If you’re tired of dodging Bluetooth speakers and stray Solo cups on beach days, a small North Carolina island might be the place for you. South Beach on Bald Head Island was named the second best U.S. beach for visitor etiquette in a new survey — the only mainland beach to crack the top five. Located at the meeting of the Atlantic Ocean and the Cape Fear River, Bald Head Island has 14 miles of shoreline.
FULL STORY: Bald Head Island’s South Beach ranks No. 2 in the U.S. for beachgoer etiquette and manners
Here are key takeaways:
- The ranking: Travel site Exoticca surveyed more than 3,000 U.S. adults, asking which beach in their state had the best-behaved visitors. South Beach on Bald Head Island landed at No. 2 nationally, behind only Poipu Beach Park in Hawaii.
- Why it stood out: Hawaiian beaches took four of the top five spots, making the Brunswick County beach the sole mainland destination to break into that tier.
- What “bad etiquette” means: Respondents weighed behaviors like loud music, leaving trash behind and not respecting others’ space.
- Getting there: Part of North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands, Bald Head Island is reachable only by ferry and no cars are allowed on the island, which limits development and visitor traffic. Much of the island is also protected or in conservation — factors the survey cited in its high ranking.
- Southern showing: South Carolina placed three beaches in the top 10 — Kiawah Beachwalker Park, Hilton Head Island and Sullivan’s Island — while Florida landed Naples Beach and Coquina Beach.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.