3 North Carolina Destinations Among The Best Coastal Towns In America

With thousands of miles of shoreline around the country, there are countless beautiful seaside towns waiting to welcome visitors on an idyllic trip to take in scenic views of oceans and lakes and experience a quiet getaway from everyday life. EnjoyTravel.com compiled a list of the 50 best coastal towns in the United States, and two in North Carolina made the cut.

Southport, Bald Head Island and Nags Head, all mainstays of North Carolina beach getaways, are among the best coastal towns in the entire country, coming in at No. 17, No. 27 and No. 48, respectively. Here's what the site had to say:

Southport

"A highlight of the ever-beautiful Brunswick Islands is Southport. This insta-worthy paradise is loaded with quiet, picturesque neighborhoods, a lively riverwalk and tons of natural beauty. Afterall, the local slogan is America's Happiest Seaside Town and they certainly drive it home."

Bald Head Island

"Don't be swayed by the name, Bald Head Island is legendary for its natural beauty and rich history. This car-free island is known for its hospitality and long past involving pirates. Yep, even Blackbeard once used the infamous Bald Head Island as a hideout."

Nags Head

"The three gorgeous beach towns of Kill Devil Hill, Kitty Hawk and Nags Head all come together for what's known as the Nags Head area. Spread across 11 miles of pristine sand and waves complete with charming piers, Nags Head is a favorite in the Carolinas. Not only is it drop dead gorgeous, it also boasts the tallest sand dune on the East Coast."

These are the 10 best coastal towns in America:

1. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
2. Nantucket, Massachusetts
3. Narragansett, Rhode Island
4. Cape May, New Jersey
5. Santa Barbara, California
6. Key West, Florida
7. Kennebunkport, Maine
8. Cannon Beach, Oregon
9. Jekyll Island, Georgia
10. Long Beach, Washington

Check out the full list at enjoytravel.com to read up on the best coastal towns in the country.