Sunset Beach is one of the Brunswick barrier islands located off the North Carolina coast. It’s small and neat and reminiscent of the way beaches looked decades ago. Until recently the only access to Sunset was a pontoon swing bridge with one lane that connected the beach area with the mainland. The bridge was the last operational pontoon bridge on the east coast and was retired in 2010 when a new multilane arc style bridge was opened.
Until 1958 Sunset Beach was isolated except by boat. Once the bridge became functional the town was incorporated and development began. The beach was designed with single family rental homes as the focal point. Consequently, the utilities were not installed with the capability of handling multi level high rise complexes. So---you have a really nice family oriented beach that’s not overly crowded and yet it within an easy road trip to Myrtle Beach and all of the entertainment that it has to offer .
Did you say you wondered about seafood? Well, Calabash N.C. is just a few miles distance from Sunset Beach. “Calabash styled seafood” is a quote used throughout the United States to describe the special way seafood is prepared in this small town. Take note, however, it is not gluten free, but so what, right? After all, you’re on vacation!! You can burn off extra calories by walking in the sand or swimming in the ocean or biking or any number of ways if you so desire. Or, you can get a book and hide beneath an umbrella and do nothing. That gets my vote.
Sunset Beach has Little River Inlet on the south end and series of canals and runoffs on the north end. Boating and fishing are particularly enjoyable. A runabout cruising along at 30 mph can get to a restaurant on the Intracoastal Waterway within minutes in either direction. Trolling for flounder or anchoring off the end of a jetty that is not accessible by land and hanging out is a super fun time in the sun.
Once you visit this quaint little seacoast village, you’ll be back, no question about it.