Right Beaches › North Carolina › Holden Beach
Holden Beach
4.6★ · 22 Google ratings · Holden Beach, North Carolina
✓ Parking✓ Good for kids
At a glance
Parking
Parking lot · 450 yd away
Water
85°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Tide
5 ft range today
Children
Reported good for young kids
Length
8.2 miles of shoreline
Water quality
Good · all 34 samples clean · 2025
Map of Holden Beach
Guide
Good to know
Search for shells and shark teeth
The beach is known as a productive spot for collecting shells and shark teeth.
Visit for peaceful, uncrowded experience
Multiple visitors praise the beach for being notably quiet and spacious compared to other North Carolina beaches.
Visit for sunrise or sunset views
Winter sunrises and sunsets over the ocean are noted as particularly scenic viewing opportunities.
Reported good with little kids
Visitors often mention shallow or calm water. This is what reviewers report, not a safety assessment.Mentioned by 4 visitors · 2019–2026
Plan for parking fees and limited access
Recent changes include paid parking and gated community access restrictions at both ends of the island.
Conditions
How it is right now
Air
85°F · clear
Water
85°F · modelled, no buoy nearby
Waves
1.9 ft · 5 s apart
Wind
8 mph from the NNE
Shelter
Offshore · wind blowing off the land
UV index
6 peak today
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 00:18 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 06:03 | High tide | ↑ |
| 12:17 | Low tide | ↓ |
| 18:43 | High tide | ↑ |
Last updated Aug 25, 5:42 PM.
Practical
Plan your visit
Nearby
Other beaches close by
1.4 miles away · shorter walk
2.5 miles away · shorter walk
5.1 miles away · shorter walk
7.9 miles away · shorter walk
8.5 miles away · shorter walk
9.1 miles away
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Questions
Common questions
Where do you park at Holden Beach?
The nearest mapped parking area is 450 yd from the listed location. Positions come from OpenStreetMap, not from review text.
How far is the walk to the water at Holden Beach?
450 yd in a straight line from the listing to the mapped shoreline, about 5 min. Soft sand and dune make the real walk longer than the straight line.
Does Holden Beach have restrooms?
No restrooms are mapped within 600 m on OpenStreetMap. That means nobody has mapped any, which is not the same as there being none.
Measured from OpenStreetMap, public aerial imagery and live conditions data, and counted from visitor reviews. Every source, in full.
