Boat Rentals

Topsail Island & Surf City (North)

• Surf City Boat Rental — Rents pontoons and Carolina skiffs for exploring the Intracoastal Waterway.

• Aquaholics Boat Rentals  — Family-owned, offering pontoon rentals right in Surf City.

• Freedom Boat Club (Topsail Island) — A membership-based boating club providing maintenance-free access to a diverse fleet.

Wilmington Area (Wrightsville & Carolina Beach)

• SeaVentures — Offers high-quality boat rentals and fully captained charters out of Wrightsville Beach, Carolina Beach, and Topsail.

• Carolina Beach Pontoon Rental — Specializes in half-day and full-day pontoon and skiff rentals for casual cruising and island transport.

• Freedom Boat Club (Wilmington) — Additional convenient club locations operating out of Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach marinas.

Brunswick County (Southport, Oak Island, Ocean Isle)

• Southport Boat Rentals  — Offers half-day, full-day, and multi-day rentals of 21' Carolina Skiffs out of Southport.

• Blue Planet Watersports — Offers Carolina Skiffs and pontoons to explore the calm waters of Oak Island and the Lockwood Folly River.

• Ocean Isle Boat Rentals — Provides well-maintained pontoons for exploring the southern Brunswick backwaters and Intracoastal.

Marinas & Boat Launches

Topsail Island & Surf City (North)

• Topsail Island Marina — A full-service marina located at 412 Roland Ave, Surf City.

• Harbour Village Marina — A premier, deep-water marina located just south of Surf City in Hampstead.

• Public Launches: Surf City Public Boat Launch (517 Roland Ave) and the NC Wildlife Public Boat Launch Access (NC-210, North Topsail Beach).

Wilmington Area (Wrightsville & Carolina Beach)

• Seapath Yacht Club & Marina — A premier, full-service marina in the heart of Wrightsville Beach.

• Carolina Beach Marina — Located in the Carolina Beach basin, this is the main hub for charter boats and private docking in CB.

• Public Launches: Wrightsville Beach Boat Ramp (located right next to the drawbridge) and Carolina Beach State Park Boat Ramp.

Brunswick County

• Southport Marina — A large, deep-water marina right on the ICW and Cape Fear River.

• Public Launches: Fish Factory Road Public Boat Ramp (Oak Island), Ocean Isle Beach Public Boat Ramp, and Sunset Harbor Public Boat Ramp.

Eco-Tours & Specialty Cruises

Topsail Island & Surf City (North)

• Lost Treasure Eco Tours — 2–3 hour customized adventures focusing on barrier islands, dolphin watching, shelling, birding, and cast netting.

• Tiki Tours — Paddlewheel boat experiences offering nature/history tours, sunset party cruises, and shelling excursions.

• Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours (Topsail departures) — Sightings of dolphins, pelicans, and sea turtles.

• Topsail Intracoastal Adventures — Sunrise/sunset cruises, shelling, and dolphin watching.

• Ecological Marine Adventures — Eco-tours and hands-on marine biology educational camps for kids.

Wilmington Area (Wrightsville & Carolina Beach)

• Wrightsville Beach Scenic Tours — Offers a popular 2-hour Beach Eco-Tour via catamaran to Masonboro Island for shelling and bird identification.

• Carolina Salt Custom Charters — Focuses on custom eco-trips, marine wildlife encounters, and even private boating lessons on the water.

• Cape Fear Riverboats — Scenic narrated history and nature cruises departing straight from the downtown Wilmington Riverwalk.

• Cruisin' Tikis Wilmington — Octagonal, floating tiki bars perfect for a relaxing sunset cruise out of Wrightsville Beach.

Brunswick County

• Southport Water Tours — Offers eco-history "Sightseeing Cruises" on the Sally Ann tour boat, as well as private sunset and sandbar cruises.

• Summertide Adventure Tours — Provides highly rated kayaking eco-tours through the scenic back-barrier marshes of Ocean Isle and Sunset Beach.

• Calabash Fishing Fleet — Offers dedicated 2-hour dolphin and wildlife cruises out of the fishing village of Calabash.

• Blackbeard Scuba & Water Tours — Located in Southport, they offer private eco-tours and sunset charters in addition to scuba diving trips.

Marine Wildlife & Conservation Centers

• Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center (Surf City): A must-visit facility dedicated to rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles. Advance ticketing is highly recommended in the summer.

• North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (Kure Beach): Features a massive two-story open ocean tank, an albino alligator, and extensive interactive exhibits on coastal Carolina ecosystems.

• Bald Head Island Conservancy (Bald Head Island): Accessible only by ferry from Southport. You can book an eco-tour or join their renowned Sea Turtle Protection program on a nightly turtle patrol during the summer nesting season.

• Museum of Coastal Carolina (Ocean Isle Beach): Features dioramas of local coastal life, a touch tank, and hosts the local Ocean Isle Beach Sea Turtle Protection Organization for educational events.