Southeastern North Carolina Beach Access Rules for Dogs

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By Judy Royal

If you’re in the market for Wilmington NC real estate or you just want to take a vacation in the area, there’s a good chance you might be factoring a four-legged family member into your plans, as pet ownership is steadily on the rise; 65 percent of U.S. households, or about 79.7 million, own a pet, according to the 2015-2016 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, an increase from 56 percent of U.S. households in 1988, the first year the survey was conducted.

While you’ll find a variety of pet types in American homes, the most common are dogs and cats. Cats can settle into (and, let’s face it, take over) practically any dwelling space and be perfectly content with never venturing beyond the walls of your residence. Dogs, however, are the pets you’ll be most likely to take on excursions with you. Southeastern North Carolina, with its numerous public beaches, is a prime location for an interactive adventure with your canine companion.

Before you pack up the pooch and embark on such an excursion, though, there are some things you need to know. It’s not a Fido free-for-all out there. Each beach has various rules (and hefty fines for those who don’t comply) so people and animals can live in harmony while enjoying fun in the sun. But no matter where you are, keep your dogs off the dunes and be sure to bring plenty of poop bags – and use them – so your furry pal doesn’t leave behind any unwanted surprises.

New Hanover County

Carolina Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the municipal beach strand anytime October 1-March 31 and only between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. April 1-September 30. Town Council recently voted on the latter, making its municipal beach strand the only one in New Hanover County to allow dogs during peak tourism months, even with restricted hours.

Freeman Park, however, located off the municipal beach strand on the north end of Pleasure Island, has the following rules: Leashed dogs are allowed year-round during all hours. They may be unleashed and under voice control October 1-March 31 if the owner is within a reasonable distance.

Kure Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the municipal beach strand anytime October 1-March 1. They are not allowed at all April 1- September 30.

Fort Fisher State Recreation, however, located off the municipal beach strand on the south end of Pleasure Island, has the following rules: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours.

Wrightsville Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach anytime October 1-March 1. They are not allowed at all April 1- September 30.

Masonboro Island, however, located across the rock jetty just south of Wrightsville Beach and accessible only by boat, has the following rules: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours.

Brunswick County

Bald Head Island: Dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours. They must be on a leash from sunset to sunrise during sea turtle nesting season, which is May 1-November 15. They may be unleashed and under voice control at other times.

Caswell Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours. They may be unleashed and under voice control year-round from dawn until 9 a.m. and additionally October 1-April 30 from 3 p.m. until dark.

Holden Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach anytime September 11-May 19 and only between 5 p.m. and 9 a.m. May 20-September 10.

Oak Island: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours. They may be unleashed and under voice control October 16-March 15 between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m. in locations with the rule indicated on beach access signs.

Ocean Isle Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach anytime Labor Day-Memorial Day and only between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. Memorial Day-Labor Day.

Sunset Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach anytime from the day after Labor Day-the Thursday preceding Memorial Day and only between 6 p.m. and 8 a.m. from the Friday preceding Memorial Day-Labor Day.

Pender County

Surf City: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours.

Topsail Beach: Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach year-round during all hours. They may be unleashed and under voice control October 1-May 14.

Whether or not you have pets, Intracoastal Realty is here to meet your Wilmington NC real estate needs. We are a full-service real estate brokerage operating since 1976, and we currently have 12 offices with over 400 agents and staff to serve Southeastern North Carolina, including the areas of Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, Southport, Oak Island, Ocean Isle Beach, Leland, Hampstead, and Topsail Island. Let us know how we can make your home or vacation dreams come true!

 

June Area Events

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6/1, 8, 15, 22, and 29: Sunset Beach Concerts – Village Park, Sunset Beach

6/2, 9, 16, 23, and 30: Fireworks By the Sea & Boardwalk Blast – Boardwalk at the Gazebo, Carolina Beach

6/3 and 17: Airlie Gardens Concert Series – Airlie Gardens

6/3, 10, 17, and 24: Downtown Sundown Concert – Princess & Water, Downtown Wilmington

6/3, 10, 17, and 24: Oak Island Summer Concerts – Middleton Park Soccer Field, Oak Island

6/3, 10, 17, and 24: Ocean Isle Beach Concerts – Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach

6/3:  SOJA with special guest Allen Stone – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

6/3-4 Fisherman’s Post Ocean Isle Inshore Challenge, Ocean Isle Beach

6/4: 31st Annual Carolina Beach Music Festival – Carolina Beach

6/5-6/12: Port City Music Festival Various Venues

6/5, 19: Boogie in the Park Series – Ocean Front Park, Kure Beach

6/5, 12, 19, 26: Holden Beach Concerts – Holden Beach Pavilion, Holden Beach

6/6-7: Cape Fear BBQ Festival – Old River Farms, Burgaw

6/7, 21, 25: Calabash Concert Series – Calabash

6/7, 21, 28: Calabash Concert Series – Calabash Town Park, Calabash

6/8:  The Claypool Lennon Delirium – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

6/9, 23: Leland Concerts on the Coast – Leland Municipal Park, Leland

6/9:  Jazz at the Mansion – A Concert Series – Bellamy Mansion

6/10: Annual Bank Bridge to Bridge 4.0 – Wilmington

6/11: Art Moves Midtown 5K & Minnie’s Mile Fun Run, Wilmington

6/15-19: Jolly Mon King Classic – Ocean Isle Fishing Center, Ocean Isle Beach

6/18: East Coast Sports Annual Kids Fishing Tournament – Soundside Park, Topsail

6/18: Historical Southport Bicycle Tour – Southport

6/19: HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!

6/20: North Carolina Blueberry Festival – Burgaw

6/20: Blake Kearney Band – Duplin County Events Center, Kenansville

6/20: First Day of Summer

6/20: 15th Annual Snead Ferry Lions Club Pinfish Tournament – Sneads Ferry

6/20: Howl at the Moon – East Beach Access 39, Bald Head Island

6/21: The Hoppers and The Whisnants Gospel Music Concert – Duplin County Events Center, Kenansville

6/24: 4th Friday Gallery Night – Various Venues

6/25: NC 4th of July Festival Freedom Run and Color Outburst – Waterfront Park, Southport

For more June area events in Wilmington, Wrightsville Beach, and Pleasure Island, click here. For more events in the Oak Island / Southport area, click here. For more events in the Ocean Isle Isle, Sunset Beach, and Holden Beach areas, click here. 

 

 

Topsail Island: A Look at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center

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Surf City is home to one of the few sea turtle hospitals on the entire East Coast. The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center is a 13,600 square foot facility open for public tours. Get up-close with loggerhead and other sea turtles being nursed back to health and, if your timing is good, get to see recovered sea turtles return home to the Atlantic. Jean Beasley, Director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Surf City, is pictured here with friend and real estate broker for Intracoastal Realty, Craig Stinson.

Craig-Stinson-and-Jean-Beasley-of-the-Karen-Beasley-Sea-Turtle-Rescue-and-Rehabilitation-Center

The Beasley Center is located in the heart of the Topsail Region, an area comprised of six distinct communities in two counties located between Wilmington and Jacksonville. For more information regarding The Beasley Center, please visit their website.

Hampstead, NC is an unincorporated community on the mainland in Pender County adjacent to Wilmington. Hampstead has been growing significantly in recent years attracting people looking for life on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW), high quality schools, and its calm lifestyle, and ease of getting to commercial centers in Wilmington.

Holly Shelter is an incorporated community in the middle of the Topsail Region. Located on the mainland in Onslow County, Holly Shelter is known as a friendly destination for retired military and for enlisted families with one spouse working in Wilmington and the other in Jacksonville. Holly Shelter has some spectacular communities nestled along the ICWW. Holly Shelter is definitely a hidden gem of the region.

North Topsail Beach was incorporated in the 1990s and is almost an exclusively residential community on the north end of Topsail Island. This part of the island is known for mostly newer construction and a great summer influx of visitors looking for a quiet week away at the beach.

Surf City is the heart of Topsail Island. This incorporated town is located in Pender County on the island and mainland. Surf City decided a number of years ago to invest in water infrastructure and it has paid off, making the town the commercial center of the region and also home to a fast growing year-round residential population. In coming years, Surf City will host a new high-rise bridge to the island, replacing one of the only remaining swing bridges on the East Coast. In addition to high quality Pender County schools, the town is host to a new satellite campus of Cape Fear Community College.

Sneads Ferry is an unincorporated community adjacent to Jacksonville and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Sneads Ferry is known as a quiet village with an active commercial shrimping fleet. You can visit the docks and watch shrimp boats leave and return while eating fresh catch at some of their famous restaurants.

Topsail Beach is an incorporated town on the south end of Topsail Island. Topsail Beach is a classic North Carolina beach town with dog-friendly (even horse-friendly!) beaches and a wide variety of homes from classic beach cottages to new construction.

With a new office in Surf City, Intracoastal Realty is dedicated to serving the communities in the Topsail Region. If you are looking to relocate or make an investment in the region, Intracoastal Realty is here for all your real estate needs.  Call with further questions about the beautiful Topsail Region.

Article By:
Craig Stinson Intracosatal RealtyCraig Stinson
Broker / REALTOR, Intracoastal Realty
CraigStinson@IntracoastalRealty.com
Direct: 910.524.2679