Topsail Island is a 26-mile long barrier island just below the Outer Banks on the coast of North Carolina. Once a hideout for pirates and later a secret missile testing site, today Topsail Island is home to three towns: Topsail Beach, Surf City and North Topsail Beach. You'll find miles of pristine white-sand beaches with sandy-bottom, beach and reef breaking surf perfect for consistently good longboard surfing. But surfing isn’t the only attraction. From fishing and diving to museums and golf, there are plenty of things to do on this fascinating little island.

Pier Fishing

With miles of Atlantic Ocean-facing beaches and three piers, fishing is a popular activity on Topsail Island. Each of the three cities features its own pier, the 854-foot Jolly Roger Fishing Pier in Topsail Beach; the 937-feet long Surf City Pier with a 40-foot octagon and two fresh-water cleaning stations at the end in the center of Surf City; and the 1,000-foot Seaview Fishing Pier in North Topsail Beach. All three piers feature bait and tackle shops and snack bars, and all three are open from March through November with the Surf City Pier open a month longer. Best yet, you can fish at any of these piers without a North Carolina fishing license since the piers maintain a blanket coastal recreational fishing license that covers their customers and guests.

The Missiles and More Museum

You can learn about Topsail Island’s colorful past at the Missiles and More Museum, housed in the building used to assemble the missiles that were launched when the island was a secret testing site -- a precursor to NASA -- in the late 1940s. Exhibits include launch videos and permanent displays from “Operation Bumblebee,” which proved the feasibility of ramjet rocket engines. Also on permanent display are some of the original 200 rockets launched from the facility that washed ashore near the original launch pad which is now the patio of the Jolly Roger motel near the Jolly Roger Pier in Topsail Beach. The Missiles and More Museum also includes a large seashell collection and displays featuring the pirates of the Carolinas, including the infamous Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet.

Graveyard of the Atlantic

Scuba diving enthusiasts will learn why the coast of North Carolina is called the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” by diving one of the many shipwrecks lying in the waters off Topsail Island’s shores. Twenty-six miles due west of Topsail Inlet is the Hyde, a ship sunk as part of the North Carolina artificial reef program now resting upright in 60 feet of water. Four miles further out and west of the New River Outlet is the Cassimer, a WWII tanker lying in 90 feet of water. Further out on the same line is the most famous of the Topsail area wrecks, U-352 a WWII German submarine that went down in 100 feet of clear warm water. There’s a dive shop in Surf City called Carolina Divers where you can get your equipment, look into charter trips and even take diving lessons.

Golf Courses and Country Clubs

For those who are happier on the green than on the beach -- or at least want to blend one activity with the other -- there are many challenging golf courses around Topsail Island. Just over the bridge from North Topsail Beach is the North Shore Country Club, featuring a 6,000-yard, 18-hole course that’s near the ocean, but far enough away to be sheltered from sea breezes. In neighboring Hampton on the mainland not far from Surf City are several other courses, including Castle Bay, Old Pointe and Topsail Greens. Topsail Greens features numerous water hazards, particularly the 17th green, which is an island surrounded by a moat. This challenging course also features a pro shop, putting and chipping greens and a driving range.

About the Author

David "Davy" Knoles is an award-winning journalist and artist. He began his career as a wartime photojournalist for the U.S. Air Force. Knoles later served as a staff writer and editor for various L.A. newspapers and magazines, including "The Beach Reporter" and "The Palos Verdes Peninsula News," winning awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the California Newspaper Advertising Executives Association.

Photo Credits

  • Karl Weatherly/Photodisc/Getty Images
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