Sunset Beach

We were staying in Ocean Isle Beach but actually went next door to Sunset Beach during the day. It is a much quieter beach and the sand is softer to walk on.
During low tide, you can find tons of sand dollars and huge seashells if you know what you’re looking for. Also at this time, the water goes out and forms little «kiddy» pools on the beach. We loved this for swimming with our baby niece!

Nice beach, fantastic recently renovated restrooms and boardwalk to the beach. Good place near the pier for sandwiches and other lunch items. Very friendly area and close parking, you have to pay for the larger lots but not much and it beats the walk if you are hauling a lot of stuff.

One of my favorite NC Beaches. The sand is soft and there are plenty of tide pools for little ones and those wanting a quick dip sans waves when the tide is receding.
Major renovations over the past couple years to the main public beach access. Large gazebo, 3 showers for washing away sand and TWO (!!) sets of men’s, women’s and family AIR CONDITIONED (!!) restrooms. These are the fancy haul away trailers but are for the most part clean and a vast improvement over the standard port-​o-​potties!
Sunset beach really isn’t commercialized but it close enough to other towns/​cities that there is something for everyone. Calabash and its many delis, shops and restaurants is 10 minutes away and you can make it to Myrtle Beach in about 30 minutes.
It is a HAUL down hwy 17 for what seems like forever but it is worth it. Easy 2 ½ hours from Raleigh.

one of the very best brunswick county has to offer.

Great, family-​friendly beach.

Beautiful. A Hidden Gem! I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. So that being said, I appreciate the beauty of the Carolina’s. I’m living in South Carolina, and driving up the coast from Myrtle Beach to Sunset Beach was a breath of fresh air. I fell in love with everything from the trees, the beautiful homes and the beach houses lined up. Love

As others have said, it’s with mixed emotions that I rate Sunset Beach and give it 5 stars. Not because I don’t think it’s not the greatest beach ever (which I do) but because one of the things that has made it special is its ability to be overlooked by the swarming masses that clog and congest other beaches on the East Coast. However, I would be doing it a disservice to allowed it to be unsung.
My family has been coming here since 1980 and has owned a home here since 1984. Coming back to Sunset Beach is like coming home and is a place to get away from the chaos and stress of the «real world» and allows us to recharge our batteries to make us able to go on until we can return.
Even though our beloved swing bridge is no longer floating on the waterway, acting as a turnstile to keep out those who lack patience, the crowds have not increased as badly as I had feared … yet. There’s no question that the streets are more congested and the beaches more crowded. But there are still plenty of places to find solitude and you can still let your kids go ride their bikes out on the streets without fear of being run down by cars too eager to drive over the giant new bridge spend their time in stores and restaurants on the mainland.

There is a reason why this place has five stars and a reason why most people wish they could give it one… A hidden gem no one wants to change. Nice and quiet, great place to take the kids. Beaches are clean and patrolled so no one gets rowdy. We stayed at «Six on the Beach». Very clean and spacious, and a great view from the roof balcony!

The best kept secret on the North Carolina coast… I should probably rate Sunset Beach with 1 star so nobody discovers this gem.
If you like a quiet beach getaway, THIS is your place.
If you like touristy crap… go to Myrtle Beach.
‘Nuff said…

Home, sweet home.
The best kept secret on the east coast and one of my favorite spots on earth!
I’ve been spending every summer of my life on this little island for the past 35 years and I will probably do so until the day I die.
My father will have his ashes spread here off the end of the fishing pier, and my parents live a mere 250 meters off the water.
Sunset Beach is truly one of my favorite places in the world and I live in Hawaii.
You will see the same faces, year after year, just a little older. Then your friends when you were a kid will have their kids, and your kids will make friends with those kids.
Surf is great for beginners, the water is warm all the way thru October, you’ll see everything from deer to sea turtles and it’s one of the most peaceful places on earth.
It’s the widest beach I’ve ever been on world wide. The golf in the area is the best in the country. The food is second to none, and although my parents hate the new bridge, I feel much better knowing EMS vehicle can get to them without waiting for the old bridge to close.
North Carolina, specifically Sunset Beach will always be home to me. I’m torn writing this review because I don’t want everyone to know what a magical place it is.
When Carolina’s on my mind… it’s always Sunset Beach.

You almost don’t want to say anything about this beach because it truely is a hidden gem. Wide, clean, powdery white sand with very few shells etc. Sit for hours, just watching the boats, dolphins etc. Rarely crowded even in high season. Such a family oriented beach-​no high rises or bars, just miles of pristine beach. Oh, and Sunday services on the beach… just a heavenly experience! We stay at T’s Time– a rental home on 36^th St.- always well kept, reasonably priced especially for what you get, and close to the beach! Oh, and if you need more hustle and bustle for a day or two, just head to Myrtle, just a 20 min ride away. Great family get-​a-​way!!!

To say this is the best kept secret on the East Coast is an understatement. I have been going to the beaches of North Carolina for years, and it’s a shame I have overlooked this stunning stretch of land.
Sunset beach is a long stretch of white sand beach with almost Bay of Fundy style tides. This lends itself to large tidepools during low tide with fun sealife to admire. The beach even at the peak season is not as crowded as it’s East Coast counterparts.
For families: it’s sleepy town with affordable rental homes. Most of the families here have been coming for generations. Great seafood and pizza restaurants. Prepare for priceless family moments as your kid picks up a jellyfish, drops it in your lap and says «look mom, a clear shell».
Not for families: it has a topless beach close to the border of South Carolina. A few down to earth fun bars, but all in all pretty quiet at nights. Not a party town.
For surfers: A long sandbar that churns out consistent clean waves. If it’s flat elsewhere, it’s waist high here. No one else in the line up. Ever. The beach is yours, thank me later.
Sunset beach now has a piece of my heart…

This is my favorite beach! I love taking a walk here at night. If you take a left as you get to the beach, you can walk all the way to the end. It’s beautiful and you can often find jellyfish and starfish. My kids love discovering something new every time. I’ve never had a bad time here. Go early if you want free parking. Otherwise plan a bit of a walk or just pay $ 5 for the lot.

Best beach on the east coast in my opinion! I’ve been coming to Sunset for 17 years and ever visit is memorable. Beach is never crowded even in the high season. The strand has the best sand and is very wide and clean. Water is always warm in the summer and fall. What’s not to like?

Beautiful soft white sand without many shells or rocks. Seldom crowded, nice pier.

Beautiful beach, nice community, good local golf courses and close to Calabash, home to some of the best seafood on the east coast (i’m from the northeast, New England stays in the #1 position).
The causeway will be done soon, and while the old bridge has a nostalgic appeal to it, I’ve bailed on the beach because of the long lines trying to get over its one, alternating, lane.
A true gem in NC, and one of my favorite places on the planet.

Favorite beach (: The cabins are affordable and there are A LOT of different ones to choose from. The cabins are a walk away from the beach unless you’re beach-​front ($$$). The pier is pretty boring, but adequate if you’re just interested in watching the sunset. It’s a clean beach (for now… ahem, BP) and its a small walk to Bird Island, a small stretch of peaceful beach with lots of crabs and fish. Nice beach for a nice trip, not incredible crowded, but slowly becoming more and more crowded as this new bridge gains fame.