Pirates on the Coastline of North Carolina

Fly into Wilmington, North Carolina, where your adventures in travel have led you to step back into 300 years of history to walk in the footsteps of the most famous pirate of all ─ Blackbeard!You’ll meet your fellow travelers and guide and travel to Beaufort, called “America’s Coolest Small Town.” Here, your pirate guide will take you down the same streets that Blackbeard walked, introducing you to the area’s colorful pirate heritage and the town’s unique history.

Tales of Blackbeard, one of the most notorious and well-known of the pirates, still live on in the minds of the inhabitants here. At the North Carolina Maritime Museum, you’ll learn about Queen Anne’s Revenge, which was Blackbeard’s flagship, and see artifacts that were uncovered from beneath the sea when it was discovered just offshore in Beaufort Inlet. At Blackbeard’s headquarters at the Hammock House they say you can still hear the screams of those who were tortured!

Beaufort’s award-winning Ghost Walk will bring alive 300 years of history. You’ll hear legends and chilling stories of from the Golden Age of Piracy and Blackbeard. At the Old Burial Grounds, you will be reminded that the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” is just off the coast – the resting place for 5,000 ships since the 1500s. You may even catch some supernatural and ghostly photos along the way!

Today you’ll head out to Bath, North Carolina’s oldest town and first port, where Blackbeard received a royal pardon from the colonial governor. He settled down here for a while, bought a home, and even married his 14th wife!  Learn about this legendary pirate and his crew in the historic homes of Bath and the ghostly phenomenon of “Blackbeard’s Lights.”

From here, the ferry to the Outer Banks village of Ocracoke will take you to another of Blackbeard’s hideouts and where he fought his last battle and was killed in 1718.

You’ll overnight here in Ocracoke and step back in time with another Ghost and History Tour. There are lots of ghosts to learn about ─ the Lightkeeper’s Ghost, the Green Ghost, the Phantom Freighter, Mad Mag Howard, and the Beheading of Blackbeard! And even more!

As you awaken in Ocracoke, indulge yourself in everything pirate at Teach’s Hole (Blackbeard’s real name was Edward Teach) in its museum with a documentary on his life and death.

Then, North Carolina’s National Scenic Byway beckons. Another ferry ride will take you to Cape Hatteras. Here you can explore more of the area’s maritime history at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum where you can explore the stories of ships lost from piracy, weather, and warfare. Climb the Cape Hatteras lighthouse and learn more the area’s history and heritage at the Museum of the Sea.

Back in Beaufort today, enjoy a relaxing coastal cruise to search for dolphins and explore more of this chain of barrier islands and shorelines.

Later, cruise to Shackleford Banks to see wild horses believed to be descendants of Spanish Mustangs from centuries ago before the time of Blackbeard. Could he have known their ancestors? Your guide will share their story of how they came to live in this wild and secluded land.

A pirate’s dinner awaits you tonight to reminisce about your diverse experiences with the pirates of long ago, and the efforts to preserve the wildlife and natural resources of this incredible coastline.

Explore the Rachel Carson Reserve devoted to the balance of healthy coastal watersheds that create ecological and human communities that thrive. Explore the area with a nature hike at low tide, follow the Boardwalk down Taylor’s Creek, and take a cruise around the Reserve to appreciate the unique habitat where fresh and saltwater combine into a pristine environment supporting diverse fish and wildlife.

Later, set sail on a tall pirate ship filled with history and local legends, water cannons, wild adventures, and a live pirate show. Take part in the story as you are transported to the time of Blackbeard. Sail past the spot where Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, lies beneath the waters and listen to the spirits of times past. A fun pirate adventure to remember as you head home tomorrow.

Today you say farewell to Blackbeard and the coastline that still carries his memory. May you return home with happy memories of new friends, pirates, and the beauty of the North Carolina coast.