Understand
The Crystal Coast is primarily a vacation destination, which means that it's busiest during the summer months. Aside from the ordinary tourists, many people own property in the area but only live there part-time. In season, the crowds can get fairly heavy. Off-season, since there are so few people in the area, many shops and restaurants are closed.
Although temperatures in this part of North Carolina can become very hot and humid, the Crystal Coast - particularly the Bogue Banks area - often feels much more pleasant, thanks to the sea breezes blowing in off the Atlantic.
As the Crystal Coast - and the area's larger settlements - technically end at Beaufort, locals refer to the rural area from the North River to Cedar Island as "Down East", also sometimes called the Core Sound region. This area of Carteret County is a living reminder of the area's traditions: the settlements are mostly small waterfront fishing villages, many of the residents make traditional handicrafts, and they have their own unique dialect.
