Every time we go back, the homes and grounds look less and less maintained. The rentals are dirty…read moreyet expensive! The island is definitely struggling and being a full time resident there would be nearly impossible. Having no control of the ferry and no dedicated water taxi to Wilmington is a big miss for revenue. We were going to move there but it's too transient and unpredictable for us with no real plans for the future.

Bald Head Island retains much of its uniqueness even with the inevitable growth associated with all…read morebeach areas in the state. Located on the eastern side of the mouth of the Cape Fear River, the island is reachable only by ferry from Southport or by private boat. There are few motor vehicles here, and those belong to the island's municipal department, and to the array of building and maintenance contractors working on the local residences. The small marina remains the heart of the island for most of the 200 permanent residents and the flow of tourists that seasonally visit BHI. That's were the 2 public restaurants, Delphina Cantina and MoJo's on the Harbor, are located. Both are rather good in most respects, but are on the expensive side. Dining is also available at the BHI County Club for most renters. There is some shopping opportunities there as well, but these are limited to some apparel items, renting bikes and golf carts (the primary mode of transportation for most on the island. The local lighthouse, Old Baldy is near the marina, as it the local, quaint post office. There is only one food market on BHI, the Maritime Market, located about in the middle of the island. There is a reasonable variety of meats, produce, beer & wine, canned & packaged goods, breads, eggs, dairy products, but the prices are higher than you'll be used to, in most cases. And, there is no ABC Store on BHI, so bring an adequate supply, because the only choice is to take the ferry to Southport, which entails time and money, or be content with beer & wine. The beaches are nice, though some are rather narrow at high tide, and there are some strong currents swirling around this small island, because the Cape Fear River and the Gulf Stream collide here. The surf fishing can be outstanding, but beach access is limited to certain points, and carrying your equipment, chairs, etc to the water's edge can be daunting, and tiring. Commercially available bait is limited, and many catch their own bait, mullet minnows, in the surf with a hand throw net - not always easy or always available. This is a small, laid back place, with limited activities other than water related ones, biking, walking, and very limited dining opportunities. A fair amount of the inland part of the island is composed of maritime forest, and it is nice to walk, bike or cart through it, but this can occupy only some much attention.Folks refer to being on "Turtle Time" here, and it is a great place to relax. But if you and/or your family are into a more energetic life style, some boredom may be encountered. We liked much that the island offers, but also found there were some limitations (dining, food shopping, transportation, etc) and requirements to get there (ferry rides, luggage restrictions, ques, etc which were similar in some ways to those faced when going on a cruise) that we didn't care for, and just not being able to jump in a car and move about a bigger area.

Holden Beach Town Hall has an amazing staff, awesome volunteers and great public spaces. The new…read moreplayground is finished at Bridgeview Park, in time for the start of the 2026 season. Need a good beach read? Stop by Town Hall and take the elevator to the 2nd floor. Step out and into a little library. Hardcover fiction and Nonfiction fill up the front room, and paperbacks are around the corner to the right. It's run on the honor system, no ID cards necessary. Commissioner meetings take place the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 5:00 pm. Come by and meet the locals and their elected officials. Summer concerts happen Sunday evenings from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Hopefully the new concert stage will be ready!

All ye beach-lovers hearken, a nod to yesteryear when shores weren't crowded and folks all waved…read moreand said Hi. This is Holden and you're welcomed into the inner-circle. High-rise, amusement-park seekers keep driving South on 95. These aren't the beaches you're looking for. 6am-towel-placers relax; there's plenty of elbow and frisbee-throwing room for your whole group. Sparkly new condo communities are a few islands away; embrace the Holden 70s architecture sprinkled among the new. Here you'll talk with many who've been coming with their families for 20, 30, 40 years. It's easy to return to a place that feels like home. And despite small changes here and there, it still seems to stay the same. With 7+ miles of South-facing beachfront, you won't see the sun rise/set over the ocean, but that long stretch of wide sand presents never-ending chances to run/walk/stroll/play no matter the tide level. East or West of town center, you'll have peaceful views as you gaze from a porch or step across the dunes onto the beach. Stay second-row if you must, and there are good values to be had, but the magic is opening your door with only sand between you and the sea. Perennial local dining spots remain for those returning for decades, and you won't see any chains until you drive to Shallotte. A few newer additions help with the variety, but having a standalone beach house also means plenty of meals prepared oceanfront. Activities vary by the season, and we've only come in spring and summer, but enjoy three islands-worth of fireworks on holidays, sand sculpture contests, concerts (when we can again). Turtles love this place, so if you love turtles stop by. Not that we've seen one but apparently people have so it keeps the dream alive. Keep your porch lights off and don't dig big holes if you like not being visited by the turtle-protectors. Beach stores and Food Lion help with affordable provisions, or go even cheaper driving to the Shallotte Wal-Mart. New development: grocery pickup will give you hours back to stare at waves instead of staring at grocery shelves. Plenty of choices to fit your budget, believe me: from the high-roller looking for "sleeps 20 w/ pool, elevator, gold-plated trash bins" (not us) to "sleeps 6, roof, oceanfront" (us), and even that one A-frame on OBE that allegedly sleeps 4 but is kind of a tiny house on the beach. It gets a little crowded on weekends or holidays, or holiday weekends, but those morning and evening magic hours are indeed that. Even the crowds aren't crowdy, and always polite, with occasional child meltdowns when they've had enough of the beach or don't want to leave (take your pick). It's all endearing. In "less busy" times you'll feel like you just discovered this place and have it all to yourself until you see a couple or dog-walker interrupt the fantasy. And they'll probably wave. You'll wave back because this is a family beach. Even RVs have a home in the lot near town center, and there's plenty of paid parking if you're visiting from nearby. But it's best for those times when you are simply doing "beach living" with those you love. For us newbies it's only been 20 years, not in a row, but this year our neighbors were on year 39 straighSame story as ours: heard about it from a friend and kept coming back. Well consider us a friend, and now you've heard.

The Fort Johnston-Southport Museum & Visitor's Center is a great way to start your exploration of…read moreDowntown Southport. Admission is free. The museum part provides good background information on the town and its history. One room contains all the films made in the area and also has some memorabilia from those films. The Visitor's Center has many brochures and maps and the ladies working the day I was there were very helpful about parking and about my ferry ride the next day.

Extremely friendly and helpful staff!!! Very interesting historical place. The view is amazing. If…read moreyou are visiting the area stop here first. If you have any questions the staff can help you out!

I felt serene and accomplished that I could find this mailbox tucked away in a part of the…read morebeautiful Sunset beach just like it was featured in the Nicholas Sparks book 'Every Breath'. It was on my bucket list for 5 years and I finally made it :) The walk to the mailbox from the 40th street was surely not a short one, roughly 3 miles to & fro but was worth it every minute. I went on a chilly December morning, so wasn't surrounded by a lot of folks which I sort of liked as it gave me some alone time with my thoughts. The abundance of shells everywhere on the sand made me a child once again, making me happily collect a whole lot of them as souvenirs. Finally the mailbox - Reading through countless pages of beautifully penned words by people who were there before me, gave me an undescribable connect to them. So many emotions - happiness, grief, thankfulness, separation among others. When I think about that spot, I could still hear the sounds of the waves crashing and a light, cool breeze blowing. It's a memory I'll cherish for years to come. You need to visit it at least once in your lifetime. It is definitely something being there. Note: Parking is very tight so try going early. And, the notebooks are archived at UNCW Archives @ Wilmington. Call them to read years of previous entries.

A bit of a walk but so worth it! Nothing better than a walk on the beach all to The Kindred Spirit…read moreMailbox. There is no sign or directions....just a mailbox on beach. A neat experience. Inside the mailbox you will find notebooks where you can write your own personal message. A message of your own can be whatever you like. A must see and do in my book. Facing the Sunset Beach Pier walk right about a mile or so. Walking the beach on the right high up on dune you will see a small hill of sand leading to the mailbox and a couple benches. Keep walking! You will find it.

This marker is alongside River Road between Wilmington and the Caswell/Oak Island beaches. It is in…read moregood condition and there is a grassy area where you can stop. Probably not legally, but I was only here for a minute. The marker reads, "Major General Howe was the commander of Southern Department of the Continental Line, 1776-78, and North Carolina's highest ranking officer. Lived 4 1/2 miles east." Online, there is more information. "Robert Howe, Continental army general, was born in 1732 in New Hanover County. Howe inherited a considerable fortune from his parents and grandparents, owning several large plantations in the New Hanover and Bladen counties. He served in several minor public posts in Bladen County, including as a militia captain and magistrate in the 1750s and 1760s. After Brunswick County formed, Howe was elected to the colonial assembly, a post he held for six consecutive terms. He also served as a militia officer for Brunswick County, and commanded Fort Johnston from 1769 to 1773. During the War of the Regulation, Howe commanded that artillery of Governor William Tryon at the Battle of Alamance." "At the outbreak of the Revolution, Howe served as a member of the Wilmington Committee of Safety and led the local militia that took control of Fort Johnston. On September 1, 1775, Howe was appointed colonel of the 2nd North Carolina Continental regiment. After the death of James Moore in 1777, Howe was appointed to succeed him as commander of the Southern Department and was promoted to major general on October 20, 1777." "Howe returned home in 1783 at the war's end, intent on resuming his life as a planter. In 1786 he was elected to the House of Commons, however he died on December 14, while traveling to the meeting of the body. He was the highest-ranking officer from North Carolina to serve in the American Revolution." [Review 14233 overall, 1556 of 2020, number 2676 in North Carolina.]

Miss. Kourtney and Miss. Jennifer is SUPER nice to me and my family! The children section is so big…read moreand well organized!

First of all, I like to call this place "The Rourks" as if it is some kind of ancient mystically…read moreenchanted foresty swamp Library of sorts. Like the Library of Alexandria, but not. I visit this library almost every chance I get, partly because of circumstance, but primarily because I really love learning! The last 2 days they have been closed 1. because it was Sunday & 2. Martin Luther King Jr Day! (Respectively, and lovingly). While I was waiting outside this morning for The Rourks to open, I got excited because I've missed this place the last 2 days! Then I began thinking do I just miss accessing the computers, or do I miss the library in its entirety? The latter was most accurate, ya know. So even though I spend most of my time on the computers, It's the unique learning environment, character, and community that I missed. Regardless of how I may feel day to day. So, 5 stars from me ***** they are all great here! (to clarify, that isn't a 5-letter foul word) (I'm funny). ___________________________________________________________ Geminis revised version. I LIKE MINE, but whatever. This is learning. Revised Version (same vibe, just tightened and clearer): I like to call this place "The Rourks," as if it were some kind of ancient, mystically enchanted forest‑swamp library. Think Library of Alexandria... but with more Southern charm. I come here almost every chance I get -- partly because of circumstance, but mostly because I genuinely love learning. The last two days they were closed (Sunday and Martin Luther King Jr. Day -- respectfully and lovingly), and I actually missed being here. While waiting outside this morning for The Rourks to open, I caught myself wondering: do I just miss the computers, or do I miss the library itself? Definitely the library. Even though I spend most of my time on the computers, it's the environment, the character, and the sense of community that I really come for. This place just has a vibe. So, five stars from me ***** -- and no, that's not a five‑letter foul word. (I'm funny.)

The Price's Creek Range Light is the last remaining a series of range lights that once guided ships…read morealong the Cape Fear River between the Atlantic and the port of Wilmington. Price's Creek originally featured two range lights - a shorter front tower and a taller rear light with keeper's quarters. Mariners would align the two lights vertically to stay centered in the channel, a vital technique for navigating the shifting sands and shoals of the river. Built in 1849, it is a modest two-story brick tower that is tucked along the eastern edge of Southport where Price's Creek meets the river. During the Civil War, the lighthouse served as a signal station for Confederate forces, helping coordinate communication between Fort Caswell and Fort Fisher and guiding blockade runners past Union ships. After the war, the lighthouse was decommissioned and never maintained. Today, the front tower stands as a weathered shell with its lantern and lens long gone, visible only from the water. The rear tower was long ago scavenged for its bricks by locals. We spotted the front tower today as we approached Southport on the Fort Fisher ferry. The structure is on private property owned by Archer Daniels Midland making animal feed here. The lighthouse and the land are not open to the public, remains a quiet icon for lighthouse enthusiasts and history buffs. [Review 1362 of 2025 - 4481 in North Carolina - 24914 overall]

Along the way to Fort Fisher, this marker points out some industrial history that looks to be long…read moregone. It's all beach houses and such along here now. The marker has the same text on both sides, reading "Ethyl-Dow plant, which operated here, 1934-1945, pioneered extraction of bromine from sea water. Element used in Ethyl, anti-knock gas compound." There is more information online. In 1934, Dow Chemical's plant commercially extracted bromine from sea water. Bromine was primarily used in Ethyl, an anti-knock gasoline additive, and the site was chosen for its ideal water conditions and natural features, including a Carolina bay and a Civil War-era trench. Built during the Depression for three million dollars, the plant treated 2,000 gallons of sea water to produce one pound of bromine, reaching a peak output of 15,000 pounds per day. Though operations ended in 1946, remnants of the facility remain. This is marker number D-98 and it was erected in 1993 by the North Carolina Division of Archives and History. There isn't really space to park and read the marker. [Review 1358 of 2025 - 4477 in North Carolina - 24910 overall]