Our Fall Favorites in & around Holden Beach

Our Fall Favorites In & Around Holden Beach

Every fall, someone asks us the same question: “What do you actually do at the beach when it’s not summer?”

Our honest answer? A little bit of everything, and sometimes nothing at all. Fall is when the island exhales. The summer crowds head home, the air turns soft and cool, and the beach starts to feel like it’s just for you.

Here are the things we love most this time of year, on the island and just over the bridge.

Coffee (and Bread) Worth the Short Drive

Just over the bridge on Holden Beach Road, Rustic Crumb Company is one of our absolute favorites. It’s an artisan sourdough bakery and coffee house, and everything is made slowly, by hand, in small batches. Grab a coffee and something sweet for the morning, and a loaf to bring home for that night’s long-table dinner. Our tip: Go early. The good stuff goes fast!

A Festival Almost Every Weekend

One thing people don’t expect about fall here is how much is happening in the little towns all around us. From October through the holidays, there’s a festival, craft show, or holiday market nearby almost every weekend.

Think the NC Oyster Festival in Ocean Isle Beach, our own Festival by the Sea right here on Holden Beach, holiday craft shows in Southport, and twinkling Christmas celebrations as December rolls in. Several of the nearby towns have Boat Parades around the holidays; Holden Beach is having it's first since we've owned here Thanksgiving weekend (more on that in another blog).

Pick one, wander the booths, eat something you’d never make at home, and still be back on the deck in time for sunset.

A Day Trip to Southport and Bald Head Island

When you’re ready for a little adventure, head east to Southport. It’s one of the prettiest small towns on the coast, with tree-lined streets, shops worth browsing, and a riverfront made for slow strolls and people-watching.

From Southport’s Deep Point Marina, it’s about a 20-minute ferry ride to Bald Head Island. There are no cars on the island, just golf carts, bikes, quiet maritime forest, and Old Baldy, the island’s historic lighthouse.

In the fall, Bald Head is calm and golden and absolutely worth the day. Rent a golf cart, wander wherever the road takes you, and ride the ferry home with a boat full of tired, happy people.

Sunrise and Sunset, Right Over the Ocean

This is the one that surprises people. In the fall and winter months, you can watch both the sunrise and the sunset from the back decks. (Yes, both!) Our favorite way to start a fall morning is a sunrise walk on the beach, followed by a warm cup of coffee on the deck in your favorite sweatshirt, and that delicious sourdough or fresh pastry from Rustic Crumb.

And when the day winds down, everyone seems to drift back out to the deck without being asked. Grandparents settle into the chairs, kids wrap up in beach towels, and someone always says, “Wait, look at that color.” Honestly, that moment is why we fell in love with these houses in the first place. The sunsets are spectacular!

Evenings at the House

The best part of any fall day here is coming back home. At Keys in the Conch Shell, part of the Holden Coast Collective, that means sinking into the hot tub as the sky goes gold, kids playing in the heated pool, firing up the grill, and gathering around the table to swap stories about the day.

That’s really what fall at the beach is all about: room to breathe, and time to actually see each other.

If your family has been talking about a fall trip, we’d love to have you. Keys in the Conch Shell still has open weeks this November and December. Come see what fall feels like here at holdencoastcollective.com.

With love from the island,

Jenny Stoner

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Where to go when you want a day of Pampering!

By Jenny Stoner • October 17, 2026

A Day Off From the Beach: Where I Go to Be Pampered I’ll confess something. The first thing I look up on any vacation isn’t the restaurants or the best beach. It’s the spa. Give me a great massage, a little quiet, and a few hours where nobody needs anything from me, and I come back a better version of myself. (My family will back me up on this.) So when we started welcoming guests to Holden Beach, I went looking for the best places to be pampered around here. These are the ones I send my own friends to, some close to home and some worth the drive. Close to Home Julie Dean Massage You’ve probably driven right past it. Julie’s studio sits on the causeway just before the Holden Beach bridge, so you can be on her table minutes after leaving the house. She has decades of experience, and her 90-minute Swedish and deep tissue massages have a loyal following. Even better, for an extra fee, Julie will come to the house. Picture a massage at the beach house, then a long nap with the ocean breeze coming through. Call ahead, because she books up, and bring cash, since that’s all she accepts. Honeycomb Salon Just over the bridge in Shallotte, Honeycomb is known for beautiful hair, but it has grown into a full pampering stop: facials, massage, manicures, and lashes. It’s perfect for a girls’ afternoon, especially if there’s a dinner out on the calendar. (They’re closed Sundays and Mondays, so plan accordingly.) Worth the Drive Cinzia Spa, North Myrtle Beach If you want the full resort-spa experience, Cinzia is under an hour south at North Beach Resort & Villas. It’s 17,000 square feet devoted to slowing down, with more than a dozen massage styles, body treatments, and signature rituals. You don’t have to stay at the resort to book. Bring your mom, your daughter, or your best friend and make a day of it. Woodhouse Spa, Wilmington Woodhouse isn’t as big or as grand as Cinzia, but every bit of it is lovely. It’s quieter and more intimate, with plush robes and a calm, unhurried feel. You’ll find it at The Forum, so you can linger afterward for lunch and a little shopping before heading back to the island. Island Retreat Spa, Bald Head Island This one feels like an adventure. Drive to Southport, park at Deep Point Marina, and take the 20-minute ferry across the Cape Fear River. There are no cars on Bald Head, only golf carts, bikes, and quiet. The spa is tucked under live oaks and palms, with massages, facials, and a sauna. Pick a pretty day for this one, and book your appointment before you buy ferry tickets, since fall hours are limited. And Then You Come Home Relaxed, glowing, and a little sleepy, you come back to the house. The kids are telling you about the shark tooth they found. Somebody has already fired up the grill. Dinner is something simple at the long table, and nobody has anywhere to be. That’s the beauty of a slow day here. Everyone gets what they need, and you still end up together at the end of it. Keys in the Conch Shell is welcoming guests this fall, and Sunshine in My Soul is booking for summer 2027 and beyond. See Keys in the Conch Shell o r Sunshine in My Soul, or message us and we’ll help you plan your stay.

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