Oak Island

Travelers' Takes

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North Carolina Coastal Villages

A May 1999 trip to Oak Island by mercury Best of IgoUgo

ShipMore Photos

If beaches marred by high rise hotels make you seasick, it's time to discover the unspoiled treasures of North Carolina's Oak Island.

  • 5 reviews
  • 3 stories/tips
  • 12 photos

Sea SageBest of IgoUgo

Hotel

Sea Sage Decor
A cute two-bedroom ocean-front cottage with high-kitsch beach decor and an general friendliness. Think tatami mats with 'japanese' shell designs. There was no phone (now we're talking) and no air-conditioning. In the late spring, the ocean breezes and ceiling fans make the temp just fine. The advantage of foregoing a/c is that you can sleep with the windows open and let the sound of the surf lull you into dreamland. Much better than a New Age tape. Note: in mid-summer it can get pretty hot and sticky. Consider a/c at this time.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mercury on June 8, 2000

Sea Sage
1625 East Beach Drive Oak Island, North Carolina
(910) 278-6011

Jones' Seafood HouseBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Jones' is a local standby--a down-home kind of place where the hushpuppies come served with a tub of butter just in case you didn't get enough cholesterol and the HEAVILY sugared ice tea will send you into orbit. This is the place to go for simple fare--and be warned, think FRIED. There is a saying in these parts regarding food--'whatever it is, fry it. If you can't fry it, put it in a biscuit.' At Jones' they take this idea very seriously. Yum.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by mercury on June 8, 2000

Jones' Seafood House
6404 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, North Carolina 28465
(910) 278-5231

Ship's Chandler RestaurantBest of IgoUgo

Restaurant

Ship's Chandler Restaurant
The Ship's Chandler is not on Oak Island, but in Southport, a very appealing historic town just over the bridge, about ten minutes away. This restaurant has a great view of the water, and the menu, while offering the standard fried fare, also has grilled and blackened dishes and serves delicious crabcakes. The stroll around historic Southport after dinner makes you wish you were sitting on one of those wrap-around porches on a rocking chair sipping a Mint Julep. Funny, I'm Southern, and I've never sipped a Mint Julep, but I think I wouldn't mind trying one (even though the mint/alcohol combo seems kind of yucky) between those fluted columns.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mercury on June 8, 2000

Ship's Chandler Restaurant
101 W Bay Street Oak Island, North Carolina 28461
(910) 457-6595

Pier FishingBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Morning
Even if you aren't fishing, you should definitely take a stroll on the pier and watch. Many of the fishermen are local, and some are chatty. You might get a tale about the ten-foot shark caught at Long Beach whose stomach contained an artillery belt and two bathing suits. Shark attacks, while rare, have been known to occur on these beaches.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mercury on June 8, 2000

Pier Fishing
Long Beach Oak Island, North Carolina

Long and Yaupon BeachesBest of IgoUgo

Attraction

Seaside Homes
This is not the Carribean--the water is not clear, but brackish and a dark greenish brown color. The surf is usually mild, but sometimes kicks up waves suitable for surfing. Swimming in the 80-degree water (warmed by the gulf stream) is definately a highlight. Be aware, though, that undertows can become strong when tides are changing.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by mercury on June 8, 2000

Long and Yaupon Beaches
Oak Island Oak Island, North Carolina

bird watching, bird watchingBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

In Flight
Nature lovers will appreciate superior birding on the island--some of the best in the United States. Look for pelicans, herons, ibises, egrets, hawks and geese, in addition to large numbers of terns and gulls flying in formation over the sea. The Southern barrier islands are subtropical in climate, which means they are hospitable to birds like the brown pelican.

seafood markets, seafood marketsBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

At the Market
Fresh seafood markets like Clem's (located just over the bridge from Long Beach toward Southport) are the place to find not only fish that were swimming in the ocean the morning before you bought them but also fresh produce. Shrimp is a good buy and well as the delicious local blue crabs.

Oak Island LighthouseBest of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Lighthouses are compelling, I think, connecting mariners today with their ancient predecessors who relied on the same beacons to protect them. They are also necessary in these parts due to the dangerous waters. The picturesque black, white, and gray striped Oak Island Lighthouse was built in 1958 and stretches to 169 feet. The signal is visible for 19 miles and guards sailors from the lethal Frying Pan Shoals.

About the Writer

mercury
mercury
new york, New York

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