The ocean is my happy place, whether on it , wading out into it (not too far though) or sitting on the beach communing with it. Unfortunately for me, I live in Colorado which would be the ideal place to live except for the not having an ocean part. But fortunately for me, I can get to somewhere I was happy to discover, Brunswick Islands in North Carolina. Here, I share with Real Food Travelers what the place is all about, what it offers and why you, too, need to visit.

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Brunswick Islands, NC: 5 islands, 6 beaches, loads of personality

Between Wilmington and the North/South Carolina border are five barrier islands holding court on the Atlantic Ocean. The Brunswick Islands are, from north-to-south: Bald Head Island, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach. They have a collective and impressive 45 miles of beach. Those beaches have the same names as their islands except for Caswell Beach which is a second beach on Oak Island. Confusing? A little. But it won’t matter, because you’re on island time, baby, and there’s a lot of fun to be had.

With the exception of one island, each is accessible by bridges and roads on the mainland. It’s easy to get around and explore but a car is necessary. If you are staying on an island for the duration of a visit though, golf carts and bikes are the way to get around.

Despite all being part of North Carolina, all being barrier islands, and all being on the Atlantic Ocean, each of the five islands has its own vibe and personality:

Bald Head Island is the one that’s only accessible by ferry or private boat. The vibe is resort-style. It is home to Old Baldy which is the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina.

Caswell Beach (also on Bald Head Island) has its own lighthouse to brag about, Oak Island Lighthouse, which is the last lighthouse built in the state. This beach area is quieter and is said to be the least inhabited of all six.

Oak Island beach is THE place for folks visiting with their pooches. In fact, it was named one of the state’s most dog-friendly beaches. It has a vibe of an old-fashioned, beachside vacay.

Holden Beach earned the distinction of being one of the U.S.’s best family beaches by National Geographic Traveler. It’s known for its small-town charm.

Ocean Isle Beach is great for adventure activities while still having a laid-back vibe. We found it to be bustling with densely-packed homes (mostly on stilts), lots of people on golf carts and bikes, especially at night when ice cream shops are the popular hangout. It’s also where the barrier islands’ only winery is, a relaxing place that I talk about below.

Sunset Beach is where we stayed during our visit (more on that below too). It is primarily a wildlife preserve and is, therefore calm and has a slower pace. Its big claim to fame is the Kindred Spirit Mailbox which I tell you about below.

What Not to Miss When Visiting the Brunswick Islands 

Some of these things are on an island and some are on the mainland. All are an easy drive to get to.

On Oak Island, walk out onto the pier. There will likely be fishermen there waiting, catching and cleaning. There are benches along both sides that simultaneously provide views of the ocean and the beach dotted with people and their colorful shelters fluttering in the breeze. Oak Island is also where the Oak Island Sea Turtle Protection Program is, whose mission is to educate people about the sea turtles and to protect them. The non-profit organization is completely run by volunteers.

Oak Island Beach is an ideal place for both vacation and preservation.

Oak Island is also known for the Guardians of the Dunes, statues of various sizes, shapes and personality, created out of driftwood by local resident Dean Russell. Humorous and fantastical, they are easy to miss so watch for them along East Beach Drive near 55th Street. We were looking for them and STILL almost missed them!

Stop at May Moore Park, a tiny area within a residential neighborhood to see the first Wind Phone in the area. Created by a woman who mourned the passing of her beloved husband, the Wind Phone is a disconnected rotary phone with instructions to dial the number or name of a person who has passed, share memories, news or things left unsaid. “The wind will know exactly where to deliver your message,” the sign says. It’s sad, beautiful and cathartic. The Wind Phone became so popular among visitors, another one was installed at Sunset Beach.

Oak Island Beach Wind Phone at May Moore Park.

A bit of a trek to get there, Sunset Beach’s Kindred Spirit Mailbox has journals people write in with hopes, dreams, messages, memories and prayers to those who have passed. They then put the notebook back in the mailbox. Volunteers collect the notebooks when they are full, archive them at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and replenish the mailbox with new ones. The Kindred Spirit Mailbox was the inspiration behind the 2018 novel by Nicholas Sparks, Every Breath.

Also on Sunset Beach, depending on the day, visitors may see Hunter Gibbes, aka the Sunset Beach Maze Man, creating huge, ornate and beautiful mazes in the sand. You might also see the Sunset Beach Sand Artists at work, making one of their creations that will be washed away by the tide.

Still more on Sunset Beach, you can hike the Green Swamp Preserve which is one of the few places in the world where the Venus Flytrap grows natively. In a “small world” moment, I was watching CBS Sunday Morning after returning from Brunswick Islands and they had a segment about the Green Swamp Preserve. Watch it here.

Southport is a charmer of a coastal town on the mainland, with Victorian homes, live oaks dripping in Spanish moss, an old-fashioned downtown vibe with cute shops, restaurants and antique stores and a Hollywood history. There have been more than 40 movies filmed there over the years including some scenes from The Summer I Turned Pretty (most were filmed in Wilmington), A Walk to Remember and Safe Haven (I love me some Josh Duhamel!). You can tour set locations via walking or golf cart tours.

While in Southport, visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Closed the day we were there, it features the natural and cultural history of the Lower Cape Fear region through hands-on and interpretive exhibits that share the long history of the area. The Fort Johnston Southport Museum and Visitor Center was open, however, and we spent a lot of time there, viewing the exhibits about Southport’s history. There are photos, artifacts, an interesting timeline of local and national events and a room completely devoted to the town’s role in movies. The building itself, The Garrison House, was built in 1810 and is the only remaining structure from the pre-20th century fort that stood during the Revolution.

Southport has a lot to offer including the Fort Johnson Museum.

Other things to do on the Brunswick Islands including birding, fishing, kayaking and playing golf. Here’s the link to the visitors’ website that will provide lots of ideas and details.

Eating and Drinking on the Brunswick Islands (and Beyond) 

As you would expect, the Brunswick Islands and mainland towns feature seafood on their menus. While you may see it grilled or roasted, depending on the item, what you’re most likely to see is a “Calabash” method iconic to the area. From shrimp and clams to flounder, Calabash seafood is lightly dusted in a seasoned flour and then fried. This results in a slightly crisp coating that isn’t heavy or overwhelming and lets the true flavor of the seafood to come through. We welcomed the lightness of everything we tried at various restaurants. Almost on the flip side, dessert menus often featured peanut butter pie. We resisted the strong urge to order it repeatedly (meal portions are large there) but we did give in on the last night and boy was it delicious!

Hungry for more? Try this Peanut Butter Pie recipe.

Here’s where we ate and drank:

Beck’s Restaurant in Calabash was founded in the 1940s by Ruth Beck, one of the sisters who created the Calabash Style of preparing seafood. The restaurant is still owned and operated by the same family, having passed through multiple generations. Expect to wait for a table at this very popular spot. We controlled ourselves in eating complimentary hushpuppies brought at the start (they’re addictive) and waited for our Breck’s House Salad and Low Country Crab Bisque and combo of shrimp and clam strips (served in Calabash Style, naturally). Beck’s is clearly a local’s favorite. When one of the regulars announced it was his birthday, his server made a big announcement, and the entire restaurant sang “happy birthday” to him. Wonderful!

Beck’s restaurant is a favorite among the locals – and visitors.

Edgewater 122 in Southport is, indeed, at the water’s edge. In fact, a group walked through the restaurant’s patio to go out onto their dock to board their boat. We enjoyed a super-fresh Seaside Cobb with blackened shrimp and a Lobster Salad Roll that was one of the best I’ve ever had.

Edgewater 122 is a great place for seafood.

Jinks Creek Waterfront Grille on Ocean Isle Beach is light, airy and modern but dotted with greenery. Eat in the dining room or upstairs at the outdoor Tiki lounge. Either way, enjoy views of the water. We both ordered variations on shrimp and pasta dishes, mine, the “Symphony of the Sea” with the luxurious addition of jumbo lump crab in a beurre blanc sauce. Here, we gave in, after seeing “Peanut Butter Pie” on so many menus, and were treated to a chocolate-crusted, chocolate-caramel-drizzled version.

Jinks Creek Waterfront Grille is light and airy. It’s also where we finally had iconic peanut butter pie.

Oak & Palm on Sunset Beach, located in a pink house with mint green trim, has an easy-breezy atmosphere (and slight Havana-vibe) with large windows looking out on the water and near-constant stream of boats. We shared the Apple & Arugula Salad with candied pecans and creamy goat and The Miss Calabash seafood platter. Oak & Palm is another place famous for the Calabash Style of preparing seafood so that plate of oysters, shrimp and flounder was a great combo. Our server was excellent and warm and answered all of our questions.

Oak and Palm restaurant is known for serving Calabash-style seafood.

Salt 64 on Oak Island was, perhaps, our most formal and elegant dining experience. Not that it was stuffy, but it was a place that called for dressing up a bit. There, we had a huge portion of Shrimp & Grits with the creamiest grits and most flavorful shrimp my husband has ever had. My Filet Mignon was prepared exactly as I’d asked for. And our server’s recommendation for potato cakes was a good side as was the mixture of sauteed squash my husband ordered.

Salt 64 is an elegant place to dine in Brunswick Islands, NC.

Silver Coast Winery on Ocean Isle is a homey retreat for relaxing and hanging with the locals and other visitors. We had the good fortune to meet with Dana Keeler, the Head Wine Maker. He has a fascinating story and is well-loved by the locals. Whether we were inside the tasting room or out on the porch with him, listening to music, people kept coming up to him, greeting him or giving him a quick hug. Keeler prides himself on making approachable wines that are also affordable so that people can come in, try a glass and take home a bottle to have with dinner that night. For our part, we bought a bottle and enjoyed it on the beach!

Be sure to visit Silver Coast Winery.

The Oyster Rock Waterfront Seafood in Calabash is known for its friendly service which we certainly experienced. Reservations are recommended for this popular place but if you have to wait, a separate dock-side bar is a nice place to wait (and order a drink and appetizer to tide you over) or by the firepit where live music may also be performed. We noticed what looked just like the chile roasting bins we are familiar with in our home area of the U.S.’s southwest but in this area, it’s for oyster roasts! We had an excellent dinner at Oyster Rock, including the opportunity to try oysters from different regions in the area to compare their appearance, texture and flavor.

The Oyster Rock Waterfront Seafood restaurant is very popular and has a fun vibe. 

Where to Stay When Visiting the Brunswick Islands

While there are tons of places to stay on any of the islands, The Sunset Inn turned out to be the perfect place to call home while we explored some of the Brunswick Islands. Located on Sunset Beach, a calmer island with a lot of natural preserve areas, we felt the calm immediately upon checking into our room.

With a kitchenette, couch, screened in porch overlooking verdant marshland (great for bird-watching), and rocking chairs outside our door overlooking the lush garden, Sunset Inn was very relaxing. And since we were there for several days, we could fully unpack and settle in.

The Sunset Inn has a great back-story and is located near the bridge that takes people to the mainland so it’s easy access to everything.

Sunset Inn is an ideal place to stay when visiting Brunswick Islands for comfort and close proximity to everything.

Breakfast is included and is available in the main house area. In addition to juices, coffee and tea, there was homemade bread (the offerings changed daily), yogurt, bagels, cereals, granola bars and fruit. It was easy to get talking with fellow guests. I sat down at a communal table near a gentleman who has been returning every year for decades. Suddenly, he recognized a couple from a previous visit sitting at another table. They were surprised to see each other (what are the chances) and caught up over travels and recommendations for where to eat on the islands.

That exchange seemed to sum up our entire visit for me. Visiting the Brunswick Islands brought a sense of community, warmth and fun everywhere we went. It’s low-key and not just because beaches are central to everything. Maybe it was south(eastern) hospitality? I can’t put me finger on it, nor will I try too hard to.

Amp up your beach vacation, one island and beach at a time.

Learn more about the Brunswick Islands on the really helpful visitors website. And use our affiliate link to make lodging reservations, and our Expedia link to book flights.

-Story by Courtney Drake-McDonough, Publisher & Managing Editor. Photos by Courtney and Jimmy McDonough, Real Food Traveler’s Eco-Friendly Food, Travel & Adventure Editor.

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