Hammocks Beach State Park
Swansboro, NC
Hammocks Beach State Park reaches Bear Island only by passenger ferry from the mainland near Swansboro, a three mile barrier island beach with no cars, no houses, and nothing on it but dunes, marsh, and sand. The ferry runs on a schedule, so the whole trip has a built in start and end time unlike most beaches.
A genuinely undeveloped barrier island with no cars and no houses is rare this far from the truly remote parts of the coast, though the ferry schedule means the trip has to be planned around, not decided on a whim.
How we score beachesBuy ferry tickets first thing when you arrive. They're sold same day only, first come first served, and the boat fills up fast on a nice summer weekend.
Free parking at the mainland visitor center, where the ferry departs. Eight spaces are set aside for boat trailer parking, with a $7 boat ramp fee.
The ferry itself has limited capacity for gear. The island has no paved paths, just open sand and boardwalk sections near the ferry dock.
Pets aren't allowed on the ferry, so anyone bringing a dog to Bear Island needs their own boat. Leashed dogs (6 feet max) are welcome on the mainland side of the park, but not in the swimming area or buildings.
The ferry runs daily Memorial Day through Labor Day, with reduced days year round outside that window. Water reaches the upper 70s by August, within the same June through November hurricane season as the rest of the Crystal Coast.
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