This fall, visitors to North Carolina’s Crystal Coast are in store for more than just cultural and heritage travel—they can experience the region’s mysterious past during “Ghosts of the Coast,” featuring sites in historic towns throughout the southern Outer Banks. Adventurous Crystal Coast visitors will discover legendary figures and their stories as they roam through these unforgettable places.

Founded in 1709, Historic Beaufort will celebrate its 300th birthday in 2009. The maritime township is dotted with grand 18th-century mansions, including Hammock House, where claims of ghostly activity have originated. The written history of Beaufort began nearly 500 years ago with the discovery of the area by Spanish Captain Pedro de Salaza in 1514. Thus, Beaufort County was the site of the second landing on the North American continent by Europeans. The first landing in Saint Augustine, Florida, by Ponce de Leon, was only a year earlier. Beaufort was captured and plundered by the Spanish in 1747 and again by the British in 1782. The 4,200 residents who call the active port town home enjoy wonderful ocean views and among the sights are the remains of Blackbeard’s 40-gun flagship, Queen Anne’s Revenge.

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