acres with a farmhouse, a house in a neighborhood or a waterfront condo, we have something for everybody.” Homes on lots over an acre are typically north of downtown and close to the Neuse River. The median sale price here is $489,000, just above the national median.
Carteret County Public Schools earns high remarks on Niche
Carteret County Public Schools serves just over 8,000 students and scores an overall A-minus on Niche. Beaufort Elementary and Beaufort Middle School, both located in the community’s heart, also have an A-minus on Niche. East Carteret High School offers career and technical education courses for students looking to earn an occupational or Career College Promise diploma. Niche gives the high school an overall B.
Annual events and fresh-caught seafood
Beaufort’s historic downtown area is a hub of locally owned businesses and community events. “Beaufort stays alive and thriving throughout the year,” Moss says. “From things like the Saturday morning farmers market, to events and parades. Beaufort never stops.” The Beaufort Food and Wine Festival and the Beaufort Music Festival are some of the biggest annual events, and the Beaufort Pirate Invasion nods to the community’s history with historical reenactments and interactive exhibits. Residents also get together for the holidays. “The first weekend in December is huge for Beaufort,” Moss says. “We have the Christmas parade that goes down Front Street, and we have the Flotilla, where people decorate boats of all sizes and sail down Taylor’s Creek in a beautiful display.”
Beaufort features several restaurants, from waterfront spots on Front Street to local mainstays on Live Oak Street. “I joke that if you can’t find good food in Beaufort, you aren’t looking hard enough,” Moss says. Several restaurants craft their menu around the catch of the day. “We have such an abundance of fresh seafood that our area chefs highlight in an amazing way,” he says. Blackbeard’s Grill serves fresh-caught oysters and crab legs, and Miss Gina’s Fresh Shrimp sells shrimp straight from the water out of a small spot along U.S. Route 70.
Waterfront parks and kayaking the Rachel Carson Reserve
Beaufort’s location on the water encourages an outdoorsy lifestyle. “Beaches and boating are, of course, huge here,” Moss says. “There’s also fishing, shrimping, kiteboarding, hiking trails and a huge level of natural resources.” Several town-operated parks line Front Street and overlook Taylor’s Creek. Curtis Perry Park has a public boat ramp and walking piers, Fishermen’s Park features a small sandy strip and Grayden Paul Park offers additional launch space with a floating dinghy dock. Grayden Paul also has benches, picnic tables and a gazebo with water views. Most parks have limited space for kayak storage, which is offered to residents through an annual lottery.
The paddle trail at the Rachel Carson Reserve is one of the closest, and arguably most popular, spots for kayaking and canoeing. The reserve comprises four small barrier islands and salt marshes busy with wildlife. A herd of nearly 30 wild horses are easily the reserve’s most famous residents, protected and monitored by the town. Paddlers can also see bottlenose dolphins, sea otters and hundreds of bird species.
Navigating Beaufort
While Beaufort has a walkable downtown area, the community is mainly car-dependent. U.S. Route 70 cuts through the community’s heart, running 4 miles west to Morehead City and 15 miles east to Smyrna. Residents also get around by water; several docking spots are in Atlantic Beach and Morehead City. Carteret Health Care is one of the nearest hospitals, about 6 miles west, and the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport is about 32 miles away.
Flooding risks in Beaufort
Beaufort’s location along the water makes it susceptible to severe storms. According to First Street, the community has an extreme risk of flooding, and flood insurance is recommended. “We do get hurricanes,” Moss says. “Many of the area’s homes are built knowing we will get storms, and Beaufort is considered a ‘storm-ready’ community, which helps us with our flood insurance costs.”
Written By
Brennen Martin
