The largest is Mattamuskeet which covers around 30,000 acres. The coastline stretches for 320 miles. The bays and lagoons are many with Albemarle and Pamlico among the largest. Between these areas and the sea are the Outer Banks. These are long, narrow barrier islands, the most prominent of which are Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout.
Many lighthouses here shine out to warn sailors of the dangerous reefs.
Strong hurricane tides have caused many shipwrecks. The Outer Banks is a very popular vacation area. The tallest waterfall east of the Rockies is Whitewater Falls in North Carolina at 411 feet. It is also designated as a National Historic Landmark. The original statehouse, a simple two-story brick building, was built in this spot between 1792 and 1796 and was designed by Rhodam Atkins.