Bald Head Island Beach
Bald Head Island, NC
There are no cars on Bald Head Island, only golf carts and bikes, and that alone filters out most of the crowd before you even hit the sand. Old Baldy, the state's oldest surviving lighthouse, watches over the beach from a stand of maritime forest that feels older than it probably is.
You'll take a passenger ferry from Southport and rent a golf cart once you arrive, since no personal cars are allowed on the island.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
Coast Guard Beach
Eastham, MA · Atlantic Coast
A National Seashore beach backed by grassy dunes and a tidal marsh, with clean Atlantic surf and one of the Cape's most scenic approaches on foot from the parking area.
Surfside Beach
Nantucket, MA · Atlantic Coast
Open Atlantic swell and a wide sandy shoreline about three miles from Nantucket town, popular with locals for its bodysurfing waves and quieter, less commercial feel.
Jones Beach State Park
Wantagh, NY · Atlantic Coast
A classic Long Island beach with six and a half miles of shoreline, a landmark water tower, boardwalk, and a large outdoor amphitheater that hosts concerts through the summer.
