Things To Do Beach Access

BEACH ACCESS, PARKING AND LIFEGUARD INFORMATION

Bogue Banks, where most beach communities are located, is actually a continuous barrier island approximately 25.4 miles long. Public access to the Crystal Coast beautiful beaches can be found along NC Highway 58. Public Beach Access areas are marked with signs that feature blue letters and a sea gull flying in an orange circle. Some access areas have gates that are opened at dawn and closed at dusk; others allow driving on the beach with certain restrictions. Parking availability varies at these access points. Some access points offer restroom and shower facilities. 

Several fishing piers and hotels along the island allow for seasonal or paid parking and access. There are numerous additional access points located along Bogue Banks for the overnight cottage renter or similar-type visitor.
Many of these accesses are furnished with wooden walkways, ramps, or overlooks.

FORT MACON STATE PARK (Fort Macon)

Bathhouse
Provides 335 free parking spaces, outside showers, informational kiosk, picnic gazebos, oceanfront gazebo, and bathroom facilities.

Fort & Inlet Access
Located at Fort Macon proper Fort & Inlet Access provides 267 free parking spaces, bathroom facilities, and an overlook gazebo.

ATLANTIC BEACH (Parking Fee Information and Beach Accesses)

Season: May 14 thru Sept 5, Daily, 9:00 am-5:00pm

Rate per Space: $10.00 full day, $5.00 after 1:00pm

Paid Parking Areas: Boardwalk Bathhouse Lot, Boardwalk Pavilion Lot, Bunn Interior Dirt Lot, North side of Atlantic Ave, and west side New Bern Avenue beach access.

Payments will be made upon entering the parking areas, and a hang tag receipt will allow patrons to come and go or transfer to another paid parking area, if space is available, that same day with no extra charge.

Free Parking: East and West Drives on the Circle, 30 minute free parking south side of Atlantic Ave, and the Beach Bathhouse access area on Henderson Drive.

Valid Handicap Tag/Plate: Free Parking

The Program will utilize summer BeachParking Service attendants, under the guidance of our Community Policing Program.

An important service of the Atlantic Beach Fire Department is our seasonal lifeguard program.  During our peak summer season from Memorial Day until Labor Day, our lifeguards provide protection from our strong currents and surf conditions from 9:00 am until 6:00pm.  Our lifeguards are specially trained in Ocean/Surf Rescue, basic CPR and First Aid and work jointly with our Fire Department personnel to keep our waters and beaches safe.

Lifeguard stands are located on the main beach access area in front of Atlantic Blvd. between Raleigh Ave. and Beaufort Ave. and a roaming ATV lifeguard patrols adjacent beach areas.  Visitors should watch the lifeguard stands for flags indicating current surf conditions.

Flag Symbols

• Green –  Calm surf conditions, safe swimming
• Yellow –  Possible rip currents present, stronger surf
• Red – Unsafe swimming conditions present

The Les and Sally Moore Public Beach Access (177 New Bern Street)
Provides 50 parking spaces, bathroom facilities, picnic tables, and outside showers.

West Atlantic Boulevard/Circle Regional Access (201 West Atlantic Blvd)
Provides 64 parking spaces, bathroom facilities, picnic tables, and outside showers. Paid parking in the summer.

Tom Doe Memorial Beach Access
Located on Ocean Boulevard and features outdoor showers, restroom, a foot-washing station, handicap ramp, handicap parking and beach playground. Additional parking along Henderson Boulevard.

Sheraton Atlantic Beach Oceanfront Hotel Access (2717 West Ft Macon Road)
Paid parking in the summer within Sheraton parking lot.

PINE KNOLL SHORES

Hampton Inn & Suites Public Access (121 Salter Path Road)
A public access along the western boundary of Atlantic Beach with associated parking located along Oakleaf Drive at its intersection with Hwy 58 (10 spaces).

Memorial Park Public Access (201 Salter Path Road)
An oceanfront facility located just west of milepost 6 and includes 40 parking spaces, an overlook deck, and a picnic table.

Iron Steamer Public Access (345 Salter Path Road)
A regional, oceanfront area (50 parking spaces) located just west of the former Iron Steamer fishing pier, near milepost 7.5 and includes a bathroom facility.

Clamdigger Inn Public Access (511 Salter Path Road)
20 spaces, is located north of the Clamdigger Hotel at milepost 8.5 with an associated ocean access positioned along the western boundary of the Clamdigger property.

Trinity Center Public Access (697 Salter Path Road)
Parking (20 spaces) is located underneath the water tower at the Indian Beach/Pine Knoll Shores town boundary, milepost 9.5

INDIAN BEACH/SALTER PATH

Sea Isle Plantation Access (770 Salter Path Road, Indian Beach)
(10 spaces) located in wooded area just east of milepost 10

Salter Path Regional Public Beach Access (1050 Salter Path Road, Salter Path)
It includes 75 parking spaces, outside showers, picnic tables, and bathrooms located within the Roosevelt State Park area.

Indian Beach Regional Public Access (1425 Salter Path Road, Indian Beach)
Includes 36 parking spaces and a 4-wheel drive access ramp

Ocean Club Access (1701 Salter Path Road, Indian Beach)
(10 spaces) and access are located between The Ocean Club and The Grander condominiums, milepost 11.5.

Old IB Pier Access (1831 Salter Path Road, Indian Beach)
An oceanfront facility with 10 parking spaces located at milepost 12

EMERALD ISLE (Parking Fee Information and Beach Accesses)

• Visitors to the Eastern Ocean Regional Access and Western Ocean Regional Access would be charged $10 per day per vehicle on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays only, and only during the period from April 1 – September 30.
  
• The parking fee is charged from 7 am to 4 pm.  A town staff member would man the entrance to each regional access facility, and would collect cash and credit card payments. 
  
  Parking continues to be free at the two regional accesses on all weekdays throughout the entire year, and also on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays from October 1 – March 31.  Parking would continue to be free prior to 7 am and after 4 pm on weekends and holidays between April 1 – September 30.
  
• Parking would continue to be free at the Town’s 3^rd Street access and Station Street access, and the scattered handicapped parking spaces along Ocean Drive and other oceanfront streets.
  
• Emerald Isle property owners (taxpayers) and residents (including long-term renters) would be eligible for two free parking permits for the regional beach access facilities each year.  These free permits, which would be verified and issued in the form of stickers in the same manner that beach driving permits are administered, would enable the permit holder to avoid the parking fee at the two regional access facilities.  The free parking permit stickers would only be issued to the property owner and/or resident for a vehicle registered in that person’s name. 
  
• The property owner and/or resident would need to call or visit the Town Administration Building during normal business hours to obtain or make arrangements to obtain the free parking permit.  The Town staff person on duty at the regional access facility would only allow someone to enter for free if they have the appropriate sticker affixed to the vehicle.  Anyone who does not have the appropriate sticker would be required to pay the $10 parking fee.   
  
• Handicapped individuals, regardless of whether or not they are an Emerald Isle property owner and/or resident, would also be eligible for a free parking permit, which would be handled in the same manner as the free parking permits available for Emerald Isle property owners and/or residents. 
  
• The system for the free parking permits would essentially be identical to the system used to issue beach driving permits.
  
• Buses, large RVs, and vehicles with trailers would not be permitted to park at the two regional access facilities on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays between 7 am and 4 pm due to their need to utilize 4 – 8 parking spaces.  These vehicles could drop off passengers at the entrance and park in an alternate location free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.  Suitable alternate parking locations are the Town Hall complex and Fire Station 2 (likely only room for one such vehicle at Fire Station 2).
  
• If a vehicle pays the $10 parking fee, and then decides to leave the facility for a short time period, the vehicle would lose the parking space and then be required to pay the $10 fee again to re-enter.
  
• Replacement stickers for free parking permits would not be provided to Emerald Isle property owners and/or residents or handicapped individuals unless they scrape off and return the original sticker.
  
• The free parking permits would be issued annually, and an Emerald Isle property owner and/or resident or handicapped individual would need to secure a new sticker each year.
  
  Third Street Access (305 Ocean Dr.)
  Furnishes 10 parking spaces in addition to a handicap ramp and an overlook picnic area.
  
  Eastern Regional Access (2700 Emerald Dr.)
  The site of the former old Emerald Isle Pier and provides 245 parking spaces, a picnic gazebo, outdoor showers, bathrooms, and drink machines.
  
  Blackskimmer Access (7500 Ocean Dr.)
  4-wheel Drive Access Point in the winter, single handicap parking space.
  
  Western Regional Access (299 Islander Dr.)
  Provides 167 parking spaces including bathrooms, outdoor showers, volleyball courts, and a picnic gazebo. Handicap ramp.
  
  Randy's Way Access (9519 Ocean Dr.)
  A single handicap parking space with beach access.
  
  Channel Drive Access (11001 Station Street)
  Provides 16 parking spaces and is located at intersection of Station St. & Coast Guard Road. Access the beach via Channel Dr.
  
  Wyndtree Access (10535 Wyndtree Drive)
  A single parking space