Fort Macon Historic Site

The fort itself was beautiful and pleasant to visit. Many of the rooms were restored and there was information to read or you could push a button to listen. The grounds were kept up beautifully and there is a gift shop and information about the Carolina coast inside the main entrance.
However, our experience was dampened because a tour guide (Dan) told us that we should have brought our kids (ages 1 and 3) to McDonald’s. This snarky comment made us uncomfortable, as we had 3 adults watching our kids closely and we were conscious to avoid other groups etc etc. state parks and historic sites should be placed to learn and enjoy, not to feel on edge and judged.

I am not a history buff but if you are into this kind of thing, this place would be all you.
I didn’t read much of the stuff admittedly as I walked the fort, but I know this fort has been used in several wars, has changed hands several times, and is strategically placed to protect the coastline. It is placed to protect Bogue Inlet, Bogue Sound, and of course the Atlantic Ocean and where these all come together.
It has a large parking lot, acces through dunes to see Bogue Inlet, a visitor center, and the fort itself. Seeing ships come through the inlet to Morehead City (TWSS) or Beaufort is pretty cool.
The visitor center has a gift shop, auditorium, bathrooms, and other educational stuff about the fort. Thank glob it has AC because holy freaking humid.
You can walk through the fort, see how soldiers lived, what different things were used for, etc. I liked looking at the building itself and this part I enjoyed even without trying to understand all the history stuff that goes with it. A few rooms underneath the fort detail different aspects of the fort and have artifacts with informational stuff. These have AC too.
It is huge, you can climb all over it and under it, touch it, and learn anything you want to about it. It is impressive to look at if anything else. The preservation job that has been done is excellent.

Very easy to find and it has quite a bit to do (unlike the rest of Atlantic Beach). It is really worth the visit, Civil War buff or not. The parking is plentiful and the bathrooms are clean. The staff is cordial and helpful. You can walk onto the beach from here and it’s lovely.
There are different rooms in the fort itself showing life/​artifacts. And it’s free!

For what this is — a historical site — I don’t see how this could have been any better. We went on a cool day that was not very crowded, so our conditions were ideal.
The information center/​museum had plenty of information and the fort itself was set up perfectly to explore and read information pertaining to the ENTIRE history of the fort, from it’s beginnings to it’s WWII activity. Interesting stuff.
We always like to fit in a little history somewhere in our trips, and this was a great stop.

Very nice and restored. This is one of the nicest state parks I’ve been to. If you are in the area and like history this is a must to check out. Plenty of video explanations and they do tour’s as well.

Very cool place to explore while you are in the area. I was amazed at how well preserved the fort, moat, and artifacts are. Great displays of war history; all ages can enjoy these. You can walk around here for a few hours reading, going in various rooms/​displays and checking out the moat, and cannons on display. The best part about this, its FREE! The banks across from the site provide a pretty view of the inlet.

Way cool place to visit. This place is FREE which is unbelievable for all you can see and do. The visitor’s center is huge and offers a movie to watch which plays every 30 minutes. They offer wheelchairs if you have someone traveling with you who is not able to walk very well. They have a walk through area where you can look at what life was like inside the fort and also check out what the wild life is like. There are interactive things which are great for kids. The fort itself is in great shape with being how old it is. They went out of their way to make it a great experience. You can walk in several doors and behind plexiglass will be a scene like you would see back in the day. There are buttons you can push that will play a recording with facts and interesting information about what you are looking at. You can climb stairs to reach a top level which gives you a breath taking view of the water and boats. The canons are cool to look at and they have a huge pile of canon balls on the lower level. If you are in the area, stop by! You can spend about 2 hours there if you watch the movie and walk through the vistors center and also the fort. SO COOL!

Great place to spend a couple of hours. It’s free also! Lots of exhibits detail the history of the fort, including uniforms, and enlisted and officer quarters. The few times we’ve gone they have had demonstrations of shooting a flintlock rifle.
There are a lot of places to explore that have nothing in them, just underground rooms. It is sort of spooky walking around the underground area because it is so dark, even though there were no deaths related to war at the fort.

Most forts are broken down to the point that visiting them is almost like standing on a small hill (and in some cases is exactly the same). Not Fort Macon. This is a real fort. Fortress is more like it. If you catch them on the right day — check the web site for exact dates — you can even view a re-​enacted cannon firing. The only problem is that for those of you who grew up watching explosions on television, the process is excruciatingly slow. Be prepared.
The fort itself is pretty amazing, with plenty of exhibits to see throughout, and if parts of your party are not interested in that sort of thing, stick them out on the beach while everyone else runs around inside. Both the for and the beach are free, as is the parking for both. Just make sure that they get there early, because the parking lot does fill up, at which point they are completely out of luck.

Mid-​may was a fantastic time to visit. The free tour of the fort was a very informative and fun outing.

This is a great attraction for the entire family. It’s completely free, very nicely restored and there are several great exhibits showing the history of the fort. The exhibits show life at the fort through several wars (it was used as recently as WWII). Once you’re done touring the fort the surrounding beaches are wonderful and offer a great view of the boats coming and going through the inlet.

Fun and easy to access from the beach. As people have said, it’s absolutely free. You can basically just wander on in and all of the sudden you’re inside a bunker from the Civil War. They have some neat historic features such as the rooms in which the men ate their meals, where they slept, etc. I unfortunately brought a digital camera with me at a time when digital cameras were in their infancy, so the photos I got are barely worth having, but still decent enough to have captured the moment.

Best deal on the Island… completely free!!! Very educational and enjoyable. Take note though, as the sign says, «Fort Macon is made for War not safety»

Ft. Macon was constructed in the 1800’s and is a great example of the forts on the coast lines that with stood enemy attacks. It was actually used in the Spanish-​American war, and is now a State Park. Admission is free. They have re-​enactments as well as a great self-​guided tour of the facility. When we have company visiting, I always take them here. It’s also right on the beach, so when your done at the Fort, you can go dive into the Atlantic Ocean! It is wheel Chair access able.

Beautifully preserved coastal fort that is easily accessible for young and old alike. Located right at the end of Bogue Banks, the only east-​west segment of the North Carolina Banks just south of the true Outer Banks, Fort Macon was one of the earlier forts retaken by Union forces in the Civil War. It’s a traditional moat and earth embattlement fort with good displays of officer and enlisted quarters, gun emplacements, and earthworks. The surrounding State Park has some beautiful public beaches. One other note, I cannot confirm but have heard rumors that men who enjoy the company of other men favor this beach after nightfall. I guess a week with the family will drive some men to the end of the island, if not the end of the earth!