Beaufort town, North Carolina

Beaufort town, in North Carolina, has a walkable main strip by the water. It's a pleasant place for a stroll in spring or fall, or in the evening in summer. The main area is around Front Street and Craven Street, and there's even a short boardwalk right on the river here, with flower boxes. You can walk three miles all the way east to Lennoxville Point, with water views the whole way, though no sidewalk. There are plenty of waterfront restaurants to choose from in the main area, such as Front Street Grill. 

A nice place to walk around is the Beaufort Historic Site, which is a collection of historic homes on one block, near the main strip, at Turner Street and Ann Street. 
Across the street from it is the Old Burying Grounds cemetery with graves from the 1700s. Some people like to visit it though I found it kind of disheveled (with no paths and just loose leaves, which I don't like because of ticks), and very sad since there are many infants buried there. 
Blackbeard's ship Queen Anne's Revenge ran aground off the shore here, and you can see some treasure from it at the NC Maritime Museum (one block away), which we didn't visit because of the musty smell. Kids love this museum, I've heard. 
From Beaufort you can take a ferry from Front Street to Shackleford Banks, where you can often find shells, or to Cape Lookout, where there is a gorgeous lighthouse with a black and white diamond design.
While on the Crystal Coast, check out Fort Macon State Park, an interesting and pretty place that is a 22 minute drive away west, south, then east.
Also, nice is a visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (27 minute drive west) and a swim at Emerald Isle Beach (43 minute drive west).

Directions

The main strip of Beaufort town is located around Front Street and Craven Street. 
Beaufort Historic Site, Turner Street and Ann Street- several historic homes.
Old Burying Ground, 400 Ann St, Beaufort NC.
NC Maritime Museum, 315 Front St, Beaufort NC. Open M-F 9-5, S 10-5, Sn 1-5.

Click on map for interactive view