One Sweet Beach

You’ll find few folks and an expanse of sand at Oak Island, North Carolina

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With 10 miles of beach and public access at nearly every block, it’s easy to find a place to sprawl and enjoy the view most any time of year at Oak Island, North Carolina. This family-oriented getaway features kid-friendly amenities, and it’s welcoming to dogs, too. There are two municipalities here, Caswell Beach and Oak Island, but there is little commercialization. The island’s ambiance is that of a throwback to mid-20th-century beach resorts, in a good way, with mom-and-pop-style stores and eateries, few chains, and no massive condos towering over the beaches. If you’re in the mood for more urban offerings, Wilmington is a 45-minute drive to the north, and Myrtle Beach is about 90 minutes to the south.

Sand

The main attraction is Oak Island’s broad, firm-packed beach that faces south. It’s a great place to view the sunset or take a walk in search of shells at sunrise. We also enjoyed watching dolphins at play and tracking massive cargo ships as they sailed along the horizon. Many of the dunes are being restored after extensive damage from storms, including Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and Hurricane Florence in 2018.

Something Fishy

Cast from the beach or try your luck at landing a king mackerel from one of the two piers. The Oak Island Pier reopened in May, two years after it sustained hurricane damage. There’s also the Ocean Crest Pier. Several charter services are also available.

Back to Nature

There’s a nature center that’s open in season from Thursday to Saturday on the north side near the Intracoastal Waterway. Off island, our 5-year-old granddaughter enjoyed a day trip to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, home to an albino alligator and other attractions. The hit of the day was a pool where kids can touch various fish. Be sure to head for the observation deck when you take the ferry to the aquarium from nearby Southport.

See the Light, and, Maybe, the Fort

The east end of the island is home to Caswell Beach and the Oak Island Lighthouse,a 153-foot-tall structure built in 1958. To take a tour to the top, you’ll need reservations and must be at least 9 years old. The tip of the east end is home to the ruins of Fort Caswell, but the property is owned by the North Carolina Baptists Assembly, which runs it as Fort Caswell Coastal Retreat and Conference Center. If there are no groups there, they may let you drive through to take a look at the impressive ruins of the fort, which was built in the 1820s and deactivated after the end of World War I early in the 20th century. The retreat center is open for rental by outside nonprofits, civic and community groups, and schools.

Dine

Tranquil Harbor Restaurant and Bar lives up to its name; the quiet, casual eatery features fresh, local seafood. Its grilled snapper, the catch of the day on our visit, was excellent. Down the road, Shagger Jacks is a classic beachy seafood shack that also does burgers, sandwiches and entrees, including Island Chicken, spicy, smoked meat with black beans and plantains. This kid-friendly bistro serves up child-sized orders on flying discs that you can take home.

Sweet Things

Grass-fed, North Carolina cows provide the milk that’s used to make the ice cream at Lil and John’s Sweetreat, which has served generations of Oak Island visitors. (It’s been in business since 1978.) The menu includes coconut, Tahitian vanilla and pistachio, and even a Krispy Kreme flavor if you need a doughnut fix. If you can’t decide what you want for dessert, Tropical Treats across the street has a bit of everything sweet, including soft serve ice cream, dot ice cream, ices, a counter full of fudge, snow cones, coffee and frozen lattes.

Stay

Rental homes are numerous, and there are also motels, including the oceanfront Ocean Crest Motel and the Island Resort and Inn, which has apartments with full kitchens and also regular inn rooms. We shared a home with friends toward the back of the island for a week in the off-season. You can find summertime rentals for around $100 a night and up.