Bald Head Island

Bald Head Island, formerly Smith Island, is a community in Brunswick County, North Carolina, located on the east bank of the Cape Fear River. Bald Head Island is a small and relatively lonely village in comparison to the nearby city of Wilmington to the north. It can be reached by boat from the nearby town of Southport, as well as by four-wheel drive car down the beach strand from Fort Fisher to the north. The beach strand route is restricted to government employees alone. Residents drive adapted electric golf carts instead of cars on the island. Bald Head Island is well-known for its sea turtle breeding activities.

The scenic character of the village makes it a popular vacation destination. It served as the primary filming location for Weekend at Bernie's in 1989, as well as a significant location in The Butcher's Wife in 1991. Its out-of-service lighthouse, "Old Baldy," was built in 1817 and is the state's oldest still standing.

Take a ferry from Southport to Bald Head Island for a quiet break. There are 10,000 acres of untouched terrain on this North Carolina island, including wildlife parks and 14 miles of beaches. Surfing and boogie boarding at East Beach, climbing Old Baldy, and hunting for sea turtles, alligators, and birds at Bald Head Island Conservancy are all popular activities.

Location: North Carolina, United States
Best time to visit: between the middle of September through the end of October
Price: $6,169 for one person per week
Ranking: #11 Best Places to Visit in the Carolinas
Website: www.villagebhi.org