Did you know that Fort Macon was North Carolina’s first functioning state park? It has a restored Civil War-era fort, a coastal education center and an unspoiled shoreline for swimming, surf fishing and beachcombing. The fort was once a project of Robert E. Lee as a young army engineer. Located at the eastern tip of Bogue Banks in Carteret County, it is surrounded by water on three sides.

The park holds guided tours, reenactments and cannon and musket firings, and its museum’s restored quarters give you a peek into the lives of officers and soldiers. There are also opportunities to learn about estuaries and dune fields. (252) 726-3775 or ncparks.gov/fort-macon-state-park