< Previous40 TAKE OUR BRIDGE TO YOUR NEW HAPPY PLACE. “ There’s an atmosphere that is hard to explain. Our family “gets it.” -Jackie, 45 years of visits to NC’s Brunswick Islands 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 41 Your spirits soar as you cross over the Intracoastal Waterway on the Holden Beach Bridge. It quite literally lifts you up above the water and sweeps westward providing a bird’s eye view of the majestic expanse of beach below. You can’t help but say, “Ahhhhhh” as you come in for a soft landing in a vacation experience that soothes the soul. Holden Beach welcomes families to inviting vacation beach homes—no hotels here— as well as fishing and shrimping trawlers to its working waterfront. Spend the days inspecting tidal pools along the beach for treasure troves of perfect shells while working up an appetite for the fresh local seafood arriving daily. Prefer to bring in your own catch? While the Holden Beach fishing pier is temporarily closed as upgrades are planned for the site, a wade in the surf with a rod and some bait gives intrepid anglers plenty of chances to put dinner on the table. The Intracoastal Waterway is your backyard where kayakers lazily paddle while checking out the wildlife. And your glorious front yard of pristine beach invites you to cycle or saunter to popular Lockwood Folly Inlet on the island’s eastern point. The epitome of low key, Holden Beach is the bridge to a true vacation escape. Holden Beach42 YOUR DOGS WILL DIG IT AND YOU WILL TOO! Oak Island Oak Island welcomes back generations of happy visitors with mile after mile of beautiful beaches, a full-service marina, and oceanfront dining. You’ll find that some of our happiest visitors wear nothing but a collar and just can’t help drooling over the broad stretch of sand before them. Oak Island and adjoining Caswell Beach have been named as two of “North Carolina’s most dog-friendly beaches” with designated areas that allow unleashed pups to frolic from mid-October to mid-March. For the rest of us, the largest of our barrier islands offers a fishing mecca with two fishing piers and several boat ramps, along with four kayak ramps. 60 convenient public beach access points welcome sun and surf worshipers. There’s always something new to discover at the Oak Island Nature Center where you can explore the island’s diverse salt marsh ecosystem or wander down the Talking Trees Trail. Oak Island lives like a neighborhood with all the everyday conveniences that make you feel at home. Plus you’ll find plenty of unique shopping so you don’t go home empty-handed. Dogs may wag their tails in approval here. The rest of us are more than happy to sit and stay. When I’m there, it feels like I am home. -Genie, 35 years of vacations in NC’s Brunswick Islands “ 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 4344 WAIT ‘TIL YOU SEE THIS VIEW! Caswell Beach If the climb to the top of Oak Island Lighthouse in Caswell Beach doesn’t leave you breathless, the view will. At 153 feet high—the tallest structure for miles—your climb is rewarded with a perfect perch to overlook the beauty and expanse of our barrier island ecosystem. On the marsh side, a maze of waterways and inlets are waiting to be explored by kayak or shallow draft boat. Your bird’s-eye view also reveals the estuarine wilderness, a nursery for birds, fish, and other wildlife. Wildlife outnumbers people here as dog-friendly and quiet Caswell Beach is the most sparsely inhabited of our beaches. But you’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy this peaceful setting including an oceanside Cobb-designed golf course long known as a hidden gem, along with great restaurants and shopping just minutes away. Quite simply, this is a wonderful place to detach from the mainland, treat yourself to the serenity of the surf, and allow yourself to wander to your heart’s content. “ Caswell Beach is beautiful and uncrowded. I love the hometown feel. -Cynthia, 12 visits to NC’s Brunswick Islands 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 4546 NO CARS. NO PROBLEM! We love that we’re able to leave our worries behind. -Jackie, 3 visits to NC’s Brunswick Islands “ 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 47 Your Bald Head Island vacation begins with a farewell to cars and traffic and a refreshing ferry or boat ride to a unique island that’s more nature preserve than resort. In fact, 10,000 of its 12,000 acres are wildlife habitats set aside for stewardship by the Bald Head Island Conservancy. No cars allowed, your mode of transportation is by golf cart, bike, or flip flops. Pathways lead from upscale beach homes through natural vegetation to broad white sand beaches. This environmental oasis attracts visitors of all species. A plethora of birds inhabit the forests, salt marshes, and seashore. The island is also one of the nation’s most extensive sea turtle nesting sites. Your visit isn’t complete without a visit to Bald Head Island Lighthouse, lovingly called “Old Baldy.” Since 1817, it’s welcomed seafarers and enchanted visitors. Only 108 steps to a bird’s-eye view! Creatures of nature may rule here, but we haven’t forgotten the natural creature comforts of humans. Bald Head Island offers shopping, restaurants, fresh seafood, a marina, and one of the South’s premier golf courses. A Bald Head vacation is the perfect way to unplug, relax, and let nature take care of the rest. Bald Head IslandEven beach lovers can’t stay away from this inland town known for its championship golf, great dining, paddle sports, and natural beauty. Just one mile away from the port city of Wilmington, N.C., Leland delivers the best of both worlds—city conveniences and quiet small-town charms. The town is a haven for those who love to commune with nature by kayak, bike, or foot. Nearby Brunswick Nature Park offers more than seven miles of mountain bike trails for all skill levels. At Belville’s Riverwalk Park, you can watch for osprey, herons, and eagles in flight or glide along the Brunswick Paddle Trail by kayak or boat. Golfers also enjoy natural beauty. Wildflowers, sculpted greens, Carolina pines and grassy meadows grace the local courses. Magnificent views, well-maintained fairways, and sparse crowds delight all levels of play. You’ll find hotels and a variety of restaurants and breweries here to accommodate golf groups year-round. A visit to the nearby Battleship North Carolina tells the story of her crew’s service in the Pacific theater during World War II. And when you’re ready to hit the beach, Oak Island and Caswell Beach are just moments away, so you won’t miss a thing when you choose to stay in this inland treasure. The best of both worlds awaits, and we think you deserve the best—times two. 48 GRAB YOUR PADDLE AND GO. Leland 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 49Next >