Years ago, Mr. Family Trip and I began a love affair. With an island: Bald Head Island, North Carolina.
This small island, considered part of the Wilmington, NC metropolitan area, is only approximately 4 sq miles of land mass. Yet all of those miles capture the imagination and a lot of spirit.
It juts out into the Cape Fear River (aptly name) and takes the brunt of the seas, the winds and the elements. Bald Head Island is wildly exposed and, due to that, was sadly clobbered by Hurricane Florence when we lived in that area. But seeing the resilience and recovery of this little island of survivors was inspiring.
Our first adventure to Bald Head Island was before we had even contemplated moving to the shores of North Carolina to try raising our young family at the beach. While still living in landlocked Chapel Hill, Mr. Family Trip and I snuck away for a weekend to explore this island that pops up in a lot of “top ten lists” and seems to be bestow magic on everyone who visits. They all come back enchanted.
We visited Bald Head Island for the first time in an off-season (and a polar vortex, nonetheless, remember that?) but since then had many opportunities to pop over with our family during all the seasons. And each time it captivated us…
But no visit grabbed us more than that first one. Yes, we loved it best in the dead cold. It was so quiet, still, remote, and isolated it felt like a precious gem only we owned. We felt the freezing ocean wind in our faces and felt alive. The rugged beauty of Frying Pan Shoals was even more exquisite when the temperatures matched the deathliness of the waves.
Don’t be afraid to visit somewhere in what is considered the “down season.” Sometimes (usually) it is during those quiet days that you are able to really discover all that a destination holds – it is during that time you can pause to listen and hear the true personality of the place.
Finally, there is something in the isolated, remote salty air of Bald Head Island that feeds the creative soul in an inexplicable way. I had many daydreams of making enough money as a writer and journalist to live quietly on this remote island.
When I was being paid for writing, I got the closest I will likely ever get to that daydream: I traveled to Bald Head Island twice to write articles on some of the unique aspects of life there. (See them here and here.)
But here is what else I love about visiting Bald Head Island, North Carolina:
The Ferry.
Bald Head Island is accessible only via ferry. This keeps tourism a bit under control. Plus, the ferry is not cheap (round trip tickets are around $25 per adult and $13 for kids 3-12) and it is about 20-30 minutes of travel time.
Additionally, this is a people ferry. No cars are allowed on Bald Head Island. Visitors depart from Southport, NC and the waiting lounge is comfortable, and quite beautiful.
They have arranged services on the ferry so you can take it all with you. The ferry has a luggage check system so plan to take huge bins full of food, suitcases, beach gear, bikes, and even kayaks with you. You can haul it all!
But we also know families who eschew the luxurious side of Bald Head Island and, rather, embrace the rugged side. They pack only what they can carry with them and spend a week on the island living a life of simplicity and connection with their surroundings.
Either way, it is a gorgeous (albeit sometimes bumpy) ride through the Cape Fear River to get to Bald Head Island (see if you can spot the sites in Southpoint where they filmed Safe Haven).
The Lodging.
Much of the appeal of Bald Head Island is that it is not a high rise condominium community. There are bed & breakfasts, some small hotels, and townhouses available for rent. There are also houses of various sizes (some quite large and luxurious) but you have to plan early. There are only 1,120 houses on the island, with just under 250 year-round residents, and lodging goes FAST. (Another reason to consider going in the off-season.)
The limited lodging and development makes Bald Head Island feel natural and raw. You feel like you have stumbled on the last remaining outpost of untouched beach.
The Transportation.
There are three ways to get around Bald Head Island, and none involve a car. That means you rely on foot, bike, or golf cart. I can’t explain how much I adore this. Bald Head Island is quiet because the roads are literally quiet!
It feels so safe for a family and since the island is only 12,000 acres you can get around as much as you need. Just make sure when booking your lodging accommodations to ask if they include a golf cart and/or bikes. (There are places that rent if the answer is ‘no.’)
The Activities.
You can’t be bored here if the weather gods are smiling down on you. There are 14 miles of beach — beach where you will not have to fight for a spot to put your umbrella. In addition to biking and carting you can also rent kayaks and paddleboards on the island.
Old Baldy is North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse. It was built in 1817. With over 100 steps consider this your vacation’s workout.
Exploring the nature preserves was a trip to Narnia for us. We hiked nearly 4 miles, with a mid-hike stop in the village at the deli for a huge sandwich and a glass of wine (we were vacationing after all).
One downside to the Narinian bliss, it gets very buggy in the summer swelter so bring spray. But given the huge live oak trees that have only been altered by the ocean breezes over the decades it is worth wandering through the area.
Bald Head Island is also known for its nesting turtle population and the the Bald Head Island Conservancy offers hands-on learning, summer camps, programs for kids, and oversees initiatives on the island such as one of the first-ever “deer birth control” projects (check for hours, COVID requirements, and more before you go).
The Views.
They remind you to slow down and breathe.
Other Notes.
On-island dining and shopping is pricey on Bald Head Island. (Which makes sense given its remoteness and the need to literally ship goods over.) Experienced “BHI-ers” cram plastic bins full of what they need for the week and use the luggage service on the ferry to get staples and groceries over.
And don’t expect too many options for dining on the island, either. While the restaurants we have enjoyed were all fun, there simply aren’t that many as the population and size of Bald Head Island isn’t that large.
You can visit the “clubs” on the island for tennis, swimming pools, golf, fitness rooms, and upscale dining; however, the clubs require a membership. Both of the clubs on Bald Head Island (the Shoals Club and Bald Head Island Club) offer temporary membership but you still have to pay if it is not included in your lodging.
Also consider that given the generous ferry schedule, with numerous trips all day every day, you can visit Bald Head Island for a day. We did this quite a few times when we lived on the coast.
This little island nestled in a movie-set-like dream of North Carolina coast soothed us and rejuvenated us. The views, the stillness, the beaches, the nature presenting itself on all sides… it was restorative in a way not much is today. I hope that Bald Head Island stays small and rugged…
And I hope that if I am a able to earn a living off of writing they will welcome me in to their community with open arms.
Find Bald Head Island online at www.baldheadisland.com.