Caswell Beach
Caswell Beach, NC
Caswell Beach sits at the eastern tip of Oak Island, home to the Oak Island Lighthouse and a much quieter stretch of sand than the busier beach town just down the road. It's small, mostly residential, and easy to see the whole thing in one walk from the lighthouse to the point.
The lighthouse and the quiet, mostly residential stretch of sand give this a different feel from Oak Island's busier center, though the tiny town means almost nothing in the way of shops or restaurants.
How we score beachesCome for the sunrise at the lighthouse. The thirty minute parking limit right in front of it is annoying for a long visit, but perfect for exactly that kind of quick stop.
Most beach accesses have free or metered parking nearby. A 30 minute limit applies directly in front of the Oak Island Lighthouse.
A pathway leads from the lighthouse parking area to the beach. Other accesses are sand paths over a low dune.
Leashed dogs are welcome on the beach year-round, with off-leash hours (under voice control) from dawn to 9am year-round, and all day from October 15 through March 15.
Water climbs into the upper 70s by August, alongside the same hurricane season, June through November, as the rest of the Brunswick Islands. Fall's all day off-leash window is a genuine perk for anyone visiting with a dog.
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