Secluded streets and beach access on Bald Head Island
With the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Cape Fear River to the west, Bald Head Island is a secluded beach village with country club amenities and a sleepy, vacation town atmosphere. Accessible only by passenger ferry from the nearby town of Southport, no cars are allowed on Bald Head Island, with residents and vacationers travelling through the village via golf cart or on bikes. While some young professionals and families with school-age kids live in the community, the vast majority of residents are retired, with a median age of 69. “Since 2020, our full-time population has almost doubled,” says David Wray, a former community resident and Realtor with Intracoastal Realty Corporation. “People love how quiet it is here. You have no noise pollution from traffic, and even in the busy season, our beaches are never packed.”
Million-dollar waterfront homes
Coastal-style beach houses are most common in the area, from bungalows to expansive multi-story builds. Most homes have in-ground pools and large windows facing the water, with wooded lots near the center of the island providing privacy from neighbors. Even though there are no cars in the area, many houses have driveways and garages for storing golf carts and bikes. “A lot of the land here is protected,” says Wray. “So homeowners can’t develop the woods and wetlands surrounding their house. It really feels like living in a park.” Smaller, single-story builds and homes without water views range from $875,000 to $1 million, while waterfront properties and houses bordering the Bald Head Island Club golf course can go for $1.05 million to $3.5 million.
Waterside recreation, woodlands and turtle preservation
The village has a prominent boating community, with slips available for reservation and purchase at the Bald Head Island Marina. There are numerous public beach access points to both East and South beaches along Station House Way and South Bald Head Wynd. The Bald Head Island Club is a members-only recreation area with outdoor pools, tennis courts, croquet lawns and a golf course.
The island is also home to a network of scenic trails. The Bald Head Woods Reserve has nearly 200 acres of old-growth oak forests, with roughly 2 miles of walking trails. “We are a hotspot for turtle nesting during the summer,” Wray says. “There’s a turtle conservancy here on the island, where marine biologists are dedicated to supporting the local turtle population. During nesting season, they will mark and protect turtle nests to protect them from predators on the dunes.” Because of the conservancy’s preservation efforts, locals aren’t allowed to have flood lights that the freshly hatched turtles may confuse for the moon on their journey to the ocean. “It’s one of the darkest places on the east coast at night,” says Wray. “The lack of light makes for great stargazing.”
Island businesses, from coffee to cocktails
Restaurants and small businesses dot the island, including Sandpiper Coffee & Ice Cream, which offers espresso, breakfast burritos and hand-scooped ice cream. Jailhouse Provisions serves seafood, pub fare and hand-crafted cocktails and, nearby, Bald Head Bottle is a wine bar and tasting room. Other businesses on the island include golf cart dealers, a hardware store and a clothing boutique. As the only supermarket in the community, Maritime Market is the go-to spot for groceries.
A 200 year old lighthouse and a weekly Turtle Trot
There are a handful of annual events on Bald Head Island, including the National Lighthouse Day Celebration each August. During the holiday, locals and visitors gather at Old Baldy, a 200-year-old lighthouse, for a seafood boil and history talk. On Wednesday mornings during the summer, walkers and joggers alike can sign up for the 5k Turtle Trot, which benefits the Bald Head Island Conservancy.
Brunswick County Schools
Most full-time residents are of retirement age, but the families of Bald Head Island are served by Brunswick County Schools, starting with Southport Elementary School, which earns a B-plus grade from Niche. South Brunswick Middle School has a B and offers a variety of extracurriculars, including Chess Club, robotics and Battle of the Books. Next door, the B-rated South Brunswick High has career and technical education programs in areas like hospitality, manufacturing and agriculture. The high school also offers dual enrollment opportunities through Brunswick Community College.
Take the ferry to the mainland
From the mainland, it takes around 40 minutes to reach Bald Head Island via passenger ferry. On most days, the ferry runs every hour from 7am to 10pm. From Southport, the nearest town, it takes around an hour to drive to downtown Wilmington and an hour and a half to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Written By
Jillian Pillow
