Ideal Living - Summer 2010

top places to retire

Find Small Town Charm and Big City Amenities in the Coastal Carolinas

Imagine a place with shaded maritime forests, crystalline ocean waters, winding inlets and scenic marshes, coupled with incredible restaurants featuring fresh-from-the-coast seafood, unique shops and boutiques, unparalleled diving, innumerable golf courses and a host of recreational activities. You’ve just pictured the beautiful coasts of North and South Carolina. Whether you’re looking to retire near the beach or just seeking a slower pace of life, the cities and towns of the eastern Carolinas are ideal retirement destinations.

The Crystal Coast

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast consists of 85 miles
of sand shoreline, 56 of which are protected within
the Cape Lookout National Seashore. This string of
barrier islands in the southern Outer Banks is one
of the world’s only remaining natural barrier island
systems—on one side of the island chain is the
Atlantic Ocean, and on the other, the Intracoastal
Waterway and Bogue Sound. The area is comprised
of a number of islands, cities and beach towns, most
notably Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Morehead City,
Indian Beach, New Bern, Manteo and Beaufort. The
solitude and peace found there, combined with a
phenomenal array of natural and manmade attrac-
tions, make it an incredible place to call home.

While getting to the Crystal Coast is relatively easy, it takes some effort. Located 100 miles from Interstate 95, it is not a place you stumble upon by accident. The nearest major city is Raleigh, which is a three-hour drive away and a straight shot on Interstate 70 once you reach the highway. The Crystal Coast is served by US Airways commuter services to Coastal Carolina Regional Airport in New Bern and Albert Ellis Airport in Jacksonville. Private and chartered services are offered in Beaufort.