Oak Island

[Mona2006]

A co-worker of mine was asking about Oak Island. I have never been and told him I would ask you guys if you could give me/him any info. Have any of you been? Good for a week-ender? A full week? Things to do? Compared to Ocean Isle/Sunset?

Thanks..

[LostTexan]

I've been to the area quite a bit but I've never stayed on Oak Island. That being said I did run into Ron Francis down there once. He was having dinner at San Felipe (my favorite Mexican restaurant) in Southport which is just on the other side of the bridge from Oak Island and I'm pretty sure he was staying on Oak Island.

I doubt that helps but if they do go down they should check out the cheap drink specials.

[Canesluver]

Have only been once, and just remember the boutique-y stores. I thought that there's a lot nicer/better beaches all over NC than in Oak Island.

The cool thing, though, was that we took the ferry over to Bald Head Island and spent several hours there on an eco-tour. A woman who was the director of a group that's trying to preserve the ecology of BHI met us in a golf cart and took us all over the island (they don't allow cars on BHI) from woods to swamps to beaches-- the topography is really varied there. Mr CL got lots of photo ops and the beach is beautiful. We had thought about staying on BHI, but didn't want to spend that much money.

[LostTexan]

Have only been once, and just remember the boutique-y stores. I thought that there's a lot nicer/better beaches all over NC than in Oak Island.

The cool thing, though, was that we took the ferry over to Bald Head Island and spent several hours there on an eco-tour. A woman who was the director of a group that's trying to preserve the ecology of BHI met us in a golf cart and took us all over the island (they don't allow cars on BHI) from woods to swamps to beaches-- the topography is really varied there. Mr CL got lots of photo ops and the beach is beautiful. We had thought about staying on BHI, but didn't want to spend that much money.
I don't know about the eco-tour but there is a history tour of Bald Head Island that's supposed to be really good and includes the historic Bald Head Island Lighthouse "Old Baldy"

[livinthedream]

My family's house is at Ocean Isle so I'm biased. My aunt and uncle had a house for years on Long Beach aka Oak Island, and personally I always liked the Brunswick County beaches (OIB, Sunset, and Holden) much better, they are cleaner, smaller, quieter. That being said, Southport (where the boutiques are) and Bald Head Island are both very nice spots to hang out. Southport has an awesome July 4th fireworks festival if that date is in the cards.

[VandyCane]

I LOOOOOOVE Oak Island. I like a quiet beach and even when we went during the fourth of July a few years back it was calm. I always joke that it has all the important stuff I need a (notice the singular) mini-golf, one movie theater (in case it's raining and you're bored) and a Dairy Queen. Southport is close by and you can take the car ferry over to the aquarium. If you want to go to party then don't go--there really isn't much to do. If all you want to do is take it easy, then it is awesome.

[SoCalcaniac]

Oak Island is really pretty and like Vandy says nice and quiet. My former boss has a home there and we did retreat weekends for a few years as a team down there at her place, and it was always a perfect do-nothing vibe that I can always appreciate when heading to the coast. It's so not a party place, but there is lots of golf, and for some reason the air seemed so much 'cleaner' or maybe it's just so relaxing. You really feel revived when you go. There were a couple of really nice parks down there too.

We rent a house nearly every summer down at Emerald Isle, but enjoyed my visits down to Oak Island - very family oriented and friendly.

[Mona2006]

Thanks guys.. I appreciate it and will pass this info along to him. Our family went to Ocean Isle Beach in March and I absolutely loved it. Sharky's has fantastic burgers.