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Whether you are looking for a great place to retire, raise a family, start
a business, invest in real estate or just enjoy
a great vacation destination, Brunswick
County North Carolina is quietly developing
a reputation as one of the best U.S. coastal destinations.
Situated between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington,
Brunswick County is comprised of six coastal communities,
each unique. From the quaint fishing village of
Southport,
incredible St.
James Plantation and the beach communities
of Oak
Island, Ocean
Isle, Holden
Beach, Sunset
Beach, Carolina
Beach and the island
of Bald Head, Brunswick County represents
the best of the North Carolina coast.
Peace and harmony await you on the Islands and
Beaches of Brunswick County, North Carolina. While
other beach towns have seen an explosion of clutter
and traffic in recent years, the Brunswick Islands
has managed to retain its charm and solitude.
We move at a slower pace than the big cities,
and that is part of the Brunswick Islands' appeal.
Visitors enjoy the un-paralleled beauty of our
beaches, southern hospitality and the freshest
seafood around! The weather is ideal for year-round
visits. With an average high temperature of 73
degrees and an average low of 51 degrees Fahrenheit,
the sub-tropical climate keeps outdoor activities
enjoyable year-round.
In fact, many of those who come to Brunswick County
on vacation—end up coming back for good.
With a wide variety of gated communities, quality
health care and continuing education opportunities
nearby, Brunswick County just could be the perfect
place to live. Residents also enjoy close proximity
to Myrtle
Beach, South
Carolina and Wilmington
North Carolina, without having to live in
the tourist-packed regions.
Brunswick County is a true Coastal Paradise.
But, don’t take our word for it!
experience it for yourself! Come explore Brunswick
County and the Brunswick Islands:
See: Brunswick
County Information
South Brunswick
County Islands
Oak
Island
Oak Island, the most populated
and largest of the Brunswick County Isles, is
home to more than 5,000 residents. The town’s
dedication to preservation of the environment
has won national recognition. Wind-swept live
oaks and yaupon trees, beautiful beaches and nature
trails make this a nature lover’s paradise.
A community defined by its dedication to family-friendly
activities, Oak Island is a great place to live
or visit. With over ten miles of southern facing
beaches, the island offers more than 50 public
beach accesses, several public boat ramps, picnic
areas, extensive sidewalks, nature centers, parks
and walking trails. Activities include golf, fishing,
boating, crabbing, claming, shelling, walking
on nature trails or just plain relaxing on the
beach. Visitors and residents appreciate the many
colorful shops and dining options also found here.
Situated midway between Wilmington and Myrtle
Beach Oak Island is close to a host of cultural
and entertainment activities, while maintaining
the hospitality and warmth of a small town.
Oak Island is 12.6 miles long and averages about
one mile across, It consists of the Town of Oak
Island and the Town of Caswell Beach with areas
of salt marsh, freshwater wetlands, maritime forests
and miles of beach strand. With a complex ecosystem,
the island is home to a wide variety of plant
and animal life. Loggerhead, Green and Kemp Ridley
sea turtles, considered to be some of the island’s
most important residents, return annually to lay
their eggs.
Holden
Beach
Of the three islands in the group known as the
South Brunswick Islands, Holden Beach is the longest
and the largest. Stretching 11 miles along the
Atlantic Ocean, the island is a jogger's paradise.
Approximately 900 year-round residents call Holden
Beach home. Visitors will find a host of opportunities
for assimilating themselves into this exceedingly
quiet family community. The beach and the sea
are the central attractions in this town, which
prides itself on a serene quality of life.
Ocean
Isle Beach
Ocean Isle Beach is the center island, offering
8 miles of beach with a total resort experience:
restaurants, specialty shops, public tennis courts,
access to all watersports, and a water slide.
This beach has the only high-rise hotel on the
South Brunswick Islands. There is an airport that
makes getting to Ocean Isle accessible by air,
but don't expect to see commercial jets at this
relatively small facility. Home to slightly 425
full-time residents, Ocean Isle welcomes visitors
to a peaceful place.
Sunset
Beach
Sunset Beach, described as a diminutive island
gem, is only 3 miles long. Despite its size, this
island experienced a 150 percent population increase
between 1990 and 1997, with a current year-round
population of more than 2,000 residents. Because
it is reached by a one-lane pontoon bridge, making
it the only island without a high-rise bridge
in Brunswick County, there is sometimes a bit
of a wait to get to Sunset in the high tourist
season. However, the island is well-worth the
wait. This bridge will probably be replaced by
a high-rise someday, if the Department of Transportation
has its way, but that discussion has been going
on for years. Islanders like their bridge the
way it is because it tends to keep traffic levels
down.
Although this island is residential in character,
it is a great choice for a family vacation. Some
of the best bargains in vacation rentals are here,
and the visitor who wants a quiet coastal place
will do very well to book a house on this beach.
As with all of the beaches on the southern coast,
quality golfing is available on the mainland.
For fishing enthusiasts, there is a full-service
pier. Sunset Beach also offers a special delight
-- a walk to Bird Island at low tide.
Bird Island is completely untouched by development.
A walk through the shallow inlet at low tide is
easy for adults as well as children. There are
frequent informal guided tours, announced by posters
attached to street markers on the beach, so it's
easy to hook up with locals who are pleased to
share their knowledge of the island. The environment
is purely natural and deeply comforting, where
people of the 21st century can experience life
as it was before the development of the land.
In order to keep it this way, in 2002 the state
of North Carolina purchased the island and dedicated
it as the state's 10th Coastal Reserve Program
site. Through this purchase, nearly 1,200 acres
of wetlands, marsh and beaches are preserved for
use by endangered species, including sea turtles
and some species of sea birds. The island will
be managed for use as an outdoor laboratory for
research and education as well as traditional
uses through a cooperative effort by the Division
of Coastal Management, the Bird Island Preservation
Society and an appointed Bird Island Local Advisory
Committee.
Calabash
Calabash, home of numerous delicious Calabash-style
seafood restaurants, sits on the banks of the
Intracoastal Waterway. Restaurants abound and
deep-sea fishing boats are docked in town, waiting
to take you on the adventure of your life. Though
small, with little more than 1,300 year-round
residents, Calabash is abutted on the north by
the town of Carolina Shores, a residential-only
community.rp/12-05-05
Shallotte
The town of Shallotte serves as the hub for services
for Brunswick County's beach communities. In fact,
it is perhaps best-known as the commercial center
of the county. Because of its mainland location
and island proximity, Shallotte offers residents
and visitors the convenience of larger-town living
and services. This is the place in Brunswick County
where you will find shopping malls with nationally
known stores. The Brunswick County Chamber of
Commerce is headquartered in Shallotte and can
provide any information you may need about the
South Brunswick Islands and the inland area. The
town has a year-round population of approximately
2,000
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