Sunset Beach draws vacationers who never leave
The seaside town of Sunset Beach straddles the Intracoastal Waterway. It offers laid-back coastal living on the edge of rural Brunswick County, North Carolina, less than 5 miles from the South Carolina border. “Because it’s by a smaller beach, people aren’t really familiar with it, but once they discover it, they never want to leave,” says resident Michael Rogers, a broker of Intracoastal Realty. “That was our case 45 years ago when we found it on vacation. We kept coming back with family and thought, ‘One of these days, we’re going to retire here,’ and that’s what we’ve done. Oh, it’s wonderful.” Sunset Beach’s oceanfront is on a barrier island across the waterway, easily accessible by bridge. The small town of around 4,500 has golf communities on the mainland.
A mailbox on the beach and some gators on the green
The Brunswick Islands are a chain of barrier islets separated from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway. Sunset Beach, the island, is on the southern end. It offers a 3-mile beachfront next to the almost 1,500-acre Bird Island Reserve. The reserve has marshes, tidelands, a beachfront and a sought-after mailbox. “People walk to that mailbox and put in their thoughts, experiences, memories,” Rogers says. “There are benches and notebooks, so anyone can stop and write.” The Kindred Spirits Mailbox has inspired the likes of Nicholas Sparks, who featured it prominently in his 2018 novel “Every Breath.” But the mailbox’s existence in itself is a love story, having been built in the 1970s by a couple, painting “Kindred Spirits” on the side. The Sunset Beach Fishing Pier hosts a Thursday-night summer concert series, and those who’d rather listen for free can just throw down some blankets on the sand next to the pier. Golf is another popular activity around town, considering there are several local golf courses, such as Sandpiper Bay Golf and Country Club’s three public 9-hole courses. Golfers might glimpse an alligator peeking out of pondwater or sunning on the shore. “You see them and hope they don’t get your ball,” Rogers says with a laugh. “That happened to a friend of mine recently. The alligator took it, came out in a few minutes and spat it back out.”
Traditional and stilted homes reflect coastal character
Sunset Beach has a range of homes, including condos, townhouses and single-family properties. Multifamily residences range from around $260,000 to almost $700,000, with waterfront units on the high end. The prices of single-family homes vary depending on factors like age, condition, square footage, lot size and location. Houses on the mainland start around $270,000 and cap at about $750,000. Common styles include Cape Cods, Minimal Traditionals and New Traditionals. Charleston-style porches are also popular, especially across the waterway on the island. Many houses here, either on the beach or within walking distance, stand on stilts. Prices start around $650,000 – $830,000 for homes with waterfront views – and climb to $3.8 million. Hurricane season ranges from June to November. Homes within special flood zones will need flood insurance for federally backed mortgages.
West Brunswick High offers dual enrollment with local college
Brunswick County Schools earns an overall B on Niche. Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary also has a B. Shallotte Middle and West Brunswick High get B-minuses. The high school offers a dual enrollment program with Brunswick Community College, about 23 miles away.
Dining options range from Sarah’s Kitchen to Coastal Grounds
There are two small commercial hubs along Sunset Boulevard, offering some chain stores, such as Food Lion and Dollar General, as well as some locally owned eateries like breakfast spot Sarah’s Kitchen and the waterfront House’s Patio Bar & Grill. Across the Intracoastal Waterway, the island has a local market and a quaint ice cream-coffee shop called Coastal Grounds.
U.S. Route 17 connects residents to hospitals and airports
U.S. Route 17, or Ocean Highway, is a few miles north of town. It’s a direct route to Little River, S.C., where McLeod Seacoast Hospital has the nearest 24-hour emergency room, about 11 miles away. Myrtle Beach and its airport are nearly 35 miles away. Wilmington and its airport are closer to 50 miles away.
![Micaela Willoughby]()
Written By
Micaela Willoughby
