Ever wonder what it would be like to stay on an island without traffic? Without the loud noises of a busted tail pipe, or the honking of an upset driver? Bald Head Island offers a retreat from life’s daily grind. An island without cars, traffic jams, and road rage – it offers a beautiful retreat for someone who just needs some quiet.
Bald Head Island used to be a pirate hideout, but has since become a vacation-home haven. A sub-tropical island having the best of both worlds – the woods and the beach. As there are many vacation homes, the island boasts 12,000 acres of conservation land making it the perfect destination for sightseeing, viewing wildlife, and taking nature hikes.
Even though the island doesn’t allow cars, just about every vacationer or resident has a golf cart to get from one end of the island to the other. There is a trolley, too for all you day-trippers out there or bike rentals. Different areas of the island offer shopping meccas as well as many sightseeing tours and opportunities so you will always have something to do if you decide to leave your beach-house.
One of my favorite places on Bald Head Island was touring Old Baldy – the old island lighthouse. It is also the oldest lighthouse in the state of North Carolina. Paying a small fee to climb up the stairs and see the inside as well as the view from the top is certainly a must do. Although, I wouldn’t recommend it if you are claustrophobic.
Something else I really enjoyed was doing the Bald Head Island ghost tour. It was such a unique experience to tour the island at night by flashlight and learn about the haunting history of the pirates and urban legends.
“Howl at the Moon” has been an island tradition since 2011 hosted by the Maritime Market, (your only market on the island!). This “Howl” party draws hundreds of people to the East Beach every month when the full moon rises. Attendees may BYOB and bring appetizers to share. You can also find bonfires blazing along the beach. When the moon rises, everyone howls synchronously before heading to the local bar, Mojo’s, for their “Moonrise to Midnight” bash with plenty of dancing on their extended deck.
I toured Bald Head Island back in 2012 with my family. We had such a blast – I hope to take Shane to show him this unique island experience. I hope you can experience it, too. Thank you for reading.
