Watch this video to see what it's like to visit a fabulous vacation spot, Bald Head Island in North Carolina. In this How-to-Guide, we'll show you where it is, how to get here, how to book it, why it's so fun to stay here and why you should put it on your bucket list. Come along with us!
ABOUT US: We are two 60-somethings who are fortunate enough to be able to smell the roses---and we do---while we still can! We don't like videos in which the content creator is the star of the show. We prefer to show you what you want to see: the surroundings, the physical space and the atmosphere. We want to impart good, useful information to help you plan your travels!
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THE BEST BEACH VACATION IN NORTH CAROLINA!
See the complete ferry ride, plus more than an hour of touring the island by golf cart: • 4K Tour of Bald Head I...
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00:00 intro
01:05 book your lodging
01:42 ferry tickets
01:54 at the terminal
02:26 boarding the ferry
03:10 leaving the world behind
03:52 the arrival
05:00 things to do!
05:11 Fun Fact!
07:58 the departure
BALD HEAD ISLAND IS A UNIQUE ISLAND AND VILLAGE JUST OFF THE MAINLAND OF NORTH CAROLINA.
THE INHABITED PART OF THE ISLAND IS ABOUT THREE-AND-A-HALF MILES LONG AND ANYWHERE FROM ONE TO ONE-AND-A-HALF MILES WIDE.
ACCORDING TO THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, THE VILLAGE HAS A TOTAL AREA OF 5.8 SQUARE MILES (14.9 SQ.KM), OF WHICH ABOUT 66% IS LAND AND THE REMAINDER IS WATER.
THE ONLY WAY FOR THE PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS TO GET TO BALD HEAD ISLAND IS BY FERRY SERVICE FROM THE NEARBY TOWN OF SOUTHPORT.
TO VISIT BALD HEAD, YOU’LL FIRST NEED TO BOOK ACCOMMODATIONS, EITHER THRU THEIR PREFERRED ACCOMMODATIONS PROVIDER, INTRACOASTAL RENTALS, OR VIA YOUR FAVORITE VACATION RENTAL WEB SITE.
OF THE MORE THAN ELEVEN HUNDRED PRIVATE RESIDENCES ON THE ISLAND, ABOUT 10% OF THEM ARE AVAILABLE TO RENT.
THERE ARE ALSO TWO INNS LOCATED IN THE MARINA AREA EACH WITH ABOUT TWELVE UNITS.
ONCE YOU HAVE A LODGING RESERVATION, YOU’LL PROBABLY WANT TO BOOK FERRY TICKETS.
FERRIES RUN ABOUT EVERY HOUR ON MOST DAYS WITH EXPANDED SERVICE DURING PEAK SEASON (SUMMER MONTHS).
BEFORE BOARDING THE FERRY, YOU’LL DROP YOUR BAGS FOR LOADING AND THEN HEAD TO THE PARKING LOT. PARKING IS $12 PER DAY.
IN THE UPPER LEVEL OF THE TERMINAL, YOU’LL FIND A SNACK BAR AND RESTROOMS.
IT MAY NOT BE NECESSARY TO RESERVE THE FERRY IN ADVANCE DURING THE OFF SEASON, BUT IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS.
THE JOURNEY FROM SOUTHPORT TO THE ISLAND TAKES ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES AND I’VE ALWAYS FELT IT’S LIKE LEAVING THE REST OF THE WORLD BEHIND.
ALL THE TROUBLES AND WORRIES AND HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF MAINLAND LIFE SEEM TO FADE AND DISAPPEAR AS YOU HEAD TO A PLACE JUST A MILE OFFSHORE BUT WHICH SEEMS A WORLD AWAY…
SEE THE ENTIRE FERRY PASSAGE- UNINTERRUPTED- AT THE LINK ABOVE OR BELOW.
UPON ARRIVAL, YOU’LL DISEMBARK AND FOLLOW THE SIGNS FOR TRAM ASSIGNMENTS OR GOLF CART RENTALS.
TRAM SERVICE TO YOUR ISLAND DESTINATION MAY BE PROVIDED BASED ON TICKET TYPE AND AVAILABILITY.
TRAM RESERVATIONS SHOULD BE MADE AT THE SAME TIME YOU PURCHASE YOUR FERRY TICKETS ONLINE.
ONCE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN YOUR TRAM ASSIGNMENT, YOU’LL NEED TO CLAIM YOUR BAGGAGE AND PLACE IT NEXT TO YOUR ASSIGNED TRAM.
THE TRAM WILL THEN TAKE YOU TO YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS.
MOST RENTAL ACCOMMODATIONS INCLUDE THE USE OF ONE OR MORE GOLF CARTS AS A PART OF YOUR STAY. YOU’LL WANT TO CONFIRM THIS WITH YOUR RENTAL COMPANY.
IF YOU’RE GOING TO THE ISLAND JUST FOR THE DAY AND WON’T BE NEEDING TRAM SERVICE, YOU CAN RENT A GOLF CART BY THE HOUR OR BY THE DAY .
ADVANCE RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED.
SO, WHAT’S THERE TO DO ON BALD HEAD ISLAND? PLENTY!
FOR SOME, THE MAIN ATTRACTION IS THE SUN AND SAND. BUT, PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD VISIT FOR ITS FANTASTIC BIRDING.
AND, FOR DECADES, THE ISLAND HAS LED EFFORTS TO PROTECT THE HABITS AND ACTIVITIES OF SEA TURTLES.
ALMOST ALL VACATION RENTALS OFFER TEMPORARY MEMBERSHIPS TO THE TWO SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUBS ON THE ISLAND.
IN ADDITION TO THE RESTAURANTS AT THE CLUBS, THERE ARE ABOUT TEN MORE DINING AND FAST FOOD OPTIONS AVAILABLE.
CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE LIGHTHOUSE, OLD BALDY, IS FUN TO DO. IT’S MORE THN TWO-HUNDRED YEARS OLD! WHEN WE WERE LAST THERE, IT WAS CLOSED FOR REPAIRS.
ADJACENT TO OLD BALDY IS THE VILLAGE CHAPEL. SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES ARE HELD YEAR ROUND.
IN THE MARINA AREA YOU’LL FIND THIS TINY LIBRARY.
THE ISLAND IS DOTTED WITH SEVERAL INFORMATIVE HISTORICAL MARKERS.
THE M. KENT MITCHELL NATURE TRAIL IS A WELL-MARKED LOOP WHICH YOU CAN DO IN ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES. IT EXPLORES THE SALT MARSH HABITAT.
IF YOU’D LIKE TO SEE A GOLF CART TOUR OF THE ENTIRE ISLAND, CHECKOUT OUT MY VIDEO AT THE LINK ABOVE OR BELOW.
AGAIN: THANKS FOR WATCHING AND BON VOYAGE!