Landing at Albert J Ellis Airport in Jacksonville puts you right in the middle of things, with places like Wilmington, New Bern, and Emerald Isle all close by. The airport sits in Richlands, a farming town just northwest of Jacksonville, home of Camp Lejeune and one of the largest Marine Corps bases in the country. The area is friendly, flag-proud, and more outdoorsy than people expect, with the New River winding through town and the Atlantic coast a half hour away.

Favorite things to do around Jacksonville and Richlands: - Walk the Lejeune Memorial Gardens and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Paddle or boat the New River from the downtown Jacksonville waterfront - Take the ferry from Hammocks Beach State Park to the wild dunes of Bear Island - Stroll the waterfront and seafood shacks of Swansboro - Spend a beach day on Topsail Island or North Topsail Beach - Browse the Onslow County Museum in Richlands for local history - Catch a Carolina sunset over the Intracoastal Waterway

Jacksonville is a handy base for the Crystal Coast and beyond. Emerald Isle and the beaches of Bogue Banks are about 45 minutes east, Wilmington's riverfront and historic district are an hour south, and New Bern, birthplace of Pepsi and a colonial capital, is an hour north. Richlands itself keeps a small-town rhythm with a cafe or two and a yearly farm festival. Order a plate of Calabash-style fried shrimp and settle into the coastal Carolina pace.