Sunset Beach, North Carolina 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.

Visitors to coastal North Carolina will most likely cross the Intracoastal Waterway during some portion of their expedition, and there’s a good chance that they’ll cross this massive water route multiple times. Extending all the way from the northern region of the country to the Gulf Coast, the waterway, which began as an essential trade route for shipping companies, is now more commonly used as a recreational trail for North Carolina sailors and boaters who want to explore the depth of the East Coast without straying too far from the Atlantic beaches.

A Bend in the Intracoastal Waterway