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St. This treacherous stretch of coast was once known as “the Graveyard of the Atlantic,” and numerous shipwrecks lie just off the shore. Discovery Diving specializes in tours of spooky submerged wrecks. For a real treat, catch a private ferry from the boardwalk to Shackleford Banks, inhabited only by wild ponies. You can camp on this giant sandbar overnight, or just spend a few hours wading and gathering seashells in solitude.

While Beaufort itself doesn’t have a swimming beach, the smell of coconut sun block hangs heavily in the air in nearby Atlantic, where the wide stretch of sand is always crowded with families, fishermen and surfers. Continue on to the Wilmington area, where several nearby beaches are popular surf and vacation spots. Wrightsville Beach, closest to Wilmington, has a lively, youthful vibe with surf shops, souvenir stands and fried-fish restaurants. Nothing says summer more than lunch on the pier at the Oceanic Restaurant, where you can chow on fish and chips above the waves. Afterwards, learn to surf in the warm Gulf Stream waters with a lesson from Wrightsville Beach Supply Company. A private instructor will lead you into the fairly gentle waves, ideal for first-timers.

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In the late 1700s, Portsmouth Island was the largest settlement on the Outer Banks. By 1971, the last two remaining islanders moved to the mainland, leaving Portsmouth a ghost town. From Ocracoke, hire a private ferry to the island (20 minutes), where you can camp overnight on the beach and wander around the deserted houses, post office, school and church. Bring all your own provisions, including plenty of bug spray.

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BEACHES OF THE GULF COAST

While much of the Gulf Coast of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana consists of swampy marshland, there are a few nice beaches if you’re dying for a dip.

• Alabama: The adjacent towns of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach feature high-rise condos overlooking sugar-white beaches.

• Mississippi: West Ship Island’s green waters are the state’s loveliest; accessible by ferry from Gulfport for day trips only.

• Louisiana: Swim in the warm Gulf waters off Grand Isle State Park, then camp on the beach.

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Cross into South Carolina on Hwy 17 and you’re now in the 60-mile stretch of beaches and resorts known as the Grand Strand. Here you’ll find the thumping club music and neon lights of Myrtle Beach, the Cancun of South Carolina. By day, lay on the golden sand on the crowded public beach, or shop at Broadway at the Beach, an outlet mall the size of a small city. By night, slurp Jell-O shots with Harley riders and college Spring Breakers. There’s not much in the way of nature here, but that’s OK when you’ve got 50 mini-golf courses and the 87,000-sq-ft Ripley’s Aquarium. Walk through the glass tunnel in the shark-filled Dangerous Reef and stop to pet Cownose rays in the touch tank. Have dinner in nearby Murrells Inlet, a longtime fishing community now home to a strip of good family-run seafood restaurants. Lee’s Inlet Kitchen has been serving up shrimp cocktails and golden hush puppies in a large, noisy cottage since 1948. Expect crowds.

Further south, the Sea Islands range from isolated marshlands to tidy resort communities. This area, known as Lowcountry, is home to the African-American Gullah (sometimes known as Geechee) people, who retain strong cultural and linguistic connections to their African roots. Edisto Island is proud of its lack of traffic lights. Stop here for a morning of swimming and an afternoon of bike riding amid the palmettos, then tuck into a platter of shrimp at one of the half-dozen seafood restaurants. Across the St Helena Sound, Hunting Island State Park is South Carolina’s most popular state park. Rent a cabin and hike the nature trails through the dense maritime forest. In the summer, if you’re lucky, you might catch a nesting loggerhead turtle on the beach.

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“Beach music,” a mix of big band, doo-wop and rock ‘n’ roll sounds, was developed in the Carolinas in the 1950s. Dance the shag to these genre classics.