We were thrilled to be able to spend an annual week at Holden Beach, NC! Holden is an excellent island family beach "close enough" to Myrtle if you feel like hub-bub but truly relaxed for the rest of your stay. The island area definitely has enough to sustain you--restaurants, beachwear stores, go carts--without being "commercial." For several years, we've rented a home from Hobbs Realty with good success, and the bulk of this vacation, unlike many of our other trips, is spent very simply: reading, walking, sitting, talking, some souvenir shopping at the Beach Mart.
The beach is the main attraction, and this year, we ventured to the Holden Beach Pier for a couple of walks. Walking the pier costs just $1, and it was a treat for Elijah to see friendly fishermen and to walk above the waves. Visiting in the morning or evening obviously helps avoid the heat of the day.
We always eat several good meals, but this year, one of our favorites was at Boone Docks, a low-key, reasonably-priced seafood place with some great sauces and soups. We are told that it is just wrong to miss their clam chowder. Also worth a stop are the Seafood Barn (great for a group) and Paradise Cafe (think Jimmy Buffett).
If you go, expect to rent a home (there are no on-island motels). As Kim learned on her first Holden Beach trip, a pool is absolutely unnecessary--ocean swimming is great as long as you know emergency procedures for riptides. And one more tip: Take time to learn about the Holden Beach Turtle Patrol, an environmental group everyone on the island respects for their animal-saving work.
Relevant Website:
Hobbs Realty
Relevant Twitter Handles:
@HoldenBeach
@NCHoldenBeach
Just a FYI the picture of the fisherman with the red wagon is the one and only Jimmy Ledford our neighbor. He has caught some awesome things from that pier over the years so if I were you I would not swim near the pier. Loved your comment about Holden Beach, North Carolina we spend as much time as we can there winter summer spring and fall!!! Just like you said it is a peaceful family beach and we like it this wat. Terry at the Beach Mart is one of the nicest and most helpful person so if you have any questions just ask Terry. We love to put our boat in but not under that bridge to many people at one time and it gets crazy so we have found another spot to put in at and we enjoy a slow ride or a day of fishing or just beaching the boat on one of the small islands along the way. So many things to that it is just to much to type here. So come and watch for yourself and enjoy the North Carolina Coast today...
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