Whether you’re exploring the local area or hanging out at the campground, KOA Holidays are an ideal place to relax and play. There’s plenty to do, with amenities and services to make your stay memorable. Plus, you’ll enjoy the outdoor experience with upgraded RV Sites with KOA Patio® and Deluxe Cabins with full baths for camping in comfort. Bring your family, bring your friends, or bring the whole group – there’s plenty of ways to stay and explore.
Whether you’re exploring the local area or hanging out at the campground, KOA Holidays are an ideal place to relax and play. There’s plenty to do, with amenities and services to make your stay memorable. Plus, you’ll enjoy the outdoor experience with upgraded RV Sites with KOA Patio® and Deluxe Cabins with full baths for camping in comfort. Bring your family, bring your friends, or bring the whole group – there’s plenty of ways to stay and explore.
GOING 17 North (FROM WILMINGTON) - take 17 Bypass to Hwy 70 East, exit (147A). Follow 70 East to exit 417 onto Hwy 17 North (toward Washington). Campground on left in 4.8 miles on Hwy 17 North.
GOING 17 South (FROM WASHINGTON) - Campground on right 5 miles from historic New Bern.
GPS: N35.136150, W77.027164
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If you want a fun and exciting activity to do while vacationing in New Bern, consider traveling to Shackleford Banks, an island with wild horses in North Carolina. Watch from a respectful distance how the horses live free without the help of humans.
As you plan your visit to New Bern and to see the horses, book a campsite at New Bern KOA Holiday. While our campground is about an hour away from the island, you can still enjoy knowing you're camping with wild horses in North Carolina.
The wild horses on Shackleford Banks have been around for centuries, living and thriving off the island's natural resources and without interference from people. The island is home to more than 100 horses. They are a unique cultural and historical legacy that graces North Carolina.
Genetic tests and historical research suggest the horses are descendants of old Colonial Spanish horses. The only other horses with the same genetic makeup as those on Shackleford Banks are in an isolated area in the Pryor Mountains in Montana.
You cannot ride the Shackleford Banks horses. The horses have federal law protection, ensuring they maintain their wildness and limit interaction with people. Touching, teasing, feeding or intentionally disturbing the horses and wildlife is illegal and dangerous. Protect yourself, your family and the horses by staying back.
To ensure the horses remain comfortable and have enough space to continue their natural activities, you must watch them from at least 50 feet away. Maintaining this distance is crucial to keeping you and the horses safe. When you are viewing the horses, stay on guard so you can see all the horses in one glance. If a horse starts moving toward you, keep your distance by moving back or staying still while it passes.
Shackleford Banks is the southernmost island of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. You can access the island where the wild horses are on the beach in North Carolina by taking a ferry from Island Express Ferry Sevice LLC. They are the only authorized ferry service to drop off guests at Shackleford Banks and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.
Make a day trip out of visiting Shackleford Banks to see the horses run along the Atlantic beach. Only about an hour's drive away from New Bern KOA Holiday lets you experience these majestic, wild horses first-hand.
Book your stay in one of our cabins or bring your RV to camp at one of our RV Sites.
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
Make checkout easy by booking all your reservations at once. Add your sites from different campgrounds into your shopping cart* and then choose checkout.
