Topsail Beach's waterfront lifestyle
Once a small fishing village, Topsail Beach occupies 6 miles of the southernmost portion of Topsail Island, located on the shores of the Atlantic. The area found historical significance when it became Camp Davis during World War II, followed shortly after as the home of Operation Bumblebee, a top-secret guided missile testing site. Several missile towers still stand on the beach, a testament to its storied past.
Today, Topsail Beach is a residential beach community that focuses on maintaining a peaceful atmosphere. "My wife and I have been living here for 22 years, and it's the people we fell in love with. On our first day, the neighbors came over and offered to buy us groceries while we were busy unpacking," says Michael Nelson, a Realtor with Landmark Sotheby's International Realty since 2022. "Topsail Beach is a little different than the rest of the island. There are no high-rises, there's really no commercial activity. It's quiet, laid-back and has some of the clearest water on the East Coast."
Deepwater sounds, Atlantic shores and beach renourishment efforts
Blue water views stretch from either side of Topsail Beach, from the deepwater sound side to the vast Atlantic. Kayakers and boaters can skim the calm waters of the inlet around Serenity Point Sandbar at the southern tip of the beach. "We've got 6 miles of deepwater sound front that the rest of the island doesn't have, so nearly everyone owns a boat or jet skis," Nelson says. Several public beach access points are spread across the community, along with a couple of fishing piers. People are out on the shores year-round, but the volume of beachgoers swells to its highest point in summer. "We've worked hard for this beach to be what it is. Topsail is ranked in the top five most successful beach renourishment programs in the States," Nelson says. "During low tide, you can see 200 yards of dunes. Since 2011, we've raised over $40 million towards beach renourishment and conservation."
Elevated cottages and midcentury beach homes
Due to the narrow strip of shoreline that is Topsail Beach, nearly all the homes on the island are directly on the beach or on the sound front, with only a couple of roads in between. "There are some homes from the 1950s and 1960s that are ground level, but now the town requires all homes to be elevated for flooding purposes," Nelson says. "There's a height restriction of 41 feet, so nearly all properties here are single-family cottages. We have more primary residents than the rest of the island." Condos, townhouses and older cottages sell between $450,000 and $720,000, while newer, larger beach homes sell for $750,000 to just under $2 million. Vacation and investment homes also remain popular, Nelson adds.
Local businesses on Route 50 and Surf City shops
Along Route 50 are locally owned and operated beach stores, waterside restaurants, ice cream shops and boutiques. The Beach Shop & Grill, with its candlelit ambiance, fresh seafood and craft cocktails, is open seasonally from spring to late fall. On the weekends, it hosts live music on the patio and welcomes those walking up from the beach to have a seat. For errand shopping, residents can drive the 8 miles into the mainland portion of Surf City to find popular stops such as Publix, Walmart Neighborhood Market and CVS.
Musical tunes and fundraising events in Topsail Beach
In the summer, on the last Tuesday of each month, the Topsail Beach Town Center hosts live musical acts at the annual Topsail Sounds. Locals and tourists bring their coolers and beach chairs for an evening of tunes and community chatter. "The Autumn with Topsail Festival is three days of good fundraising, and we get maybe around 25,000 people over that weekend," Nelson says. "It has over 100 artists selling their crafts, beach bands, a lot of great local food vendors. It's big for our community."
Main routes connecting Topsail Beach to the mainland
Route 50, also known as South Anderson Boulevard, runs the entire length of Topsail Beach and connects to Route 210 at Surf City. Route 210 crosses over the water to the mainland, offering both a commercial roadway and a pedestrian walkway. The only other option for getting to the mainland is via North Topsail Bridge, roughly 14 miles from Topsail's southernmost point.
Nearby schooling across the intracoastal waterway
Topsail Beach falls under Pender County Schools, and all public schools are on the mainland. Children can start at North Topsail Elementary School, which receives a B-plus on Niche. They can move on to Topsail Middle School, which gets an A-minus, before going to B-plus-rated Topsail High School. At Topsail High, students can enroll in college courses for dual enrollment; tuition fees are waived if courses are taken at Cape Fear Community College.
