Three spots to catch Beaufort’s best sunsets!

As you can see, Beaufort has some of the best sunsets along the North Carolina coast.

Why?

It all has to do with Beaufort’s location.

Before we tell you the best spots to catch a sunset in Beaufort, let’s talk location, as well as directions.

The town of Beaufort sits at the end of a peninsula-like strip of land between the Newport and North Rivers, near the eastern half of Carteret County, North Carolina.

Click here for a map.

Beaufort is just to the east of Morehead City very near the end of US Highway 70, a road that stretches all the way from Arizona to the coast of North Carolina. Beaufort’s waterfront is protected by a small collection of islands and sandbars known as the Rachel Carson Reserve. Between the Reserve and Beaufort’s historic district and waterfront area is a harbor and stretch of water known as Taylor’s Creek.

Click here for another visual.

The destination beaches of Bogue Banks (Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores, Salter Path, Indian Beach, and Emerald Isle) are a short drive from town, and both Shackleford Banks and the rest of Cape Lookout National Seashore are a short boat ride away.

Directions in the area can be tricky though, because the coastline around Beaufort runs east to west as opposed to north to south like most of the rest of the east coast of the US. This can cause a bit of confusion because if you are on a boat sailing out of an inlet on the east coast of the U.S. you expect to be sailing east.

Along this stretch of North Carolina coast, from Cape Lookout to Bogue Inlet that is simply not the case. Sail out of Beaufort Inlet and you’ll be headed south toward the Caribbean.

What does this weird geography do for Beaufort?

It can make directions a bit confusing.

Sunset from the Inlet Inn’s widow’s walk

If you are standing on the widow’s walk at the Inlet Inn and looking out across Beaufort Inlet to the ocean, you are not looking towards England, but towards the Bahamas. Which is not a bad thing at all, and for most of us just an interesting piece of trivia. However, the orientation of Beaufort does create one really good thing for residents and visitors…

Amazing Sunsets.

Sunset at the Rhum Bar

It’s that east – west orientation that makes for the great sunsets in Beaufort and all along the Crystal Coast.

Beaufort’s Front Street runs just slightly off a east-west axis, and while the sunrises are a bit behind you in Beaufort, the sunsets are absolutely perfect.

So, where are the best spots in town to watch these amazing sunsets?

Sunset from along the boardwalk

A stroll along the boardwalk will get you a great sunsets for free, as will a walk down to the west end of front street and a few minutes sitting on one of the stone benches at the traffic circle by the Duncan House.

Also, a walk down Ann Street ends at the Beaufort Inn’s parking lot, another great places to view a sunset.

But, there are three perfect places to view the sunset, and if you are visiting Beaufort, you will at least occasionally patronize one of these businesses if not all three on different trips.

Just make sure to get there just before sunset.

First, mentioned above, is the Inlet Inn’s widow’s walk.

Second, the lower deck of the Front Street Grill’s Rhum Bar.

Third, the balconies of the Gallant’s Channel-side rooms at the Beaufort Inn.

While these three are not necessarily in order, all three are excellent. If we had to chose a first place sunset location in Beaufort, it would have to be number 2 – the lower decks at the Front Street Grill’s Rhum Bar.