Water Access
Oak Island offers a fourteen-mile stretch of south-facing beaches with quiet surf and moderate tides. The family-oriented beach community has over 52 public beach accesses (most with parking), an extensive sidewalk system for pedestrians to enjoy, quiet streets for cycling, recreation trails, and numerous parks and playgrounds. The island is categorized by two sections – East Beach and West Beach.
East Beach
The East Beach area was once known as Yaupon Beach and parts of Long Beach, but they were consolidated in 1999 as the Town of Oak Island. The area spans from Middleton Road east to Caswell Beach and is the island’s primary business district.
East Beach has so much to offer – family entertainment, a conveniently located grocery store and a number of restaurants and shopping along Oak Island Drive. You’ll never have to venture to far to find what you need.
For everyone that loves to wet a hook, the East Beach boasts two fishing piers. The Ocean Crest Pier is the longest fishing pier along the southern Cape Fear coast, and the Oak Island Pier (formerly the Yaupon Pier) is the site of the world record tiger shark catch.
You’ll find East Beach is a wonderful place for a family vacation with just enough to do and miles of family friendly beaches. Our waves are just big enough to boogie board and body surf, the perfect way to wear the kids out for the day!
West Beach
The serene West Beach area of Oak Island extends from Middleton down to the far western point of the island, and offers some of the best sunset views on the island. The views and the scenery from “The Point” have been the backdrop of many Oak Island beach weddings and family vacations through the years.
Not only does the West Beach offer wide, sandy beaches; the Blue Water Point Marina and homes along Kings Lynn Drive offer access to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Davis Canal.
Surf fishing is extremely popular in the West Beach area because of the Lockwood Folly inlet and the wide beaches. The area of “the point” also offers the fun of the beach on one side and the Intracoastal Waterway on the other. At low tide, you can walk across the tidal flats and go clamming for the night’s dinner.
Considered to be the quiet end of the island, it is still just a few miles drive to shopping, entertainment, dining and grocery stores. In 2009, when the new Swain’s Cut Bridge opened, it made the West Beach all the more accessible.
Davis Canal
The Davis Canal runs through the middle of Oak Island. It starts at the Intracoastal Waterway and continues east to 40th Street. Walkways at Southeast 9th Street, Southeast 20th Street Southeast 31st Street and Southeast Middleton will take you across the canal to the beach. You will be able to see the saltwater marsh from these walkways. If you enjoy bird watching, you will appreciate the bird watching platform near Southeast 29th Place.
The waters of the Davis Canal area on Oak Island are easily navigable. You can launch your boat from the public launch sites at Heron Park on 40th Street and at Tidal Waves Park at the Oak Island Center. Motorized boats have no wake zone in this peaceful setting. You can see wildlife while you drift along the water in your canoe or kayak. And don’t forget the outstanding sunsets viewed from many of the Davis Canal walk-overs.
Oak Island Crossovers
Oak Island Drive is the “main drag”, bisecting the island horizontally. The Wooden Whale is a quick 1/2 block away from Oak Island Drive and two easy turns to beach access!