Where is Holden Beach?
Holden Beach is an amazing slice of island paradise located on the southernmost coast of North Carolina. Holden Beach is about midway between bustling Myrtle Beach (SC) and historic Wilmington, about an hour's drive away.
Popular activities in Holden Beach naturally revolve around the Atlantic Ocean, Intercoastal Waterway, and rivers of Brunswick County. Whether you enjoy fishing, boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, surfing, building sandcastles, flying kites, or simply relaxing in a chair while you read a book with your toes in the sand – Holden Beach is the place for you!
When you aren’t “busy” enjoying our gorgeous sand and surf or fun Holden Beach events, you can enjoy a delicious meal at one of our Holden Beach restaurants, purchase local souvenirs at our gift shops, or enjoy an evening at one of the local nightlife spots. We are a beautiful, short drive or boat/ferry ride to our neighboring Brunswick County beaches like Oak Island, Caswell Beach, Southport, Bald Head Island, Calabash, Sunset Beach, and Ocean Isle Beach.
Your Hobbs Realty vacation rental is the perfect, relaxing retreat after you enjoy fun-filled day trips.
How To Get To Holden Beach?
Because it's centrally located, it's easy to get here to Holden Beach – by land, air, or sea. Flying into Myrtle Beach and Wilmington Airports is a popular choice for many of our guests who come from afar. Guests who live in Charleston, Raleigh, and Charlotte often choose to make the drive.
Traveling by Land
Holden Beach is a quiet beach community located about 12 miles off US Highway 17. It's also 37 miles south of Wilmington, NC, and 53 miles north of Myrtle Beach, SC. Shallotte is 12 miles from Holden Beach and is home to the nearest big box stores, fast food, and other major businesses. There are rideshare services available, but they may be limited so we recommend renting a car for your trip if you're planning on flying into Wilmington or Myrtle Beach airports.
How far are we from some of our region’s larger cities?
Charleston (SC) – 148 miles via US Highway 17 North
Raleigh (NC) – 184 miles via I-40 East and US Highway 17 South
Charlotte (NC) – 207 miles via US-Highway 74 East and NC Highway 211 South
Savannah (GA) – 267 miles via I-95 North, US Highway 378 East, and US Highway 17 North
Richmond (VA) – 297 miles via 1-95 South, I-40 East, and US Highway 17 South
Asheville (NC) – 343 miles via I-40 East, US Highway 74 East, and NC Highway 211 South
Jacksonville (FL) – 398 miles via I-95 North, US Highway 378 East, and US Highway 17 North
Atlanta (GA) – 422 miles via I-20 East, I-95 North, US Highway 74 East, and NC Highway 211 South
Traveling by Air
If you are planning to fly to our area before making your way to your final Holden Beach destination, a few convenient options include:
Wilmington International Airport (ILM) – 41 miles
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) – 56 miles
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) – 184 miles
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) – 223 miles
If you are traveling via private plane, Cape Fear Regional Jetport (KSUT) in Oak Island or Odell Williamson Municipal Airport (60J) in Ocean Isle Beach may be options for you.
Traveling by Sea
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) is a system of inlets, canals, rivers, bays, and sounds – some natural and some man-made. This 3,000-mile system runs from Boston, Massachusetts to Brownsville, Texas, and saves boaters from many of the hazards that may be encountered when traveling in the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
In North Carolina, the ICW was built in the 1800s as a safer way to route boats around the treacherous waters located off Cape Hatteras. Today, it covers approximately 300 miles of waters in the coastal Cape Fear region – including not only the Cape Fear River but other area waters as well.
If you want to dock your boat in Holden Beach during your vacation, the Holden Beach Marina is the place to go.
Hope to See You Soon
We look forward to welcoming you to Holden Beach soon. No matter how you choose to reach us, we are confident that you will fall in love with our little slice of paradise once you arrive. As you imagine your next beach vacation, we hope Holden Beach comes to mind as your ideal destination.
Take a moment to explore our selection of Holden Beach oceanfront rentals for the ultimate getaway experience. Remember, as they say, "Life is Better at the Beach!" We can't wait to see you soon, right here on the beach!
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Darcy Geho is a contributing author to this Hobbs Realty blog. She spent 11 years working in the vacation rental industry while she lived on and traveled the North Carolina coast. Like most of our visitors, when she isn’t on Holden Beach, she looks forward to her next visit.