The park is primarily a barrier island with ferry service, though there are some onshore trails…read morethrough the forest and ample picnic space while you're waiting for the boat. The ferry is reasonably cheap and does not take advance reservations. They limit capacity on the way over, but obviously this does create a situation where passengers can build up by the end of the day, to which their solution appears to be to have the last scheduled ferry service double up if need be (they had at least two boats it seemed). The island has ample uninterrupted beach, which had plenty of sea life, including a sand dollar which I would more typically see farther south. There was a modest paved walk through the island to get to the beach, passing primitive campgrounds and some bathroom facilities on stilts. During my visit, they emphasized that the water available on the island was not drinkable; apparently they had to repair facilities after a hurricane and the intent was to produce drinkable running water, but there was still some unsolved technical issue. They cautioned us in advance to bring plenty of water, and there were working fountains on the mainland. Every island is different, and in this region, most of them are settled. The next really wild one heading north is Shackleford I think, and heading south would be Masonboro (which I haven't found practical to get to). The atmosphere here is worth preserving.

Really nice park. Nice trails. Well maintained infrastructure. Top notch campground with very…read morenice bathrooms. This is a good place to check out.

41-Acre park…read more Features Include: Disc Golf Course, Floating Dock, 4 Grills, Handicapped Accessible, Picnic Pavilion, Pier, Restrooms, NC Birding Trail, Walking & Hiking Trails Disc Golf sets are available to check out at the Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation Community Center during normal operating hours on a first come first serve basis with copy of driver's license and contact phone number as deposit.

We came here to check out the sunset. Close to our Airbnb. Plenty of parking and wooded trails…read more Nice frisbee golf area. We walked the wheelchair accessible wooden walkway that went to the dock. Clean restrooms by the trail entrance.

Located behind Town Hall and adjacent to Emerald Isle Parks & Recreation Community Center. Shaded…read moreareas for families to relax. Features Include: Basketball Court, Bike Rack, Fossil Pit, Gazebo, Playground (monkey bars, swings, sandbox, slide, little playhouse), Picnic Pavilion, Benches, 2 Lighted Tennis Courts, and Restrooms (with changing tables)

A nice park that serves its community and visitors well…read more The park is a decent size and offers a lot of tranquility and is a great getaway when civilization starts pushing your peace from all sides. I recommend here.

Again I can say this park is for all humans and beautiful animals. But as of yesterday like I…read morepredicted there was animal attack I don't know the full story yet, but they have a training dog school ppl with big dogs and the trainers are not logical trainers. Dogs need there space not to be in the middle of an active field with small dogs, ppl, children. That's a bad connection. The trainers bring dogs that have no control of their senses to a family park in an open space. Park department should not allow this. My dad trained German shepherd , Doberman and he trained them indoor until they were well trained and obedience. If they continue to get complains the park department may listen. I don't know why they are not investigating yet. I would hate to have find another park for my pup because of safety.

This was a great afternoon stretch of the legs. Reading the other review of this natural area one…read morewould expect a smoky pit of desolation and ruin. Much to the contrary, The area is green and the underbrush ample. Also being from the mountains of East Tennessee I have seen what can happen when controlled burns are not done on a regular basis to simulate the natural cleansing of the forest usually created by lightening strikes. The buildup of debris on the ground makes an amazing fuel source when fire finally does come along and the destruction is much greater, but I digress... This trail reminds me of hiking in Florida. Lots of pines, short undergrowth, and sandy stretches that make walking a little more challenging. Think walking on a sandy beach. You will have the occasional views of the ponds that are nice. There are quite a few trails in this park that are not on the official trail map so pay attention to the trail markers and use your smart phone for reference if you are unfamiliar with the area. Otherwise that hour stroll may turn into a couple hours of wandering we're the car is. LOL. Note: Something I always do when hitting an unfamiliar trail is download the official trail map or take a quick photo of the park map at the trailhead. These sometime come in very handy no matter what state or mountain range you find your self in.

If you are a beginner hiker or just looking for an nice walk, here is an excellent start. We walked…read morearound for a good hour and saw some beautiful views.

Nice park overall. The playground with attached gazebo seems to be the biggest attraction and it's…read morea great place to get the kids to make friends. There's always a groundskeeper present as well and it's kept clean.

This park has some awesome stuff. Trails, basketball court, tennis courts, soccer field, baseball…read morefield, playgrounds. There are water fountains and bathroom facilities (which Is nice). The park was clean for the most part. The reason for taking a star off is: the bigger playground is surrounded by sand which is hot, and has tons of sand ticks. We couldnt stay and play long. The park also has grills and picnic tables as well.

Such a great playground for kids of all ages! I love the foam padding instead of sand or wood…read morechips! It's spaced out while still being close enough to watch everyone. When we visited, the splash pad wasn't opened yet, but my son (14 months old) adored this area of the playground! I couldn't recommend this enough!!

This park is wonderful. We were there on a very hot day and the only suggestion would be for a…read morelighter colored turf. The whole place is covered in a rubber like substance which is great for falls but it was red and black in some places and blue and black. Outside of the water area the flooring was way to hot for our toddlers bare feet. We had to be very careful when moving from the water area to the dry areas. But wow is this a cool park. Lots to do with a wide age group.

This little park was not something that I expected to see in this area but when you think about it,…read morethe idea is very smart and really serves a purpose for both tourists and locals. The below page from AB's website shows that this place is only two years old and that its $1.6 million dollar cost was done as a public/private partnership. I've been to many beaches up & down the east coast and I honestly can't think of an area that has something quite like this. atlanticbeach-nc.com/departments/parks-recreation/ ABTP offers the following: Free live music on Thursday nights from mid-June thru August. Free family friendly movies (with the exception of them showing Jaws last month which was an interesting choice with the shark attack that happened in June at Fort Macon) on Wednesday nights June thru August. Skate Park Splashpad Playground/swingset Basketball Court Minigolf for $5 per person and it's free for ages 6 and under The main building which sells snacks & concessions and has restrooms along with free Wifi. The concession area and the golf are open 10-10 daily and it goes without saying that they are closed along with things like the splashpad seasonally. Compared with beaches in New Jersey or Maryland, Atlantic Beach is very understated in the amenities that it offers but I don't think that is necessarily a detriment. If you want all the bells and whistles it's not that much further to go to Myrtle or head north to KDH or OCMD and you'll find what you're looking for. But if you want quiet and relaxed with a very nice small town "homey" feeling then this is the spot you want. A+

I brought the family down here for the beach. Luckily I found a skatepark tucked in right at…read moreAtlantic Beach. I dropped them off in the sand and headed for the sweet concrete love of a Team Pain park. Ledges, gaps, stairs, and goodies for skaters of all skill levels. I'd definitely come back. If the fam won't skate next time, there's a putt putt course just feet away. It's also right around the corner from Finch's Skate Shop, which I was lucky enough to find while we're here. Kudos to the good folks of Atlantic Beach for giving locals and tourists a solid skate spot.

We did the 2.25-mile trail, which was an easy and relaxing walk. The views were beautiful, and I…read moreloved that the trail had a nice mix of peaceful wooded areas and paths along the lake. It was a great place to get some fresh air, enjoy nature, and take a break from the usual routine. Definitely a nice trail for a leisurely walk, and we'd love to come back!

This place is so beautiful and offers kayaking,canoeing, and paddle boarding. They have a swim area…read morefor families in the summer time open too. Nice campgrounds and friendly people! We love going there