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Don’t call me a beach person. It simply isn’t true. I’m not a beach bum, I don’t like seafood, and I’ll never get the name “Moon-Doggie” or whatever. That being said, I will take my family to Oak Island at least two times each year. I can’t get enough of the place or the surrounding area.
Kristina and I have always loved visiting Wilmington and the nearby beaches (Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure beaches). The city is a gem with it’s historic setting, beautiful views, and southern charm.
Just 25 minutes south of Wilmington on Rt 133 you’ll cross the Oak Island Bridge onto a unique little island and quaint community that offers the beach without the overwhelming crowds and traffic. Now don’t get me wrong, you’ll still be able to stop at Pacific, Wings, and King the famous beach stores but there is something quiet and unique about a place like Oak Island.
Here are some of the specifics.
Directions to Oak Island: Directions can be found on the Fort Caswell (located on Oak Island) site. Click Here to see them.
Where to eat:
Oak Island Sub Shop & Deli – 5422 East Oak Island Drive, Oak Island, NC 28465 (910)278-9040 – Not a sit down place but man the food is excellent. The Shrimp Salad is supposedly out of this world. However I’m not a seafood guy so I’ll take the word of those who swear by it.
What to do:
NC Aquarium – Located at Ft. Fisher, the aquarium is an excellent destination for you and the kids. Even if you visit alone, it is a great place. The aquarium is definitely smaller than say Baltimore but it is fun. It costs $8.00 for adults and nothing for small children. Mia loved it! DO NOT drive all the way back to Wilmington and then down to Ft. Fisher. Take the Ft. Fisher/Southport Ferry out of Southport. It will drop you 2 minutes from the aquarium and cost $5.00 for our van! Also bring your swim suit and sand toys to hit the beach afterward.
Ft. Fisher Beach Access - Just yards before the NC Aquarium you will see the large parking lot, picnic area, shelter, and walkway leading to the beach. This is an excellent spot to come play after hanging out at the aquarium. We spent hours on this beautiful and yet relatively uncrowded beach. Regularly you will see educational groups on the beach learning about wildlife. We flew kites, built castles, found shells, and relaxed for hours to the sounds of the waves pounding the coastline.
Ft. Fisher: For history buffs, you can not get back on the ferry to Southport without a stroll through this amazing site. As you stroll through the grounds of Fort Fisher you will be transported back to the late 19th century when this was one of many installations protecting the inlet from enemy vessels. Those of you forced to tag along with the history buffs need not fear either. The area is rather small and your time will be well spent. It’s close enough to the beach access that if possible the history buffs and the beach bums could split up for a while. Visit the website link for information.
Orton Plantation Gardens: OK so I know some of you are saying “Plantation Gardens? with the kids?” and I say YES! We spent the whole morning walking through the estate. No let me back up. We came here out of curiosity before we headed home. The sign for the estate is located on Rt. 133 between Wilmington and Oak Island so we stopped by. When you drive through the gate, I can’t describe it except to say look at the picture I’m posting here that looks down the lane through the oak trees.
The entire walk through the gardens is paved walkway so it is very stroller accessible. The gardens are woven in with the natural beauty. I could write much more about it but obviously by Mia’s face, she loved it. Visit their website or better yet, go visit the plantation. Oh while your on their website, check out the “On Location” link which tells you all of the films and TV shows that used Orton Plantation. $9.00 per adult.
Where to stay on Oak Island:
Fort Caswell Retreat/Conference Center: A facility of the NC Baptist Assembly, Fort Caswell is a tremendous place to spend the weekend or a week. You can visit their site to learn more about all they offer http://www.fortcaswell.com. This is more than just a hotel and a parking lot. It is hotels, cottages, and other lodging facilities as well as a conference center (Hmmm I’m thinking Adoptive Family Get-Together). There is a cafeteria on site and a lot of wide open space to play. There is a pool during the summer and beach access from the property. The area is guarded with security and is a lot of fun. This, personally, is where we stay when we visit. Even if you are not a member of a Baptist Church, you can still stay with them. Call them and at least check it out.
The Southwinds Motel: I speak of this motel after only driving by it and without the experience of staying there. This is a typical looking beach motel. It is very close to the large fishing pier on Oak Island which is a pretty large draw during the summer. If there are fishermen among you, this may be the place to hang out. Rates run anywhere from $49 for a 2 bed standard room all the way up to $115 for a Suite. Rates go up and down depending on the time of year.
Driftwood Motel: (910)278-6114 604 Ocean Drive, Oak Island, North Carolina Trip Advisor Rating-3*/5*. The Driftwood Motel fe atures rooms with refrigerators, microwaves and cable TV. There is an outdoor pool and grills for your use. The motel is right across the street from the beach!
Blue Water Point Motel: West Beach Drive to 57th Place, Oak Island, North Carolina 28465 Trip Advisor Rating-3.5*/5*. Motel Plus Marina and Restaurant, in Oak Island, NC
located between Eastern Channel and ocean at Lockwoods Folly, about 1/2 way between Myrtle Beach and Wilmington. Check the site for info on costs. This is a real good place if you also have a boat to bring as this is a marina as well.
Ocean Crest Motel: 417 East Beach Drive, Oak Island, North Carolina 28465 Trip Advisor Rating-3.5*/5*. Check website for rates. From what I’ve read and heard this is a fairly decent place and suitable for kids. It looked nice as we explored the town. This seemed to be one of the first places people looked at staying. They have ocean front rooms with or without balconies. Here is a recent review of the place.
This was our first time to stay at Ocean Crest.
We throughly enjoyed our 7 day stay. Looking
forward to visiting again in the near future.
Thanks for the wonderful service from the staff
and Lisa our housekeeper.
There are other locations near Oak Island such as the town of Southport. However these are a few of the locations in the town of Oak Island.
I love renting a house with friends on Oak Island. It isn’t too expensive and I try to get one on the beach.