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North Carolina Attractions|Nature|State Parks

This Hidden Beach Along The North Carolina Crystal Coast Is The Best Place To Find Seashells

By Robin Jarvis | Published March 28, 2021

One of the most remote state parks in North Carolina is found in Swansboro, where the visitor center functions as the launch point for a ferry that transports visitors 15 minutes to the east to Bear Island. Bear Island is four miles of undeveloped wilderness with positively stunning beaches to explore.

Upwards of 200,000 visitors per year take the ferry ride out to Bear Island to enjoy the stunning vistas and a day in the sun and sand.

The state park offers boating, kayaking, fishing, swimming, and picnicking as main activities available.

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But there's still another reason for visiting Bear Island.

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It's unique position along the coast makes it a fantastic place to look for sea shells.

Prepare for the motherload when you visit.

And you'll find some real beauties here, too. Relative to other parks in the system, this state park doesn't see as many visitors as some of the others, perhaps due to the ferry ride to get here.

During prime turtle season, you may even get lucky enough to see some hatchlings clawing their way out of a nest and migrating over to the sea.

From September to May each year, the park is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and from June to August, it's open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

See the 2021 schedule for the ferry service here. You can find out more about Hammocks Beach State Park right here.

Where do you like to go hunting for sea shells in North Carolina? Let us know in the comments!

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Hammocks Beach State Park, 1572 State Rd 1511, Swansboro, NC 28584, USA