Leaving our family vacation on Bald Head Island I called to make a TRAM reservation (transportation from the house to the ferry). The lady taking reservations asked “how many,” then “any pets?” Those words speak volumes about how pet friendly the island is to visitors and one of the unique characteristics that make it so charming. Bald Head Island is located two miles off the southern coast of NC and has become one of our favorite family vacation spots.
What’s your favorite pet friendly vacation spot?
Email us at contact@straymagnet.com to share your favorites.
More about Bald Head Island:
Bald Head Island is a little island about 30 miles south of Wilmington NC, only accessible by private boat or ferry. “The entire island complex consists of 12,000 acres, featuring 14 miles of beaches, tidal creeks and an ancient maritime forest.” Of the 12,000 acres 10,000 are protected by their preservation efforts and will not be developed. The island is “dense with live oaks, dogwoods, sabal palms, cedars, yaupons, wax myrtles and junipers” and is one of the East Coastʼs most important nesting grounds for loggerhead turtles. (Bald Head Island Fact Sheet)
There are no cars allowed on Bald Head Island. On island transportation is limited to electric carts, bicycles and pedestrian traffic. This little family jewel also abounds with dogs! You see them on the ferry boats to and from the island, riding with their owners in golf carts, and of course lapping it up on the beach swimming, playing and going for walks. The “leash law policy” says you have to have a dog on a leash on the beach but most the dogs we saw were well behaved and enjoying some beach freedom.
Fun Facts:
“Bald Head Island got its name from early river pilotsʼ reference to its “bald” headland that is devoid of vegetation. Pilots would look for this high dune headland on the islandʼs southwest point as a landmark leading to the mouth of the Cape Fear River. “
“The most visible landmark on the island is Old Baldy, a lighthouse commissioned by Thomas Jefferson and completed in 1817. Old Baldy is North Carolinaʼs oldest lighthouse.”
“Several infamous pirates, such as Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach (commonly known as Blackbeard) used Bald Head Island as a hideout and combat base in the 1700s.”
“Bald Head Island is the southernmost barrier island in N.C., located where the mouth of the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern tip of the island forms the Cape Fear Point.” (Bald Head Island Fact Sheet)
Just offshore are the “Frying Pan Shoals” that extend 20 miles from the cape point, the site of hundreds of shipwrecks in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Visitors are welcome to traverse the 108 steps to reach Old Baldyʼs pinnacle, which provides visitors panoramic, 360-degree views of the entire island.
Weekend at Bernies was filmed there in 1989, many more films have been filmed in nearby Southport where the ferry dock is located like Safe Haven (2013), Movies filmed in Others include “Firestarter (1984), Crimes of The Heart (1987), Weekend at Bernies (1989), Amos and Andrew (1993), Inkwell (1994), I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997), Night Flier (1997), Domestic Disturbance (2001), Summer Catch (2001) and A Walk To Remember (2002)” (The Southport Times)
In close proximity to the Cape Fear Light foundation is Captain Charliesʼ Station, three homes originally constructed in 1903 to house the Cape Fear Lighthouse keepers and their families. The three homes have been restored and are now available as rental cottages.
Summer is baby turtle season as mother’s lay their eggs May-August. In 2012 there were 76 nests laid. “Loggerheads lay the most nests here, but we seem to have a few green turtle nests almost every season. In 2010 we had our very first Leatherback” Bald Head Island Conservancy
Other Film Articles:
Town of Bald Head Island http://townofbaldheadisland.com/local-films-from-a-to-z/
The Southport Times http://southporttimes.com/featured/200407.html
