Fort Macon State Park

A real surprise find. Lots of exhibits and history abounds. Recommend next trip to the Crystal Coast includes a half day for Fort Macon.

History. That’s all you need to know. A restored Civil War era fort. Cannon and musket demos and tours available. A little trail to walk the doggies on, access to the beach, a great gift shop and knowledgeable staff. I was lucky as this place is literally right next to the condo I stayed in for the week. Really lovely area, check it out!

Have been here a few times and we’ve really enjoyed learning all about the fort. The displays are set up with audio guides to draw you into the history and there are plenty of artifacts to keep the entire family interested. Today we went for a quick hike on the new section of trail and it was definitely worth the visit. They’ve cleared a good section of brush through a very picturesque part of the park perfect for an easy hike with little ones. Would definitely recommend you bring some insect repellent though — the mosquitos were out in full force. Unless we missed something, the trail head by the Coast Guard station isn’t marked with a very large sign, so don’t be surprised if you walk past it.

This is two state parks in one. The beach access portion includes a large covered area with a great view of the water. Great spot for fishermen — not the place for playing in the water.
The fort has a visitor’s center with restrooms and many displays with the history of the fort. Just a short walk from the visitor center is the actual Fort Macon.
There are many signs reminding visitors that the fort was built for war, and as such there are many things that are not «tourist friendly» such as uneven walking areas, steep steps, and sudden drop offs. For the history/​explorer fans that’s great information as there are many places in the fort to explore as you like. If you are a general tourist that means you REALLY need to be more cautious. Those that don’t pay attention could find themselves falling 10+ feet in some areas.
They do have a safe walkway into the fort with several displays of how the fort was used over the years. I was impressed with a lithograph of the fort being surrendered to the Union forces. The lithograph was placed so that you can see the same perspective of the artist. That placement of the lithograph in that spot really helped me have a better understanding of the events that happened here.
Great historical treasure. Enjoy — just be aware of the environment!

If you’re a history buff, this is a great place to stop by if you’re visiting the area. And, it’s free!
The fort itself allows for endless exploration, and opens just about all doors for you to peek in and around. They also have free guided tours from time to time which are a great added resource.

This park is not to be confused with Fort Macon itself. Yes the fort is in the park however.
The park consists of a public beach access. This access is excellent in that it has a *very* well kept bathouse, concession stand, and super large parking lot. You can access the ocean by a boardwalk/​gazebo thing as part of the bathhouse or through a few trails through the dunes. There are plenty of shower heads and feet washer thingies. Several shelters are available and don’t need to be rented.
Pro tip insider info: I would have not told people this years ago but I will now since I don’t do this much anymore. This is by far the most consistent place to do any kind of wave riding on the island. The best one that is accessible by car anyway. Ssshhhhh. Of course there are signs up for rip currents and often lifeguards on duty at certain times. You don’t see that anywhere else. Yes, it can get «tough» and it isn’t for everyone. Know what you are doing or getting yourself into. But of course it is a nice beach to chill at like any beach.
The park has a Coast Guard station and Fort Macon itself. The fort is a separate review however.

Really cool spot to check out. First of all it’s free and you get to learn some history! Nothing can beat that! Nice spot to take the family and it doesn’t take too long to visit. We were in and out in about an hour, but if your a history buff you can spend hours here I am sure. Definitely recommend if you want to take a break from the beach.

One of the best preserved and most educational historic forts I’ve ever been to!
During a family vacation to Emerald Isle, and a sunburn after 3 days on the beach, the hubby and I were looking for something to do close by. We’d heard that Fort Macon was pretty cool and entrance was free! Yeah cheap entertainment!
It was super hot out, and we started our self guided tour by walking around the top of the moat, reading the informational signs and looking out at the ocean. So far, I was pretty impressed. It was shaping up to be like most of the historic forts I had seen around the country.
We wandered down the stairs to the interior of the fort, and after wandering through the cavernous brick rooms, I noticed an entire section of the fort had sealed windows and doors. There were 4 – 5 AIR CONDITIONED rooms with incredible displays of Fort Macon’s history from the time it was constructed until it was made into a state park after WWII. It took us hours to read everything, listen to every history recording or video and to peek into all the cases or original artifacts.
After we got through all the rooms, we even discovered a few more recreations of life in Fort Macon during WWII, like their mess hall and ration storage.
It was so cool. I can absolutely say I have never learned so much at another State Park or Historic Fort. This place is super cool, especially if you’re a history buff!

Lovely site for a beach day with the family. The site has a large visitor center with lots of stalls for changing rooms and and a few functioning restroom stalls. Generally well maintained!
The beach also has a lifeguard on duty and the water wasn’t too deep. My only reservation was how windy it was. The sand covered my beach towel after a minute after laying it down. If you’re coming here, be sure to bring an umbrella!

Great place to spend a few hours with the family or kids. The fort and exhibits are very neat and have a lot of history. I learned a lot. Plus beach access is very close by. Definitely a great place to visit.

History, culture, nature; Fort Macon State Park has it all. The new visitor center is a welcome addition but still pales in comparison to walking around what I have found to be one of the best preserved Civil War era sites I have ever been to (and I have been to quite a few).
Be sure to take the FREE guided tour that takes you around the fort which is accessible for FREE.
Try to make it for one of the nights they have the canon firing demonstration. You will need to visit their site (
) to see when they are held.

Good place to go. Haven’t been here since 2000 and I’m glad I got to go back today. The visitor shop and rest room are good and clean. You take your dog all around the park but not into the fort proper. The cost is zero dollars. Nice short nature trail for children. Worth going.

As a history lover, this fort is one of my favorite places to visit in Eastern NC. What’s more, it’s FREE! When we first visited in 2010, I really enjoyed our visit, which felt like a step into the Civil War past. I was very excited to see the changes in the fort since we moved from the area in 2011.
There is a very nice nature exhibit in the visitor center that focuses on the natural life of the area, as well as living conditions of some of the former occupants of the fort. This area also highlights the negative impact of pollution and litter on the area. It is very hands on for kids, and this area kept our group of seven children and four adults very interested & stimulated. I could have spent another hour in this section, but had to keep up with the kids, who wanted to move on to the outside.
Inside the visitors center is a small theater where you can watch a video on the history of the fort. Inside the nature area you can watch a video about the birds of the area.
The outside area of the fort has always been my favorite. I think Fort Macon is very photographable. As another reviewer alluded to, the fort can have an eeriness to it, but after visiting several times, I find it just has a friendly air to me now. The exhibits throughout the fort show how life was lived on a daily basis during the different periods the fort was occupied, and there are artifacts, and stories of people who lived there, including the first African-​American to command a fort, during the Spanish American War. As a homeschooling parent, I have found the fort to be a great trip, and out of town guests really enjoy it as well.
I am really impressed with the volunteers, staff, rangers, etc who work here. On our last visit, we saw one of the rangers painting the exterior of the fort. It is very well kept. The volunteers who work in the visitor center are always eager to chat about the fort and answer questions. The fort has one of my favorite gift shops packed with neat period games, souvenirs, historical books, nature related items, pirate related items, patches, etc. There are ample bathrooms in the visitor center and they have been well maintained on every visit.
I am aware that there are events at the fort, and I wish I had been able to attend these. I think it would have been a great opportunity to see the fort in it’s historical setting.
When visiting the fort, I would keep kids close by. This isn’t the kind of place you allow your child to roam unsupervised, both out of respect for the fort and safety purposes.
When approaching the fort by car, keep an eye out for the historic signs that show the position of the Union forces when attacking the fort during the Civil War. Very interesting.
I look forward to visiting the fort again the next time we are in the area… hopefully bringing more guests who have never been to the fort.

Not alot to do but it was unique and informative. We are glad the state bought it.. Take the free tour, very informative.

I haven’t been to Fort Macon since I was a kid, and I feel like the renovation changes they have made to it SUCK!
I remember going here on field trips with my schools, and Fort Macon being really creepy and eerie feeling (that was the best part about it). Now they have installed electricity (???), lights, plastic mannequin people, painted the inside of some of the bunkers, installed push button automated voices and speakers, and installed glass to keep people away from there new displays. It has ruined the feel of the Fort. The only thing they didn’t tamper with is the outer fort.
This Fort was great before all this. Why does the City, State, Historical Society, or whom ever have to tamper with old things and make them modern and mess them up leave them alone and let them look and feel Historical! At least they haven’t polluted it with barriers, and fences around the walls to make it «SAFE»…at least not YET!
And they built a New Museum/​Gift shop Building next to the Fort. Why did they need such a big building for a gift shop?
I gave it three star because its still Fort Macon and if your a History Buff or a Civil War Junky, even for those who are just curious it is still worth seeing.

Nice place to go to explore on a lazy day. Walking on the beach is especially nice. You can go into the rooms but I personally think the mannequins are super creepy so I stay outside.

Fort Macon is a great change of pace when you need to do something other than sit on the beach all day long. There are tours given by park rangers. Plenty of parking around the fort too. There is a nice beach next to the Fort with a sign warning of not to swim due to strong rip currents. Also next to the Fort is a very short nature trail with descriptions of fauna. As you enter the Park there is a section devoted to picnic tables and a short pier. Definitely worth a visit.

My review is just for the visitor center. I went in looking for a souvenir from the region to take home to my granddaughter. Instead of going directly to the gift shop, we veered off first to go through the exhibits. A great little museum featuring history, flora and fauna of the region. Plan on about a half hour to go through.
Friendly docents on hand to answer any questions.
Excellent gift shop… well stocked with books, videos and toys for all ages. Great place to find a unique gift.

They have quite an amazing visitors center, complete with hands on exploration (pepsi museum-​where you can act out tasks in the olden days) history and nature information. It’s a great place to take kids. The fort outside can be brutal on hot days, but the air conditioned rooms below that tell snippets of history can be a sanctuary from the heat. It’s definitely worth checking out.
The beautiful sandy beaches are just over the hill and so convenient to the water. There’s a wash off station in the parking lot (carefully disguised to look like bike racks).
They don’t sell food (which is surprising– it would be a great place to have a snack stand) but there are some vending machines on the outside restrooms. Plenty of parking and all of its free

Confession: I’m mainly writing this because I realized I only review bars and I’m worried about my reputation.
That being said after years of annual beach trips to Beaufort this is the first time I made it to Fort Macon. The place was this beautiful, grassy maze-​like structure with rooms full of memorabilia. Even better we got there just in time to see a live-​fire cannon demonstration. I also learned about the ‘Bread Incident’ where apparently the bread tasted so awful it started a riot — makes me feel better about my cooking! It’s all free and I would recommend this park to any one in the area.