A beautiful picturesque seaside town of Ocean Isle offers a quiet oasis to the residents and vacationers alike. The view is breathtaking and the blue water goes beyond your eyes can see. White sandy beach. Families relaxing and enjoying the water. There are private homes, seasonal rentals, and various tourist attractions. It's not your typical party goer scene or crowded as Myrtle Beach. It's geared more for families and for anyone looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. There are various however, limited of shops on the island with a bunch more across the bridge. Food establishments ranges from steak, seafoods, burgers, and pizzerias to ice cream and baked goods. Don't expect any fine dining here. A place with a popular joint called the Crab Shack is indicative and sets the tone of the lifestyle here. I mean half of the places are utensils optional. Let's be honest....did you really come here to put on a pair of heels and dress shoes? There aren't many things to do or places to see on this island but, the charm, serenity and exclusiveness is what makes this place a Gem. read more

too many restrictions ie sunshades metal shovels house are too close together only one convenience store that doesnt have anything good and they charge double one way in and out takes forever to travel bridge drivers suck every where I good gift shop. splash not enough golf kart rentals too much litter I've been here twice in 6-7 years and it's much much worse read more

Parked our car in front of the house for 10 min to carry my families bags in for a retreat and drop them off. With in the 10 min the lady that was driving back and forth to ticket cars gave me a $50 fine. She also tried to take an old lady that parked to unload her luggage, but we happen to see her and stop her . Liberal North Carolina stay away go to South Carolina Myrtle Beach !! read more

Finally the town cominissors decided to let us poor retired folks go to the beach, without having to pay to park. There ought to be some kind of discount for seniors who frequently visit ocean isle. Paid parking is not right. I have been coming to ocean isle since the 70's. Abolish paid parking or give a discount to seniors who frequently visit ocean isle. read more

We stopped here very briefly to check it out. Unfortunately we arrived to late so everything was basically closed. Make sure you get here early! The beach is beautiful, easy to access, and so clean! read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Water tower! - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

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Nice beach, but they have a strange rule about the beach canopies not allowed. Ours was reasonable, but we were told it was against their regulations, so we had to take it down. BEFORE YOU GO CHECK OUT THEIR ORDINANCE ON THIS. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND VISITING A DIFFERENT BEACH. read more

1000% we'll be back! We've been looking for a family vacation spot for years. We found it. Small town vibe, great beaches. Amazing location. Lots to do and explore. We love it here! read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Sunset- august 2022 - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

Ocean Isle is beautiful, but it's becoming less so. Developers have put lawns as a priority over natural vegetation. They built up the East end of the island dramatically, removing many wild areas. Our main frustration, though, has been the increased usage of golf carts. Each year there are more and more. This year (2023) we saw them crossing the bridge, which is stupid and dangerous. More annoying and dangerous than that is after dark young teens are driving them up and down 1st Street, often without headlights, honking the horns, shouting, and being idiots. I'm fairly certain that, in NC, you're required to have a driver's permit to operate a vehicle on a road. I'm 100% certain that in OIB the noise ordinance goes from 10p-8a. These children were up past midnight... Ordinances are ineffectual if unenforced. When I mentioned this to a local she said, "the parents need to teach them respect." I said, "They will if they have to pay a fine." Of course, just like anything in our great country, nothing will change until it impacts someone's pocket. Oh, I forgot the danger part. Remember, they're driving these vehicles recklessly, on a public road way, often without using headlights. It's only a matter of time until tragedy hits, what a shame. read more

What can I say? Ocean Isle Beach is one of my favorite beach spots, if not the favorite. I have been coming here for about 7 years now, sometimes more than once a year, and enjoy each experience I have in OIB. The town is not too built up, but has many many cottages for families or groups to rent and enjoy the area. There are enough restaurants and venues to enjoy yourself but definitely is not built up or commercialized. The area is always well maintained each time I have visited as well. There is even a small community center that can be used, beside the beach access at Monroe St and First Street. There is also a fishing pier on the island for those who like their fishing, at the roundabout on Causeway Dr. after coming off the bridge from the mainland. Saturdays are usually the most hectic times or days, in which people are leaving off the island (by way of the one way via Odell Williamson Bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway) and people coming on for the week. Get there early enough on Saturday and will miss the crowd to get on the island, and believe me, it is worth it to get on the island and enjoy this low key but well kept area of beach. If you are looking for more to do or a more upbeat venue to visit while you are at OIB, you can travel about an hour north to Wilmington, NC or an hour south for Myrtle Beach, SC. Also a bit south beyond Sunset Beach is the Calabash area known for its seafood restaurants. But usually I like the laid back atmosphere of the island for my trips and don't go too far when there. OIB is one of my happy places, and will visit any time I get the opportunity! read more

If you're a young buck looking to get wild, OIB might not be your location of choice. Check out Myrtle down the road. But if you're an old buck with and old doe and some little'ns then get your tail down here ASAP! I'll keep it simple, OIB is the best family beach around. Plenty of lodging options, a decent amount of activities, and good food all nearby the island. read more

After a long Memorial weekend beach trip to Ocean Isle, I can officially say I'm a fan! I actually surprised myself at how much I loved it since there aren't "tons" of things to do in the tiny town center. This could be one reason that the beach never felt crazy--it doesn't have the Myrtle Beach tourist scene written all over it. However, the "town center" is perfect for an afternoon walk and the beach is beautiful. Ocean Isle is truly a beach town where people vacation by renting out beach houses, cooking at home, drinking at home (or on the beach--no, it's not "legal" but everyone does it, discretely) and lounging all day. Long sidewalks line the roads, perfect for running in the mornings and there are plenty of beach access sites. The crowd is low key and it never felt crowded. The sand was lovely up closer to the piers and gets a little rocky and filled with shells where the tide comes in. People surf, fish off the beach (license required) and do all the typical recreational beach activities. We saw some skeet (some people thought they were stingrays, others manta rays) swimming in packs down the coast. As to my knowledge, they didn't bother anyone, just made for a good show, and surprised me when I found them swimming close to my legs! In the past, on some beaches I've felt a little cloistered by police patrols, but not here. I only saw a cop once at night patrolling neighborhoods but never on the beach. They are around if you need them, but let people do their own thing as long as you keep it in check. At a three hour drive from the Triangle and one hour from Wilmington, I would definitely return to Ocean Isle for a future trip! read more

I've been coming here since I was a little kid and have so many fond memories of hanging on the beach with family and friends. Obviously I'm biased here but I love this beach! Even though it's gotten more crowded over the years it still has that relaxed beach town feel. If you're planning a family vacation this place is perfect. The beaches are beautiful, clean, and free of any unnatural obstructions like jetties or rock walls. The memories you'll have at this beach are priceless! Quick tip: Be sure to bring a little cash to the beach. You and your kids will definitely want to try a Sunset Slush Italian Ice. Don't be fooled by the imposters. Make sure it's Sunset Slush. They are the best and great on a hot summer day. read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

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Single greatest place on earth in my humble opinion. I have spent 33 years at the same beach house on OIB. It's perfect for families with open beaches and no over crowding. If you want things to do Myrtle is a short drive and it has lots to do. Most relaxing thing in the world sitting on your back deck over looking the water listening to the waves! read more

Great place to escape the crowds of other nearby cities. Ocean isle has great people with awesome local businesses. Typically families on the beach which is great and not a big party scene compared to myrtle. The surf is marginally better since the beach faces south and rain hardly makes it over the intercostal waterway. Plan your next family vacation to Ocean Isle and you won't be disappointed. Great people, great weather, great beach. read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Typical morning in ocean isle, with no crowd and calm water. - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

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My husband and I drove to Ocean Isle Beach and checked into 51 Fairmont through Sloane Realty on August 13th, 2022. We had eaten takeout, unpacked, and I had just changed into pajamas when my husband noticed a wireless camera bolted to the top of the kitchen cabinets, hidden among a bunch of bottles and things on the top of the cabinets, looking toward the living room and the rest of the downstairs area. We were horrified. I climbed onto a chair to look at it and it was definitely plugged in so that the homeowner could look in on our beach vacation anytime he/she wanted to! Our rental agreement with Sloane contained a disclaimer that there were outdoor cameras on the property, which we have no issues with. However, we do have a major issue with being spied on during our vacation. I didn't unplug the camera because I didn't know if it had battery backup or not. And I didn't just cover it because the homeowner would still be able to listen in to our conversations. Also, we had no idea if there were more cameras or not. We immediately called Slone and explained the problem. The lady we spoke with said that they could not have indoor cameras and said she would contact the homeowner and ask maintenance to come by. However, an hour later we still hadn't heard back from anyone. We called Slone again but since it was after hours, we had to contact the after-hours emergency line, which is when things really went downhill. This time, the lady we spoke with said she had contacted maintenance who said that it was okay that there was an indoor camera in the house because the homeowner said it wasn't being monitored. Um...what? Being able to spy on people on their vacations anytime he or she wants is definitely not okay. I told her that we had packed up our belongings and that we wanted to be moved to either a new house or given an immediate refund. She said that she was unable to reach management and she could do neither. She told us to call back Sunday morning when people would be in the office. So we left and drove the 2.5 hours back home to Ft. Bragg. The next day we started calling Sloane immediately when the office opened, but it took nearly 15 minutes to get in touch with anyone. After being transferred to maintenance, then back to the office, we finally spoke with a very nice lady who reiterated that no, homeowners cannot have indoor cameras in their vacation homes. She said she could give us a refund or she gave us options of 2 other canal houses available. We actually drove back to a different house because we had both taken leave and we couldn't just take our vacation at a different time. We don't blame Sloane for the camera being inside the house. That issue is solely with the homeowner. I feel bad for people who stayed in this hose before us, most likely with children, who had no idea there was a camera indoors. However, I do have an issue with how Sloane initially handled the issue, attempting to brush off our concerns by saying that the homeowner said the camera wasn't being monitored. And, although we dealt with a very sweet lady named Malorie, we never once heard anything from management. And with something of this magnitude, which cost us an entire day of our vacation, not to mention gas when we drove all the way back to Ft. Bragg that night, we should have been contacted by management. They also removed our review from their Facebook page and did not post our review of 51 Fairmont on their website. So take their positive reviews with a grain of salt. Because of their response to this issue, I would not rent with them again. read more

Beautiful family oriented island. Small and inexpensive. Perfect for a quick get away. read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

I love Ocean Isle! We have a time share there. It's a quiet little North Carolina beach town with a beautiful coastline. There are lots of great little seafood restaurants to choose from like The Giggling Mackerel, Provisions and Company in Holden Beach, and The Parsons Table in Little River. Our cottage sits on one of the inlets that feed into the waterway to the ocean and we have a screened in porch with rocking chairs to sit and enjoy the sea air. There are many cottages to rent by the week or month and I say do it! It's not far to Wilmington or Myrtle Beach if you want a busier scene during the day, but prefer the quiet and seclusiveness at night. This is a family beach town. The beaches are clean and never too crowded. There are many cute boutiques like Victoria's Ragpatch, which carries Very Bradley and other southern staples. They have lots of tasteful beachwear and beach themed decor items. We always stop in while visiting. Want fresh seafood? You can actually go to the shrimping boat and by it directly off the boat. That's what I call fresh. Nothing beats a small southern coastal town! read more

I have mix feelings about this place. It's my family first time visiting this beach during labor day. Overall the beach is really nice and very clean. But the people that works at the parking lots are very rude and almost racist! We didn't park at the parking lot because it was closed so we parked across the street. I can tell this man on the golf cart riding around the premises has been watching us. As soon as we got out the car unloading our things, he yelled across and told us that the parking lot where he was at is a private property and we can't cross there to go to the beach and we have to walk all the way down the street. First of all, how the hell does he know we were crossing there? He never said anything to the other family who crossed there and they parked where we were at. That to me right there just gave me a bad impression of what type of people you're dealing with in that area. It felt like we were not welcomed. We will not be going there again. I will spend my money somewhere else for sure! read more

Quiet, quaint, and untouched. Beach resort town, with none of the lights and cheesy typical beach amusement. A great place to go with family year after year and make memories that will last a lifetime. Really affordable restaurants and extremely accommodating location to grocery stores and everything that you would need. If you're looking for extravagant putt -putt courses with Beach access or overcrowded beaches& McDonald's -simply put , you will be bored to tears and this is not the place for you !!! If you need to need to slow down a little and enjoy the little things with your family then I am positive that Ocean Isle Beach is the town for you and your family. read more

Ocean Isle Beach - Beaches Near Me - Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina

Ocean Isle Beach is definitely worthy of five stars!! We live in the Brunswick County area full time; so yes we are Brunswick Residents for sure! Heck all 3 of my beautiful miracles have all been born here!! Anyways, Ocean Isle Beach is our most beloved beach that we have & always will take our kiddos to during the summer and is also the beach that we always highly recommend to all of our family and friends for some amazing beach time fun together and to all of our beloved ones whom aren't residents here in Brunswick County as the best choice for them to come whenever they are wanting to take a lovely and fun beach vacation!! Every one of our closest friends have all always chosen Ocean Isle Beach as their vacation destination during their vacations ! They always have a freaking fabulous time when they come to visit Ocean Isle Beach!! And as residents this beach is the beach that we go to every summer read more

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The worst beach out of the Brunswick Islands. Dont recommend. A very shelly beach. Least amount of sand compared to the others. Too many gated areas. Unfriendly people. Overpriced. One of my least favorite vacations sadly. Wont do it again. read more

Love the quiet beach island. The only thing is if you want a big grocery store is you haft to cross the bridge. There is a large beach club with a restaurant and pool. We did not get to visit because it is only open seasonally it also has a pool. There are plenty of restaurants and a large mini golf course on the island. We had a photographer on the beach near the pier and the pictures look great. This is a great beach to go with the entire family. read more

OIB! Seriously, don't waste your time at a "touristy" beach like Myrtle. OIB is an island where 99% of the people you see are residents or those renting beach houses. Has that exclusive feel to it, nice beach, and just a few local businesses. Amazing! read more

Such a beautiful and amazing coastal NC town! There are three parts to OIB. The barrier island with 7 miles of pristine beaches. The beautiful Intracoastal Waterway and marshes for all of your water sporting and fishing desires. The mainland with a plethora of authentic local businesses and wonderful housing options. Add to it the low property taxes and great weather---I had to relocate! read more

Have been coming here about 20 years. Used to be a wonderful place to get away. However in the past few years they have become a joke regarding the tent situation. Cannot have anything that provides shade other than an umbrella. I realize they have their reasons, but they have totally made it just a nuisance with all their strict rules and regulations. Their "beach patrol" need to get real jobs if they want to be in law enforcement instead of harassing people who are just trying to enjoy some shade on the beach. read more

Whenever they laid out this island, they did a fantastic job! Canals are laid out for each street which makes a boat a must have for an extra fun vacation here. Street legal golf carts are also a must have to get around the island not only to transport you beachwares to the sand, but for fun, and trips to the Ocean Isle Creamery for ice cream. The beach is clean and immaculate too. read more

Love the beaches. Love that I only saw 1 hotel on the island. Mostly private beach homes. Will go back for sure. Pier fishing was fun. Son caught a shark and a ray. So relaxing!!! read more

I love this beach community! It's in close proximity to Calabash, NC...home to the low country seafood cuisine. It reminds me of an East Coast version of my hometown (Monterey, CA). Not to touristy, clean, and laid back... read more

OIB is our most fav beach that we as locals here in Shallotte, NC, have many great choices for BEACHES! We aren't exactly tied down to having to just deal with and visit only one beach while on vacation! Cuz as residents of Brunswick county all year around we are living in luxury! Cuz we are so close to some of the worlds most precious and beautiful beach areas! WHEN WE GO OUT FOR A BEACH DAY, ITS ALWAYS OIB for us! Everytime we ever have a beach day planned out, the one thing that is always certain is the fact that our beach day will be spent at our fav spot on OIB! So for every one out there who r looking for their perfect "beach" to always have for you and family to have fun in the sun, choose OCEAN ISLE BEACH!! There's plenty of lodging options! You can stay in a hotel room at one of many hotel options on Oib ! You also can rent ur very own beach house for the week or weekend! Cuz Oib is that awesome! read more

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Nice beach. Just keep in mind that they don't allow any type of tent/canopy on the beach. Only umbrellas. I really wish they would allow daily canopies that can't left unmanned. read more

OIB is a great place for the family. Beaches aren't overly crowded and you can always find a place to sit. Not far from good restaurants and if the busy life is your scene, Myrtle Beach isn't that far from here. This is the 4th year my family and I have come here. The best week of our lives! read more

I love this place for vacations. I have been there 2 years now for a week each time and it was a lot better than any other ocean side place I have been. The beaches aren't as crowded and the entertainment is great. It is only within 45 mins of North Myrtle Beach and 15 mins from the border of South Carolina. This is my favorite place to go year round. read more

Awesome little beach town. Very clean and family orientated. Close enough to Myrtle Beach without the traffic. Ice cream and mini golf are great to. Very nice beach houses. read more

The best affordable family oriented beach we have been to. For the cost of renting a beach home, the place is nearly perfect. There are quiet roads for biking, a beautiful beach, fishing pier, mini golf, creamery and restaurants. Our favorite day trip is driving into Calabash to the Christmas shop, going on a Dolphin Watch Cruise or Kayaking in the sound. Overall, my family adores OIB! read more

Our favorite beach on the east coast. Quiet and family oriented. The focus is quiet days on the beach, simple local scene with cute shops and restaurants but not vast amenities. Most people are renting or own a home and there aren't too many hotels. Such a nice vibe and beautiful warm water. Fishing on the pier, walks on the beach, sunny days of building sand castles. read more

Ocean Isle has been my family's beach of choice all my life. Sure, you have Myrtle Beach in SC for all the attractions. Go up towards Wilmington for their exciting & crowded beach towns, BUT, come here to relax & get away from the hustle & bustle. Although, we can always find fun things to do here, it's a laidback, KEWL approach to beaching & ALWAYS will be our choice! read more

Great family vacation! Perfect beach for kids. Island has ice cream, putt-putt and a couple of restaurants. Plenty of places to go off the island too. Only 45 minutes from Myrtle Beach, but a world away in atmosphere. read more

I vacationed here for the first time from August 8th to the 15th and found myself wanting to stay longer, if not forever. When in OIB you see wild life and the focus of the residents to protect it. The beaches and the community where pristine (except for the occasional visitor beer can), but the million dollar neighborhood was more like a close knit community willing to help myself and others find our way to locations; everyone was except ally nice. The sea turtles which are protected on the dunes, the pelicans diving into the ocean and the sea oats separating you from the ocean can easily put you into a reality office if you can afford it. Very quiet, serene and relaxing town to bring a family to relax and spend quality time. The beach was more crowded than expected but nothing like Myrtle there is often large gaps to cast your towel or beach gear and have comfortable space. Evenings an nights the beach was empty and being able to see the sky without light pollution was amazing. You can see just about everything mother nature has to offer when strolling on OIB at night I highly recommend it. One more thing the shells on the beach are amazing as well; you often find shop quality shells (as well as crabs) when walking along the beach at anytime. Easily one of the prettiest and well preserved beaches I have visited A+. read more