Bald Head Island Travel Guide

If you really want to experience the beauty of the island. Take a bike ride. Everything is up close and personal and so nice. If it is a hot day, take the Federal Road. Most of the way you are shaded with a canapy of trees. If the place you are staying does not have bikes, you can rent them at Island Passage. We had a couple, but rented an extra for the week for only $60.

If you aren't up for biking, take the golf cart out on the same road and go into middle island. There the island is mostly in it's natural habitat. I believe the road that we went on was Cape Road, but not sure. You get to it off of East Beach and it is off to the left. The road goes way back into the island and turns into a gravel road. They are building out there, but it is still pretty wild.

Your back porch with a drink or whatever as the sun sets. (No really, there is no night life in Bald Head. Southport maybe, but not Bald Head
Quiet. Lots of it.

Dress Code: Absolutely anything you want (or don't want) to wear.

This is a very nice, quiet, family oriented island and most residents and visitors come here for that reason. While there may be a few roudy ones once in a while, the local police do keep them in check.

Enjoy the relaxing, quiet atmosphere!!!

Oh, you better believe there are active ones on the island. Most can be found in the lagoons on the golf courses, so if you loose a ball in the woods, you might leave if for the crocks to play with. The largest one we have seen was about 4 - 5 feet.

Don't mess with them and they won't mess with you.

The gift shops near the marina aren't great, but thery're no worse than any other anywhere. The one at the other end of the island is better.

>Don't rent a car. You won't need it and the parking lot cost is outrageous.

>If you drive, park at the Wal-Mart or somewhere else and get a cab to take you to the ferry.

>A small cab company can pick you up and drop you off at the ferry almost anytime. That gives you access to The bars, restaurants, and the 10,000,000 square foot brightly lit, brand new 24 hour Super Wal-Mart. (When you're packing, remember that this is available).

Luggage and bags: I would take only a few bags and not fine leather ones. This is a place to relax

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Everything is casual except the country club. See www.baldheadisland.com for details. I would bring windbreaker kind of stuff, and some rain gear. I would bring no more than one 'nice' outfit - Blazer/tie for men, equivilant for women. Shorts and long pants, Teva's or something like it for walking on the beach.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Standard stuff, everything is provided.

Photo Equipment: For almost everone, I would just bring the standard stuff. You can't take pictures of turtles at night with a flash. If you are a real life nature photographer, I would suggest infrared filters and an infrared filter for your flash to take pictures of the little turtles as they whip down to the ocean. If you use a regular flash of white light, over a hundred volunteers will decend on you and beat you with 'save the turtles' brochures and you will pay a huge fine.

Camping/Beach/Outdoor Gear: Bug spray. Of the seven days I only needed it for one afternoon. Most of the time there was a mild breeze which was great, but for a few hours one afternoon the wind died down to nothing and I was surrounded by biting houseflies. After I applied about 1/8 inch thick coating of insect repellent they stopped biting and just swarmed around me. It seemed pretty funny, but I think by that time the Deet in the insect repellent made its way into my bloodstream and I was a little high on it.

Miscellaneous: Buy beach chairs at the Wal-Mart on the mainland if the house you're renting doesn't have them.

Also, Just like any house/cabin/condo rental you need to buy food, laundry soap, paper towel, etc. I suggest the Wal-Mart, although there is a grocery on the island.

I was able to walk on the beach for 3 1/2 hours without seeing another person. I never did get to a building either.

The island is a nature preserve, each year turtles lay their eggs and you can watch the nests hatch and the babies go to the sea (August & September I think). The surf fishing for Bluefish in the fall is excellent and I eventually lost count of how many I caught (14-16 in.). The island is at the confluence of the Atlantic and the Cape Fear river and the waves at the point seem to go vertically out to sea. Shell collecting is also top notch, among those collected intact conch, sand dollars, and a seahorse (yes, I know that's not a shell). Golfers sometimes have to wait for alligators to get off the greens before continuing. More than a few unleashed pets have 'disappeared.'

There are thousands of birds, reptiles, and yes, insects. Look around.

Favorite thing: See and climb to the top of 'Old Baldy' the 1800's lighthouse. The interior is filled with wooden staircases and plaster chipping off brick. It is a small light house, but wrth visiting.

If you're there in the late summer/early fall, be sure to check out the wildlife on the beaches. The island is a nature preserve, each year turtles lay their eggs and you can watch the nests hatch and the babies go to the sea (August & September I think). The surf fishing for Bluefish in the fall is excellent and I eventually lost count of how many I caught (14-16 in.).

Also, the island is at the confluence of the Atlantic and the Cape Fear river and the waves at the point seem to go vertically out to sea. Shell collecting is also top notch, among those collected intact conch, sand dollars, and a seahorse (yes, I know that's not a shell). Golfers sometimes have to wait for alligators to get off the greens before continuing. More than a few unleashed pets have 'disappeared.'

Fondest memory: Sitting on the porch of one of the restaurants with a cool breeze blowing and watching the sunset.

Also, fishing on a deserted beach as evening came on and the fish seemed to want to get that last bite in before dark...

Finally, hearing only the sounds of nature at the house I was in. No cars or trucks, no machines, just nature quiet...