Emerald Isle Beach
Emerald Isle, NC
Emerald Isle runs twelve miles along North Carolina's Crystal Coast, with more than 40 public accesses and a genuinely wide beach that rarely feels crowded even in July. The Western Ocean Regional Access near The Point has the most parking and a wheelchair-accessible ramp straight to the sand.
Twelve miles and 40-plus accesses spread the crowd out better than almost any other North Carolina beach town, though the shelling at The Point draws its own early morning crowd after a good tide.
How we score beachesThe Point, at the island's far west tip, is the spot locals send visitors for the best shelling, especially early morning after a full moon tide.
Most access points are free with no meters. The Western Ocean Regional Access charges $10 on weekends and holidays from April through September between 7am and 4pm, and lots fill by 10am in summer.
The Western Regional Access has a paved, wheelchair-accessible ramp to the sand. Smaller accesses elsewhere are boardwalk or sand path crossings over the dune.
Dogs are allowed on the beach strand year-round on a leash, with owners required to pick up after them.
Water warms into the upper 70s by August, during the same June through November hurricane season as the rest of the Crystal Coast. Shoulder season, May or September, brings the same warm water with noticeably more room on the sand.
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