Shackleford Banks is a barrier island system on the coast of North Carolina that can only be reached by boat. It is home to several herds of feral horses and is a summer nesting site for Loggerhead turtles.  Shackleford once had permanent human residents, but the last occupants relocated before 1902.

Shackleford is now known for its current residents, the wild horses. Protected by the National Park Service, the horses provide a glimpse into how horses lived in the wild before they were domesticated. The question of how the horses got there is still a mystery; legend has it that the horses are descendants of Spanish Mustangs that survived a shipwreck.

However they got there, they're a beautiful sight to see, and well worth the trip out to the island. My husband, 2 of our daughters and I took a long weekend in Beaufort, NC last summer.  We road over to Shackleford island with H2O Captain Eco-Tour Boat Excursions. www.h2ocaptain.com  Captain Mark was the perfect guide and knew everything there was to know about the island, the horses, and the surrounding area. I highly recommend his tours.

We stayed in a restored hotel on one of the many canals and the boardwalk was just a short walk away. Enjoyed fantastic seafood and then walked along the waterfront which is lined with shops and restaurants. Beaufort is a quaint little town that happens to be where Blackbeard lived out some of his final days. 

A fun seaside town, about 2.5 hours south of Raleigh, that's worth a visit!