End your 2024 on a high and ring in the New Year with a visit to North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands! Our 45 miles of pristine coastline is the perfect place to gather your family for a New Year's vacation full of memory making, New Year's Eve celebrations, and fun coastal activities. Continue reading for our list of things to do and ways to welcome 2025 at the beach!
Prepare your New Years Resolutions
The time has come to reflect on the joys of the past year and the promises of a new one. We know just the spot to contemplate. With pen and paper located inside, the Kindred Spirit Mailbox on Bird Island invites you to share your resolutions, hopes, and dreams for a happy and healthy 2025. The peaceful 30-minute stroll, beginning from the last access point on Sunset Beach, offers time to reflect in the relaxing setting of miles of undeveloped beach that stretch ahead. To leave yourself more time to write, consider renting a bike from a local outfitter and venturing out at low tide. Once your resolutions are written, see how many you can cross off your list during your trip by reading our most common New Years resolutions blog here.
Toast to a Sunset
Cheers to a new year in the final glow of 2024! Winter is a wonderful time to catch vibrant sunsets over the ocean in the Brunswick Islands. This unique natural phenomenon is possible thanks to the south-facing orientation of our island beaches and is an incredibly special way to mark the end of your year. Thankfully the night is still young after this incredible spectacle, meaning you can still enjoy a variety of other activities taking place on New Years Eve.
Enjoy a Meal with Friends and Family
Perhaps there is no better way to celebrate the promise of a new year than around the dinner table and in the company of family and friends. Whether you want to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner from the comforts of your vacation rental home or let someone else do the cooking, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a meal in NC’s Brunswick Islands. Many of our area’s restaurants are open and offer special service on New Year's Eve, including Salt 64, Ports of Call, Fizzy Jane’s, Southern a Gathering Place, SmacNally's in Holden Beach, Joseph’s Italian Bistro, The Oyster Rock, The Lazy Turtle, KoKo Cabana, Rusty Hooks Dockside Grill, and Paul's of Oak Island. Check back here for updates to the list, but don’t wait to make your required reservations! Our area breweries, wine bars, and taprooms are also fantastic places to raise a glass.
Attend a Brunswick Islands New Year's Event
Good times are in no short supply at the beach, especially around the New Year's holiday. Whether you want to stay up until the clock strikes midnight or you’re looking for an early night, there are celebrations for every kind of visitor. Intended for kids of all ages, Noon Year’s Eve on Ocean Isle Beach is the perfect celebration for families. The fun begins at 11:00am and will include crafts, a dance party, and a countdown to the “Noon Year.” Just up the causeway, Sharky’s Restaurant will drop the shark. Like the Times Square ball drop, this twist on the New Year's tradition is a coastal quirk of ours, and it happens a little earlier too. Head over for dinner and watch the shark descend at 9:00pm. For more information and other events taking place in NC’s Brunswick Islands, head over to our Events page.
Make New Traditions and Extend Your Stay
Of course, your trip to the Brunswick Islands shouldn’t end just as the clock strikes midnight. Consider extending your stay to enjoy the festivities taking place on January 1! Get in on the spirit of new traditions with the 3rd Annual New Year’s Day Beach Lantern Parade on Oak Island. This unofficial island celebration is free and organized by friendly locals who invite you to light up the night with decorative paper lanterns starting at dusk. The route begins at the Oak Island Pier and heads east before turning around at the McGlamery St. beach access. For more information on attractions, activities, and more things to do in the Brunswick Islands, visit our Things to Do page.
No matter how you choose to celebrate New Year's Eve, the Brunswick Islands is here to deliver. To begin planning your trip, please visit www.ncbrunswick.com.