Beach on a budget at N.C.'s Crystal Coast

By Clara Bosonetto Maerz

For ajc.com

Where are the beaches not so packed this summer? Where is there a coastline without high-rise buildings? Where can you stay in a beachfront house on a budget?

The answer is the Crystal Coast of North Carolina's Southern Outer Banks. This is a hidden gem of a destination with budget-friendly things to do and explore. In fact, many of the best to-do's in the region cost less than $10!

For instance, the Cape Lookout Ferry (round-trip $10) lets beachlovers explore the uninhabited beaches along the Cape Lookout National Seashore and scope out the perfect picnic spot in the shadows of a lighthouse.

Head out to Shackleford Banks (round-trip $10) to view Shackleford horses that swam ashore after Spanish explorers met a tragic fate off the coast and have continued to reside on the island since the 1500s.

Buried treasures excavated from Blackbeard's ship are on exhibit at the North Carolina Maritime Museum (suggested donation $5), including the famed bell that serves as proof of the authenticity of the discovery and a replica of his ship, Queen Anne's Revenge.

Get up close with the marine animals and wildlife at the state's largest aquarium, the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores ($8). It's home to touchable sting rays, sharks, dated fossils and an extensive shell collection.

Board an English double-decker bus ($8) and ride through historic Beaufort while listening to tales of a rich past. In more recent years Beaufort was the backdrop of the Nicholas Sparks best-selling novel, A Walk to Remember.

Explore Fort Macon, a pentagon shaped fort that protected the area from the Civil War through the World Wars, www.ncparks.gov, ($4 bath house fee).

The islands are one of the only remaining natural barrier island systems in the world with 85 miles of coastline — 56 miles of which are in the protected Cape Lookout National Seashore. What's unique is that the island chain curves south, which makes it possible to admire both the sunrise and spectacular sunsets.

Now, about that beachfront home. This link will direct you to the web site of several area realtors. Heavy discounting is under way for August visits, with homes and condos with three- and four-bedrooms renting for $1,500 for a week. Or, try shopping the hundreds of listings of private rental properties at VRBO.com.

For a true sleep-on-the-beach experience, rent a rustic cabin in Cape Lookout National Park. Cabins sleep from four to 12 bunk-bed style. Some have screened porches, and most are wired for generator use (provide your own). Cabins have a hot water heater, table, chairs, and a kitchen with cabinets, propane oven/stove combination and a private bath. You need to bring your own linens, bedding and cookware. It's pretty much camping, but with a solid roof. Nightly rates start from just $84. For more, www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/lodging.htm.