Bald Head Island & Old Baldy Lighthouse

Bald Head Island sits at the tip of Cape Fear, reachable only by passenger ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport. There are no cars on the island — you get around by golf cart, bicycle or on foot — and that single fact changes the pace of the whole day within about ten minutes of stepping off the boat. Old Baldy is the anchor: built in 1817, it’s the oldest standing lighthouse in North Carolina, and you can climb the 108 steps for a view over the maritime forest, the marshes and the shoals where the river meets the Atlantic. Beyond it there are fourteen miles of quiet beach, a maritime forest laced with trails, and the Bald Head Island Conservancy, which runs turtle walks and nature programmes in season. Plan this as a full day. Book the ferry ahead in summer and reserve a golf cart at the same time, or bring bikes — walking the whole island is more than most people bargain for. Parking at Deep Point is paid, the ferry is passenger-only, and there’s no fuel or big supermarket on the island, so take what you need with you.