[5] Fort Macon and Queen Anne's Revenge are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The town is bordered to the south by the Atlantic Ocean and to the north by Bogue Sound, which separates it from the mainland.

To the east is Fort Macon State Park, occupying the eastern end of Bogue Banks and overlooking Beaufort Inlet, while to the west is the town of Pine Knoll Shores.

North Carolina Highway 58 leads west from Atlantic Beach, running the length of Bogue Banks to Emerald Isle.

[4] Atlantic Beach has a subtropical climate, like much of the Southeastern United States, characterized by short, relatively mild winters and long, hot, and humid summers.

Summers in Atlantic Beach are cooler than a lot of cities within the southeastern region of the United States, primarily because of its close location to the ocean, and winters similarly see less extreme temperatures.

Rainfall is abundant throughout the year, with the wettest month being August, with an average total of 7.55 inches (192 millimeters).