A coastal town in the Brunswick Islands was recently listed among the six best southern beach towns to live in year-round by Southern Living.
It's just about the peak of summer, so all the Wilmington-area beaches are busy with tourists and many summer homes along the coastline are occupied. But for some people, the summer is the worst time to visit the beach, as crowds of tourists outweigh the benefits of warmer weather.
But according to Southern Living, Ocean Isle Beach offers the best of both worlds, no matter which of those categories you fall into.
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Southern Living had high praise for Ocean Isle Beach, and not for the first time. The magazine also voted it "The South's Best Tiny Town" in 2018.
As far as Ocean Isle Beach's year-round appeal, Southern Living highlighted a slower pace in the summer and a strong sense of community that can help bring more life into the town during the winter months.
While there's certainly more visitors in the summer, Ocean Isle Beach's location does make it a bit harder for tourists to get to. The town is located just north of South Carolina border, putting it around 45 miles from both Wilmington and Myrtle Beach -- the two closest major airports.
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But it's more than slower pace that makes Ocean Isle Beach a great spot. In Southern Living's words, it's a "classic Southern beach town."
The flat beaches are great for laying out on the sand, while the terminal groin and Ocean Isle Beach Pier are popular fishing spots for locals.
For an indoor activity, the Museum of Coastal Carolina honors the region with everything from historical artifacts to exhibits on marine life and the local environment.
Here's Southern Living's full list of the best beach towns to live in year-round.
Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina
Charlie Kingree is the trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Brunswick beach town earns Southern Living nod for year-round living