Holden Beach Memories

Have you seen this mailbox before? If you are a regular to Holden Beach, the answer maybe yes (if you know where to look). It is actually located ON the beach. If you take a stroll to the far east end of Holden Beach, keep walking as the ocean meets the ICW, and look up into the dunes, you'll see it.

This mailbox is just what it says "Golden Memories". Open the door and inside is a notebook and pen. Vacationers and locals alike share their memories and experiences of Holden Beach. Anyone is welcome to leave a memory or sometimes the local fishing report. All that is asked is to leave the notebook and pen for the next person.

It's amazing the stories you will find inside this mailbox. Memories of years gone by, love stories, children's first trips to the beach, and stories of locals who call the beach "home".

Next time you are in Holden Beach, be sure to check out this unique memory mailbox and be sure to only leave your footprints and memories.

Holden Beach Fishing

Many varieties of fish are abundant in the waters surrounding Brunswick County and each of the local beaches has at least one full service fishing pier. Bluefish and spots can be caught in the fall and Spanish mackerel and spots are available in the spring, as well as shrimp and drum which are caught in the spring and summer. The salt marshes offer winter trout, channel bass and croaker, where oysters and clams are abundant along the Intracoastal Waterway and back bay areas. Ocean access through several inlets led to the Gulf Stream where red snapper, grouper, tuna and more are plentiful.
Recreational fresh-water fishing licenses are required by law and you can obtain a license from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at 888.248.6834. For more information about fishing in our area, visit www.ncwildlife.org.
Information thanks to Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce

Holden Beach, NC

Coming over the 65-foot high bridge to Holden Beach takes visitors to one of the most serene beaches in the South Brunswick Islands. With 9 miles of oceanfront, Holden Beach is one of the largest of the Brunswick County islands and is home to just under 1,000 year-round residents.
During the summer, the population increases to more than 10,000. Boating, surf fishing, and hiking are very popular activities and the fishing pier is enjoyed by many. The island is a sea turtle habitat as well.
There are limited commercial establishments on the island, but the road leading to Holden Beach is lined with many stores and shops, including a grocery store. The Town of Shallotte is just 10 minutes away, and Myrtle Beach and Wilmington are both a little over 30 minutes away.


The Town of Holden Beach is located midway between Wilmington, North Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina -- about 40 minutes driving from each. The Town is situated on an Atlantic coastal barrier island, facing south onto the Long Bay region of Brunswick County. I-95 from the north and south, I-40 from the west and US-17 south from Wilmington or north from Myrtle Beach leads to Holden Beach -- approximately 3 hours from Raleigh, or 4 hours from Charlotte or Greensboro, or 7 hours from Asheville. For more map detail of Brunswick County, go to Brunswick Islands, and then click on "Maps".
Nearly 900 fulltime residents call Holden Beach home; however, the island’s population swells to over 10,000 in mid-summer. With over 8 miles of clean, sandy beaches and a year around moderate temperature, the island attracts many visitors who want to experience a unique quiet family-oriented atmosphere.
Holden Beach has a very small commercial area on the island. That point is considered by many to be a key reason to keep them coming back year after year. While there are limited commercial establishments on the island, everything one could desire is located within a short driving distance.
The causeway leading to the island contains numerous specialty stores and shops, and the Town of Shallotte just 10 minutes away has several chain grocery and department stores that provide all the necessities. Wilmington and Myrtle Beach are only 35-45 minutes away and if you can’t find what you’re looking for there, it doesn't exist.
There are over 125 superb golf courses within a one-hour drive from Holden Beach. Courses range from very challenging to user-friendly for golfers who don’t always hit the ball where they want it to go. The Myrtle Beach area is perhaps the best region in the United States to find a course just right. Seasonal rates vary.
Boating, fishing and hiking the island are very popular activities. Shell hunters can find so many that the kids will fill up the car when they return home. The island is a sea turtle habitat and during the hatching season (May to October) those who don’t mind staying up late at night can witness one of nature’s most interesting pleasures – watching hundreds of small sea turtles "boil’ out of the sand and marching to the ocean.
There is no other North Carolina barrier island like Holden Beach. Low commercial impact, hundreds of beautiful rental homes (many with dockage for fishing and pleasure boating) and a wholesome family-oriented atmosphere.