With some terrific road trip options available in the surrounding area, having your own car makes sense. Without one, it wouldn’t be half as easy to soak up everything that Surf City, 19 miles away, has to offer. Surf City Pier, Ohana Paddle Sports and Mia’s Marketplace alone make the drive out worthwhile. Locals will also probably point you in the direction of Emerald Isle, 20 miles away. If you can only see one thing here, make sure it’s Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier. (But we’d also recommend Emerald Isle Woods Park and Emerald Plantation.)