Welcome to the Brunswick Islands
Experience Coastal Charm and Relaxing Calm
Scenic and serene, yet full of activity, the Brunswick Islands coastal region is known as one of the best places in the country to visit and live. Picture this for your next vacation— quaint coastal villages, blue-green waters extending to the horizon, white sandy beaches and untamed beach grass swaying in the breeze—in other words—paradise.
With more than 45 miles of pristine beach that make up the Brunswick Islands, some visitors are perfectly content to never leave the beach. You can find quiet, isolated spots in the sand, collect shells down by the water or visit one of the bustling boardwalks.
With so many beautiful options, you’ll never be far from the next best thing. Oak Island is a delight for the whole family, with 52 different entry points to the spectacular beach. Construct the perfect sandcastle or search for pretty sea shells. Head inland with the family for a round of mini-golf or an ice cream cone on a hot day.
Check out the centrally located Shallotte for great shopping, whether you’re looking for brand names or local artists. Come by for lunch or dinner at one of the area’s delectable restaurants or cafes. Only 30 minutes from both Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, day trips to nearby beaches are a breeze.
For a really unique experience on your vacation, visit Ocean Isle Beach, and discover the sea turtles that come to nest each year. On its eight miles of beach, sea turtle eggs and hatchlings can be found for almost half the year.
Sunset Beach may be the place to spot seabirds, wetlands and other wildlife, but it’s called Sunset Beach for a reason. With breathtaking views over the water, this beach lives up to its romantic name.
Holden Beach provides dramatic landscapes for a picture-perfect afternoon of kayaking or biking. With its small-town atmosphere and flat roads perfect for peddling, this beach will charm its way into your heart.
Once you step away from the beach, the fun doesn’t end. Try one of the many other activities offered on the Brunswick Islands to keep the whole family entertained. With more than 30 championship golf courses in Brunswick County alone, golfers are simply spoiled for choice. Perfect greens and stunningly scenic courses are open year round.
With the diversity of species in our surrounding waters, fishing beginners and fishing enthusiasts can find an abundance of places to cast a line. Even if the catch of the day doesn’t make its way onto your hook, you can try some of the local seafood all along the coast. Calabash, known as the “Seafood Capital of the World,” boasts more than 30 seafood restaurants and hosts more than one million diners each year.
Stretching from Wilmington’s bustling downtown with its plethora of dining, retail and sightseeing activities, winding all the way down through the languid Brunswick Isles of North Carolina, your dream vacation is just waiting to be discovered.
Holden Beach
A Serene Beach Community—In The Center Of It All
The largest of the Brunswick Islands, Holden Beach is still one of the quietest areas along the coast. More than 11 miles of beaches are dotted with beach cottages, homes and condos—and little else. The island is almost entirely residential, with only the basic commercial amenities, like a grocery store, a few restaurants and shops, a marina and beach rental stores. The perfect quiet island escape, Holden Beach is also in the center of it all, with many exciting attractions just a short drive away.With less than 900 full-time residents, Holden Beach is a quiet community year round, even during the summer when the population swells to well over 10,000. The tight-knit group of locals have a strong pride in their serene beach town and are always welcoming toward visitors who come back year after year for a taste of total relaxation.
Settled in the 1920s, the history of Holden Beach reaches all the way back to before the Revolutionary War and centers around one family—the Holdens, of course. In 1756, Benjamin Holden bought four tracts of land on the mainland and island and used the area for fishing and cattle grazing. In 1924, John Holden, the grandson of Benjamin Holden, surveyed a part of the island and called it Holden Beach Resort. Holden built a hotel and a bridge to the island, attracting visitors to the beach for rest and relaxation. While the bridge was destroyed by construction on the Intracoastal Waterway, ferry service began in 1934.
After John Holden died, his son Luther took over the hotel and began building homes around the resort area. Luther’s son, John, continued the trend, building rental homes for tourists. By the 1940s, there were several beach cottages peppered across the island. The asking price? $600. John Holden, the grandson of the John Holden who originally settled on the island, worked hard to develop the resort community of Holden Beach, and by 1954, there were nearly 300 homes on the island. Holden Beach was officially incorporated in 1969. A high-rise bridge was built in 1986, providing better access to the small coastal community.
John Holden has written a book detailing the story of his family’s development of the island, from the year 1756 all the way to 2000. The book is available at Alan Holden Vacations.
The history of Holden Beach is rooted in family, and today that value of family and community is still an important part of the town. In fact, Holden Beach was named one of the best family beaches in the country by National Geographic Traveler magazine.
There is a wealth of wholesome fun to be had from the sea to the sound. Spend an afternoon fishing off a dock, search for newly washed up shells on the beach, or just spread out a beach towel and enjoy your front row seat to another beautiful summer day.
Holden Beach Listings
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Carolina National Golf Club |
Lockwood Folly Country Club 19 Clubhouse Drive Supply, NC (Holden Beach) 877-562-9663 • 910-842-5666 www.lockwoodfolly.com   The Plantation Grill 888-200-6455 www.carolinanationalgolf.com Wings www.wingsbeachwear.com |
Ocean Isle
Gem of the Brunswick Islands
As one of the smaller islands in Brunswick County, Ocean Isle Beach has a distinctively laid back, resort atmosphere. Eight miles of beaches provide plenty of space to spread out and take part in the many joys of a day at the beach. Fishing piers and coastal marshes invite long afternoons of fishing, kayaking and simply enjoying some peace and quiet.Without compromising the serenity of the island, Ocean Isle Beach also provides a variety of entertaining diversions, such as mini-golf, tennis courts, jet-ski rentals, boating and more. There are also plenty of shops and restaurants, a private airport and the only high-rise hotel on the Brunswick Islands.
With so much recreation and entertainment in reach, Ocean Isle Beach is the perfect vacation destination for active families, and more visitors never feel the need to leave the island at all. In fact, there’s even a museum! The Museum of Coastal Carolina, right in the main commercial area of the island, features exhibits on science and nature, as well as special programs for kids and adults.
So whether you want to spend the day deep-sea fishing or digging your toes in the sand, the ultimate island getaway awaits you on the gem of the Brunswick Islands, Ocean Isle Beach.
Ocean Isle Beach Listings
| Kimberly Jo's Boutique 5832 Beach Dr. SW Ocean Isle Beach, NC (910) 579-7670 Ocean Isle Creamery 8 Causeway Drive Ocean Isle Beach, NC 910-579-5300  |
R.H. McClure 24 Causeway Dr Ocean Isle Beach, NC 910-579-3586 800-332-5476 www.rhmcclurerealty.com E-mail at ncmcclure@atmc.net |
Sunset Beach
A Small Piece of Paradise
A one-lane pontoon bridge connects the southernmost island in Brunswick County to the mainland, setting the scene for the quiet, coastal atmosphere that defines Sunset Beach. Also the smallest of the Brunswick Islands, Sunset Beach is a peaceful place, with only a few shops for beach supplies, bicycle rentals and other necessities—like ice cream. Three miles of expansive beach stretch out in front of wide sand dunes, and dozens of wooden pathways connect the rows of beach cottages to the sand and surf.The other side of the island is lined with bright green marshes and peaceful waters, perfect for kayaking, canoeing, and turtle spotting. Just across the bridge, there are dozens of golf courses, Calabash’s collection of seafood restaurants and plenty of retail and entertainment venues. But few feel the need to leave the quiet island paradise, where a day can be spent riding your bike along the shore, swimming in crystal clear waters and laying in the sand watching the first stars light up the sky.
Calabash
The Seafood Capital of the World
When a town of 700 people has more than 30 restaurants, you know something special is going on. People from around the region flock to Calabash, a small fishing village on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway, to enjoy a variety of fresh-from-the-docks seafood, cooked up “Calabash-style”—deep-fried in a light seasoned batter and served hot, with hush puppies piled on top.Aside from the delicious seafood, Calabash offers the rare view of an undeveloped coastal fishing village, with a rustic port area unchanged for decades and a peaceful waterfront with dirt roads and no pavement in sight. Beyond the waterfront, the town features plenty of shops, including gourmet markets, boutiques, antique stores and more.
With great access to Sunset Beach, Myrtle Beach and more than a dozen golf courses within ten miles, Calabash offers a peaceful spot to rest and enjoy a taste of old-fashioned coastal life. And you know you definitely won’t be leaving hungry.
Calabash/Sunset Beach Listing
Dockside Seafood HouseWaterfront on the beautiful Calabash River
9955 Water Street
Calabash, NC
910-579-6775