Truly we have Hurricane Bertha to thank for the Emerald Isle Beach access. The Island is both accessible but keeps a very basic atmosphere. Perfect to excitement seekers and simple beach goers alike.
Central to Paradise
On the leading edge of Bogue Banks Island is the infamous Emerald Isle. This is a large section of the island and is more well known for its exclusive private beaches. The area is indeed dominated with semi-private communities with extensive vacation rentals. This also not far from Pine Knoll Shores Beach and the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium.
There are only two public beach accesses in the town with significant Parking. I am excluding Parking for the point on the West end of the island (we plan to do a separate post about it soon). We visited the location at 2700 Emerald Isle Drive which is the larger parking area. This is also the former site of the Emerald Isle Pier which was demolished in the 90’s by a hurricane.
The Parking here is very accessible by all accounts and easy to see from the road. There is still a parking attendant on busy days but the parking is all self service pay now like many other public beaches. If you are not interested in paid parking, consider driving a little father down the beach to Pine Knoll Shores Beach (at least at the time of writing).
Aside from other official beach parking lots, there are no other parking options and there very few shops in the area. One frustration for us is that you do have to drive a while after you get to the island before you get to the beach itself.
Toes In The Sand
If you have read some of our other beach posts like (Nags Head Beach), you will know we are very simple people when it comes to the sand and sun. Our philosophy revolves around escaping normality rather than trying to orchestrate a complex series of event. As a result we pack light and just enjoy what the day brings to us.
We put up out Shibumi shade in record time that day and plopped down our beach blanket. I recently learned that Shibumi’s are illegal in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach. Just one more reason why this is The Better Carolina.
Madilyn was slightly interested in the waves for probably the first time. The result was we waded into the water a little bit but only if I held her. She eventually got scared again and ran back to the beach. Now slightly wet, she became a little sugar-cookie with all the sand sticking to her. I forgot to bring our basic Kite that I have been toting around. It would have been an ideal day to get it up.
For a Holiday weekend, we saw a rather small crowd. There was no issue finding space and getting comfortable. If we had ventured even slightly farther to either side, we could find much more space but there was no real need.
Most guest who come to Emerald Isle likely experience it through a vacation rental that covers most of the town. These vacation rentals dominate most of the beach access on the west side of the island and result in a very private feeling beach. Growing up, we were fortunate enough to have several opportunities to stay at one such beach house with my Mom’s extended family. The substantial separation is a big selling point for large gatherings or family retreats for sure. Our visit this time was just for the day.
IT HAS WIFIIIII
At the Emerald Isle Drive Parking area, there is a nice public restroom and spot to rinse off. I almost did not see it when we were coming off the beach. It is tucked away to the side in plain sight. They also had free public WIFI when we came which was a nice surprise. Not quite enough range to get over the dunes but if you are waiting in the car for while your wife is changing your toddler in the bathroom, it can come in handy.
The Life guards on station likely are up high enough to get the last bits of WIFI signal. These guys are only on parts of the public beach area. I can not say if there are any life guards at the other access areas since we only came to one. There are definitely no public restrooms at any of the other public access points. That alone likely drives most visitors to the Emerald Isle Drive location. Everything was clean, functioning and in good order.
There is not much else near by in terms of public amenities aside from the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. For longer stays, this is not a problem at all. Places like Carolina Beach take this to the opposite extreme.
Ghost Pier’s New Life
On an unassuming stone monument with a darkened plaque near the entrance to the beach you will see a short note. Indeed this was once the location of the Emerald Isle Fishing Pier and was destroyed in 1996 by Hurricane Bertha. The old pier was completely removed and a family beach access point as opened in its place. The simple repurposing of its location brings an exciting atmosphere for everyone to enjoy.
Overall
The Emerald Isle Beach is an under trafficked beach that is both relatively remote and still accessible. Like so much of Bogue Banks, this is a great place to kick back with some simple pleasures. Perfect for those seeking a simple day at the beach and do not want to be bothered with people or any fuss.
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