The seaside town of Sunset Beach had its start in 1955 when the land it occupies was bought by a property developer. Development began in earnest with the completion of a bridge connecting the beach island to the mainland in 1958. Sunset Beach was incorporated as a town in 1963.
Sunset Beach is located in southwestern Brunswick County. It is the last developed Atlantic Ocean beach before the South Carolina border. One-third of the town’s area occupies a barrier island between the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway; the remainder of the town extends onto the mainland to the north. Undeveloped Bird Island is directly to the west, Calabash is the closest town to the west on the mainland, and Ocean Isle Beach is to the east.
Sunset Beach used to only be accessed by a drawbridge. The following are some interesting articles and pictures. Thank goodness the island now has a permanent bridge which makes getting on and off the island much easier! Go visit the museum dedicated to the old bridge.
http://oldbridgepreservationsociety.org/Site/Welcome.html
The beach on Sunset is perfect for all ages. During low tide, tide pools form for floating and splashing. Bikes can be ridden all the way to the end of the island. Waves are never very high so even high tide is peaceful.
Sunset Beach allows fishing from the beach and pier. And no house is that far from the beach. There is one main road around the island and easy access to boardwalks every few feet.
For a full list of beach regulations visit, www.sunsetbeachnc.gov.
Some great articles and news stories about Sunset Beach:
www.chalotteobserver.com/living/health-family/moms/article10999007.html
