Ocean Isle Beach Family Vacation

Summer isn’t over yet! If you’re looking for a great beach trip, try an Ocean Isle Beach, NC family vacation. We just took a multi-generational family trip to Ocean Isle Beach, which is right next to Sunset Beach, NC. Beach towns with additional attractions seem to be the great equalizer when it comes to keeping everyone of varying ages and interests happy. Here were some of our best moments and some must-sees for your beach vacation. 

Ocean Isle Beach Planning Guide

• Where to stay: Vacation rentals are your best bet. We stayed in a condo like this one, which was right on the beach and had a pool. 
• Travel details: We drove, but you can fly into Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) or Wilmington International Airport (ILM). You’ll likely want to have a car for this one to help you get around. 
• Time of year visited: Summer
• Time in Ocean Isle Beach: 1 week

Save this map to use on your Ocean Isle Beach trip:

1. Click the star to the right of the map title
2. Open the Google Maps app on your smartphone
3. Click on the three lines in the upper left corner and select “Your Places”
4. Select “Maps” and the map will be saved there for you to use on your trip. Have fun!

Favorite Moments in Ocean Isle Beach

The Beach (duh!)

I love a beach where you feel like you can happily stay all day long. Growing up at the Jersey Shore, this is what going to the beach means to me. I expect to be there from sun up to sun down. The beach at Ocean Isle Beach is great for this. The sand is soft, the surf isn’t too rough, and the water is a comfortable temperature. There are sand crabs scurrying around in the early morning and later when most of the crowds start to clear out. While not as plentiful as Florida beaches, there are also opportunities for some shelling if you have a keen eye. 

One interesting thing about this beach is the drastic tide changes. At high tide, there’s only a very small portion of the beach left. At low tide, the beach is huge, probably four times the size it is during high tide. This creates extra fun for small children since sandbars and tide pools are formed when the tide goes out. It’s great for getting a closer look at the sealife that hangs out in the shallow pools. Logistically, it’s important to stake your claim on the beach close to the dunes on the earlier side of the day. If you set up too close to the water during low tide, you’ll inevitably have to move back. 

Coastal Waterways

Ocean Isle Beach is a barrier island, so there is a beautiful Intracoastal Waterway between the mainland and the beach. If you’re the seafaring type, you can rent a boat for a full or half day and get out on the water–we recommend pontoon boats for families and those less familiar with boating–they’re fairly easy to navigate and tap out at about 15 MPH.

If you have really young kids (note: According to the U.S. Coast Guard’s Office of Boating Safety, infants should not travel on a boat until they weigh at least 18 pounds and can wear a personal flotation device) or you just want to stay on dry land, Ocean Isle Fish Company is a great place for checking out the views. They have a rooftop tiki bar and mid-deck restaurant with outdoor seating. If you don’t feel like drinking/eating, you can also just walk the dock outside the restaurant and watch the boats go by. 

Sea Turtle Heaven

Ocean Isle Beach is home to one of the largest populations of nesting sea turtles. The Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization does a great job of protecting the nests on the beach and informing the public about how they can do their part to protect the turtles, too. They give a weekly “Turtle Talk” from May 30-August 15 at the Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach. They are expecting over 70 nests this year, which could set a record. Each nest can hatch hundreds of baby turtles! 

While it’s super important to the survival of these little guys that the nests are left undisturbed, families are allowed to camp on the beach in hopes of catching a glimpse of a hatching nest. For more information on doing this responsibly, contact the Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization. Keep in mind that any light pollution on the beach is prohibited during turtle hatching season. The baby turtles are able to find their ocean home only by moonlight, so any artificial light could confuse them and prevent them from successfully reaching the ocean. 

Logistics

Meals

This is a vacation where you’re going to do a lot of cooking and eating at your rental. There’s a Publix just off the island that has all of the selection of any normal supermarket. If you’re a fish lover, Island Seafood Company has excellent quality fish. We got sushi grade salmon and tuna and some shrimp. 

On your way out of town, grab breakfast at Calabash Deli, a local favorite. They have a “Jersey special” breakfast sandwich for anyone visiting from the northeast. If you’re looking for a nice dinner out, we enjoyed Jinks Creek Waterfront Grille. The food was great, but please note that, while they are kid-friendly, they do not have a changing table in the bathroom.

Additional Attractions

River Country Mini Golf is right on the island. It was so popular that people were playing in the rain one evening.