This was a new experience for me, but I decided having a clean car is ok. At Atlantic Beach, we checked into the Crystal Coast Hotel. Our room was ocean front, 4th floor. It came with a microwave, a small fridge and a private balcony. After unloading, we drove north on the island to Fort Macon.
Fort Macon dates back to the Civil War, or earlier . . .
From the parking lot, nothing is visible. Much less would be visible from the ocean, I imagined. This is because the entire fort is built into a hole in the sand. Past the outer wall, the walk descends, through immense re-enforced gates, into the central commons. We walked the inner perimeter, from room to room on the spalled uneven brick floor.