There’s a secluded island in North Carolina that offers a different kind of beach getaway.
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Located about 30 minutes from Wilmington, Figure Eight Island has no hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops or crowded boardwalks. Instead, visitors will find miles of uncrowded beaches, luxury vacation homes and a quiet coastal setting that’s becoming increasingly rare, according to Southern Living.
That privacy has made it a favorite getaway for the wealthy. A handful of celebrities and public figures own property on the island, including Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Ben Stiller and Al Gore, Mansion Global reported.
And while Figure Eight Island itself is not the setting of the show, it is referenced multiple times in Netflix’s “Outer Banks” and served as inspiration for the fictional wealthy neighborhood known as “Figure 8.” (The fifth and final season premiers on Netflix Thursday, Aug. 20, though much of this season was filmed abroad and in Charleston, South Carolina.)
Here’s what to know about the island.
Figure Eight Island stretches about five miles along the Atlantic Ocean between Wrightsville Beach and Topsail Island.
According to Southern Living, the island was fully developed by the mid-to-late 1980s with single-family homes, a decision that helped prevent future commercial development.
But Figure Eight Island wasn’t always a private retreat. In 1762, the land was part of a larger area known as the “Province of North Carolina.” By 1775, the barrier island was known as “The Banks” and was owned by James Moore, who was serving as governor at the time, The Wilimington StarNews reported.
Today, there are no hotels or restaurants on the island, with the exception of the membership-only Figure Eight Island Yacht Club, and it’s only accessible by crossing a guarded bridge.
Read more This remote island is one of NC’s hidden beach gems, Southern Living says
Figure Eight Realty agent Kirra Sutton told Southern Living the island’s roughly 1,300 acres include not only homes but also protected maritime forests, dunes, marshes and tidal creeks.
According to Southern Living, the island is designed for travelers who want to slow down and spend time outdoors.
Popular activities include paddleboarding, kayaking, surfing, boating, shell collecting, birdwatching, biking and long walks along the beach. Dolphins are also frequently spotted just offshore, while the island’s undeveloped shoreline attracts a variety of coastal birds.
If you do want restaurants, shopping or nightlife, Wilmington and nearby Wrightsville Beach are just a short drive away, making it easy to enjoy the island’s tranquility without feeling isolated.
Summer remains the most popular time to visit, Southern Living says, but the island stays relatively uncrowded, thanks to its limited access.
This story was originally published July 13, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline “This remote island is one of NC’s hidden beach gems, Southern Living says.”
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