Bald Head Island in Bald Head Island

ILM-Wilmington-30mi S

If you are the kind of person who wouldd rather paddle a canoe that careen about on a jet ski there is a vacation destination designed with you in mind. And even though you don*t have to travel halfway around the world to get there it is an extraordinary departure. Barely two nautical miles off the southeastern tip of North Carolina is a semitropical island with a lifestyle as refreshingly novel as its name Bald Head Island. But the distance is measured in more than miles. Steeped in history flavored with legends and brimming with natural beauty its about as far removed as you can get without a passport. With views that stretch from sunrise to sunset over dunes and beach river and ocean maritime forest and a vast salt marsh its a setting that blurs the distinction between fact and fantasy. As a matter of fact Hollywood has discovered this ready-made movie set over the past few years and it isn*t uncommon to see the occasional celebrity tooling about the island on a bicycle or an electric cart. Guest Services Desk Hours are 9 a.m to 5 p.m. daily.