North Carolina Town Crowned The 'Coolest Small Town' In The State

You may think that big cities are the height of cool and have the most opportunities for exciting experiences, but you can find some of that magic and even more in smaller cities hidden away from a bustling metropolis. Fortunately for those in North Carolina, the state has plenty of both!

Far & Wide compiled a list of the "coolest small town" in each state, basing its picks on various sources and travel sites like U.S. News & World Report, Reader's Digest and The Travel Channel. According to the site, the best small town in all of North Carolina is Ocracoke Island, a town in the Outer Banks settled in 1750 that has a population around 1,000.

Here's what makes the town so special:

"North Carolina's Outer Banks are barrier islands separating the Southern state from the Atlantic Ocean. They're all lovely in their own way, but Ocracoke stands out. Thought it's just 13 miles longs and 2 miles wide, the island was home to the famous adventurer Sir Walter Raleigh in the late 1500s and Blackbeard in the 1700s. (He was captured and killed here; some even say he was born and raised here!) This rich history can be explored, or one can simply enjoy the miles upon miles of beaches when visiting."

See more of the best small towns around the country by checking out the full list at Far & Wide. You can also see our previous coverage of the coolest city in the state to see what a bigger city has to offer.