Jacksonville, NC, is a scenic beach town featuring numerous outdoor activities, natural attractions, and historic sites. The city is situated right along the New River and is just miles away from the Atlantic coast.
If you’re planning a visit to Jacksonville, NC, you’ll want to take your motorcycle along. This area is full of scenic motorcycle rides that can show off North Carolina’s beautiful landscape, sparkling ocean waters, and rich Civil War era history.
Read on to learn the top Jacksonville, NC, motorcycle routes to explore on your trip.
Lejeune Memorial Gardens to Emerald Isle
If you’d prefer not to stray too far from Jacksonville, we recommend taking this route from Lejeune Memorial Gardens to Emerald Isle. The route spans 30 miles and should take you about 40 minutes to traverse on your bike one way. However, despite its short duration, this route will allow you to experience several Jacksonville attractions.
You’ll begin at the Lejeune Memorial Gardens, a beautiful memorial honoring soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty. We recommend taking time to check out these gardens before continuing with your motorcycle route.
Next, you’ll take NC-24 southeast from Lejeune Memorial and cross the New River, offering scenic views below of the rushing river waters and surrounding natural landscape. The New River spans 50 miles in southeastern North Carolina, eventually emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.
Along this route, you’ll pass scenic campgrounds and parks showcasing lush forests and sprawling green fields. Finally, you’ll take the bridge to cross into Emerald Isle, an Atlantic fishing town with beach entry, forest trails, and vast ocean views.
Blue-Gray Scenic Byway
The Blue-Gray Scenic Byway is a historic route offering the perfect length for a day trip on your motorcycle. This byway is 83 miles from beginning to end and should take you around 2 hours to complete. However, you’ll find several historic attractions just off the byway that you can visit to extend your journey.
This scenic byway got its name from the Civil War’s immense impact on the area. In turn, the byway commemorates the Civil War by spanning several points in which Union forces led by General William Sherman fought Confederate forces led by General Joseph Johnston.
If you’re interested in stopping along the byway, you can check out the following points of interest:
- Tobacco Farm Life Museum (20 miles from the byway): A museum illustrating the lives of early tobacco farmers in the area
- Governor Aycock’s birthplace (2 miles from the byway): A historical site celebrating Governor Aycock, who led the modern educational movement in NC
- Governor Caswell Memorial (10 miles from the byway): A site dedicated to Governor Caswell, a strong supporter of independence in the Revolutionary War
- Bentonville Battleground (2.5 miles from the byway): The site of the Bentonville Battle, the last major offensive from the Confederate army.
Outer Banks Scenic Byway
The Outer Banks Scenic Byway spans 138 driving miles and 25 ferry-riding miles across North Carolina’s coastline. If you’re looking for a motorcycle ride near Jacksonville with the best ocean views, we recommend following at least a portion of this scenic byway.
The closest point to Jacksonville along the Outer Banks Scenic Byway is the byway’s southernmost point in Harkers Island, NC. You can reach this point by following NC-24 across the New River and along the coastline.
Then, you can simply travel north along the Outer Banks Scenic Byway as far as you want to. You’ll have the opportunity to see the following points of interest:
- Cape Lookout National Seashore
- Cedar Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Ocracoke Lighthouse
- Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
Once you’re ready, you can travel back down the byway or cut a shorter route back to Jacksonville.
Before you kick off on your ride, consider adding the protection of an experienced motorcycle attorney to your plan. Keep our number on your phone in case you need us! If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle accident call Law Tigers today at (888) 863-7216 for a free case evaluation, no matter where you are in the United States!
