Holden
Beach’s history as a prospering commercial fishing center
gives it its unique flavor still today. Eleven miles of tranquil
beaches are connected to the mainland by only one two-lane elevated
bridge. The peaceful unhurried ambiance found here make it a romantic
vacation spot with a variety of cottages and condos for rent.
If your beach plans include fishing, Holden Beach is also known
for its surf and off shore fishing. A full service fishing pier
provides a great diversion for the both amateur and expert fisherman.
The
island is also home to a couple small stores, fresh seafood store,
post office, restaurants, clothing store, fishing pier, tour boat/fishing
boat charter, and video store. Holden Beach is also close
Holden
Beach is just one half mile wide at its widest point, so most
of its homes have spectacular ocean views from most sides. Oceanfront
properties almost always include marsh and / or canal views from
the front decks and windows.
Holden
Beach Facts:
The
island is about eight miles long and has about 900 permanent residents.
The tourist season, which produces much of the town's income,
has grown longer over the years and now lasts from about May to
August, increasing the town's population to approx. 15,000.
A
fishing pier, two fish houses and several charter boats operate
in the town. Holden Beach has a handful of businesses, including
a pizza restaurant, two general stores, an apparel store and real
estate agencies, but the unincorporated mainland area leading
to the island's bridge continues to grow with restaurants, novelty
and T-shirt shops, ice cream and cappuccino stands, and convenience
stores.
Oceanfront
property owners and the town paid for a $1.2 million dune-replacement
project finished in 1998. The 8-foot-high dune stretches from
the beach's east end to the 800 block of Ocean Boulevard West
- about 4.5 miles. But erosion continues, and town leaders are
trying to come up with ways to fund future dune repair and beach
renourishment.
Holden
Beach also has laid an eight-mile sidewalk along its main road.
The
town has one of the county's regional beach access points, a 90-space
parking lot with handicapped-equipped restrooms and showers. A
ramp to the beach, paid for by a state grant, provides handicapped
accessibility to the shore.
Last
year, three Brunswick County couples donated 29 acres in Holden
Beach to N.C. State University for the Drew Griffin Environmental
Research Facility.
The
laboratory will provide real-world information to study rain runoff
that gathers dirt, oil and other pollutants as it sweeps across
the ground, streets and rooftops.
