No free parking anywhere. Instantly got a ticket. Tried to pay on app which failed. Oak Island escalated the ticket to $50. Still trying to resolve. Better choose a more visitor friendly community. read more

Beautiful beach with great views, a place to just chill out and take it all in. Awesome ocean view with beautiful beaches. read more

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If this place is this stunning in the winter, I can only imagine how breathtaking it must be in the summer. The area is dotted with charming homes and has an incredibly peaceful atmosphere. The sunrises and sunsets were absolutely mesmerizing, true works of art. I t hope it remains this way, untouched by overdevelopment, so its natural beauty can be preserved for years to come. A photographer's dream! read more

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The prettiest sunsets, miles of beautiful beach and sea. Dog friendly. You never know what find along the shore line, Friendliest people around! read more

Quiet and secluded. Lots of wildlife and beautiful shells! Parking is free after 5pm. And the water is crystal clear and alot warmer than other places. read more

I am not a huge fan of the beach but Oak Island is a nice and relaxing getaway! It is not as crowded as other beaches which is fantastic. The reasons I do not enjoy the beach as much? Let's just be real it is the possibility of being attacked by Sharks, Jellyfish or a Portuguese Man-of-War. Plus, not being able to see through the water. The best thing about Oak Island? Tons of chances to see baby turtles hatch, I have yet to see this occur but it is a goal in life. read more

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I have been going to this beach for about 5 years now. It is one of the best beaches to go to and relax at with not too many people and friendly locals. The water is always pretty blue and calm which I like because I do not like rough waves. The sand is soft and there are always pretty shells to find. They have a lot of public parking which is the most out of any other beaches like Wrightsville and Carolina beach. The parking is also free!! All year round which is amazing. My favorite part about this beach is you can being dogs all year round. I have never had a problem with finding a spot to park even during the busy summer months. If you're looking for a peaceful beach that allows dogs, has friendly locals, and good food nearby than oak island is your place! read more

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I have been IN LOVE with oak island since i was just a young father ,my kids are grown now,but the best times of my life were spent there with my kids . I hadnt been in a while since the kids have got their own lives and moved out ,it's a little harder for everyones lives to line up now days. But I went down this weekend for memorial day holiday,just to feel a shade of the time when my kids were kids and the world still felt like it had promise in it. Alot has changed ,which is how it goes . I went to the pier and saw the new parking deal they have going on,I HAD BOUGHT the all day pass already ,so i thought I was good ,but of course not, still got a 50$ parking ticket,the sign is purposely misleading and guess who the ticket is from? The same company that sells the all day pass is also the same company WHO GIVES the ticket. It's not the money it's the the thought of a place that holds such good memories ,doing something that feels dirty and honestly greedy. It's the destruction of trust and the ever growing commercialzation of our lives and the past.I drove home the same day and the ride was a sad one. Hold to your MEMORIES ,but don't go back to them,for they will be changed and tarnished by greed and someday you may have to pay for the privlege of remembering them . Oak island shame on you I will never be back AND if anyone is thinking about going for the first time,pass on by . Make your memories elsewhere . read more

R&R. Life does not get better. Soft sand, cool water. Beautiful skyline, beautiful seascape. Just go farther away from the Pier. The further you are from pier, the less people there will be. There are little side entrances that you can park at away from the pier. However, there are spots designated for in town residences only. You will often see a young teenage boy pushing a cart of goodies along the beach, so bring cash if you want some cool snacks. People are friendly and tend to stay out of your way. Everyone is there to do the same thing, enjoying the sand and smell of the ocean and catching a little wave. read more

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Very beautiful and peaceful beach. I suggest going close the Sunset because the view is amazing! read more

Oak Island Beach - Oak Island Beach - Beaches Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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This is a great beach if you're wanting to spend the day here, or even just walk for an hour or two! I've found a lot of cool sea shells here while walking it. Both the water and sand are fairly clean. It's not too overcrowded like other beaches are, especially if you get up earlier and go! read more

Oak Island Beach - Beaches Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

My favorite beach in NC it's clean and quiet. There is plenty of free parking up and down the beach. My husband and I got married here. It's a super cute town. read more

Oak Island Beach - Hanging by the shore - Beaches Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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I moved here for the beach, it's quiet a place to read a book or chill, just enough tourist stuff to keep it interesting. If your looking for a beach to just relax and hang out this is the place! read more

Very nice family friendly area. There was a public bathroom available so you could change before heading over to the beach. Parking is close. Beach area is very nice, lots of room to take a stroll of just relax in the sun. read more

Oak Island Beach - Family beach - Beaches Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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family had a great time, plenty of room for everyone. the kitchen was equipped very well. would recommend to anyone. tim

The best. Quiet- great for sunrises and sunsets. Great scenery...turtles, surfing, paddle boarding, biking...etc.

I love that we have "A place at the beach", and it's this one. Even in the season, it's relatively uncrowded, but off season, it's fantastic. Do me a favor? Stay away...... :-) read more

Beautiful beach. Never too crowded and plenty of parking. Very clean beach and there is plenty of sand to find your perfect spot. Lots of places to snack or eat, beach stores, and bars. Great beach overall, love coming back! read more

Oak Island Beach - Getting married on oak island beach - Beaches Near Me - Oak Island, North Carolina

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Oak island is a wonderful place for a vacation or a day trip if you are close to it. There are a lot of amenities on the island; a few grocery stores, lots of restaurants and ice cream shops, fish markets, the lighthouse, and souvenir shops. We stayed in the 3000 area of the island in a second row house and the beach was so close! I've stayed in the neighboring Holden Beach a number of times and the only downside about that beach is that the dunes are so wide that even a beach front house is not actually on the beach. Oak Island is the complete opposite, which really worked for us since we like to go back and forth between the beach and our house multiple times through the day to get things or take breaks from the sun. Another thing it has over Holden Beach is more public beach access points. While this might be a negative point during the weekends when the public beach areas are very crowded, it is definitely a positive during the week when the weekend crowds don't come and access from non-beach front houses is convenient. Another thing I noticed was that the water was so clear and clean, that might just have been because of the weather conditions but it really made for an enjoyable time. I would definitely return to this beach, and would recommend it to anyone! read more

Things To Know Safety and Ordinances Here are just some basic ideas for safety and beach ordinances that are good for travelers to know. Swimming Because Oak Island is a south facing beach, the water may not be as clear, but the current is not as severe making it better for swimming in general. But be aware there are still rip tides and currents and there are no lifeguards on the island. Piers - Keep a safe distance from piers when swimming because rip-tides can be stronger here and the pilings have barnacles that are very sharp. The Point (Lockwood Inlet) - The far west end of the island can be a beautiful area to spend the day swimming and fishing. But swimming in the sound at the point is more dangerous due to the fact that currents are worse where the sound meets the ocean. Also though exploring the sandbars at low tide can be fun, watch the tides or you could quickly find yourself stuck. Sidewalks There are sidewalks that run down most of the main road (Oak Island Drive) for walking and biking. But remember these sidewalks do cross over at the top of every side street, so be cautious and look out for cars that may not stop short enough. Sand Dunes and Turtles Sand dunes protect the beach from erosion and are very necessary to protect the island. Use the marked paths and do not walk on the dunes or allow children to play in the dunes. The vegetation on these dunes is necessary to their integrity, do not pick the Sea Oats. There is a $50.00 fine for walking on or disturbing vegetation on fenced off dunes. Sea turtles (loggerhead, green, leatherback) are protected and nests are marked. Do not disturb them and keep children or dogs away from these areas; the maximum fine is $10,000. Dogs Oak Island allows dogs on the beach but does have a leash law. Bring a bag to dispose of your dogs waste. Many accesses have dispensers with plastic bags available if you forget. Dogs are allowed to run free on the beach, but only Oct. 15 to March 15 between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. in marked areas of the beach. There is a dog park at 4601 E Oak Island Drive. Don't Drink and Drive The law enforcement in Oak Island takes drinking and driving very seriously and if you drive intoxicated, you will get stopped. If you do not have a designated driver, Oak Island has at least a couple of cab companies and they are very affordable. Also most establishments have no problem with your car sitting in their parking lot overnight, just ask. It would put a real damper on your vacation to end up in the "Brunswick County Hilton" (that's what locals call the county jail) or worse. Fishing Anglers are required to have identification and a Coastal Recreational Fishing license (except on July 4th). Licenses can be purchased online at the NC Wildlife Resources Commission web site or at tackle shops on the island. Misc. Oak Island has no ordinances against drinking or smoking on the beach, but remember to respect those freedoms and keep the beach clean for everyone. The island has trash receptacles at every access. Bring a bag to put all your trash in (and that includes cigarette butts, don't make the beach your ashtray) . Holes dug in the beach sand must be filled in before leaving. Don't let a sea turtle get stuck in a hole. Terms of use Privacy policy Careers Full site © 2016 read more

Pet friendly and such a great place. I love that it's not all shopping and amusement park style places. I doubt I'll ever go back to Myrtle Beach again; Oak Island is my new favorite vacation place! read more

Great beach: not very commercial, great, simple spots to get food. Simple and natural. Plenty of places to park. Beach is nice and clean.

One of the best beaches on the east coast. Not over crowded and clean. Very small town atmosphere with great down to earth residence.

Amazing weather, manageable traffic, terrific restaurants and bars, no crowds, no trash.... I hope this area never develops like Myrtle did years ago. Best place I could imagine for beach lovers and people wanting to get away from the day to day. Stay small, Oak Island!! Your identity is perfect the way it is!! read more

Best Beach ever calm cool and relaxed surrounding also no troubled human beings to worry about.

I loveeee coming here! It's such a quiet little beach town but still has enough to have a good time with friends and family. Can't wait to come back. read more

First timer here. Having a blast. The only problem is people do not clean behind their dogs. I was with two dogs and when I leave the beach you better believe there is a clean beach read more

much better less commercialized, less crowded beach than Myrtle. love the ocean, not so big on people. this was a great happy accident for my family. read more

We have been coming here for 40 years. This beach has changed and for the better. there is more to do and we are very happy to see the second bridge reducing traffic in the area. Good job to the city planners. read more