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Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Emerald Isle is a town of 3,934 people in Carteret County, North Carolina, founded in 1951.
Why visit Emerald Isle
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 8 parks and trails, 34 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Emerald Plantation Cinema 4, The Salty Pirate Water Park and Blue Heron Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 34°F.
Weather in Emerald Isle
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Crystal Coast and is located entirely on Bogue Banks. The population was 3,847 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Emerald Isle, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
The Salty Pirate Water Park
Sports field and stadium · 1.4 mi
Features a lazy pool and multiple slides!
8915 Reed Drive, Emerald Isle
Jun 4-Sep 6 Su-Mo 10:00-17:00; Tu-Sa 10:00-19:00; Sep7-Jun 3 off
Blue Heron Park
Park
Located behind Town Hall, 7500 Emerald Drive, and adjacent to Emerald Isle Parks & Recreation Community Center
7500 Emerald Drive Leisure Lane, Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle Woods Park
Park · 2.1 mi
41-Acre park located at 9404 Coast Guard Road
9404 Coast Guard Road Emerald Isle Woods, Emerald Isle
Cedar Street Park
Park · 0.5 mi
On the Sound side of Cedar Park. This park has Kayak and Windsurfing access, a parking lot, a picnic table, and a pier.
7800 Cedar Park Cedar Street, Emerald Isle
Restaurants and cafes34
Rucker John's Restaurant
Restaurant · Regional, American, Seafood · 1.0 mi
8700 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle
Shepard Barbecue
Restaurant · Barbecue
7801 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle
We-Th 11:00-15:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-18:00
Lazzara's Pizza and Subs
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.7 mi
9104C Coast Guard Road
Tu-Th 11:00-20:30; Fr,Sa 11:00-21:00
Beachside Frozen Cocktails
Bar and pub · 1.5 mi
205 Islander Drive, Emerald Isle
Mo-Su 11:00 - 21:00
Circle Pizza and Subs
Restaurant · Pizza
7702 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle
Kathryn's Bistro & Martini Bar
Restaurant · Bistro
8002 Emerald Drive, Emerald Isle
Plaza Mexico Restauarant Bar & Grill
Restaurant · Mexican
140 Fairview Drive, Emerald Isle
El Zarape Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Spanish · 1.2 mi
8802 Reed Dr. Reed Drive, Emerald Isle
22 more on the map.
History
From about 1 AD to colonial times, Emerald Isle was home to Native Americans. Later, the area was settled by a small number of whalers and fishermen.
In the 1920s, Henry Fort, who owned the Emerald Isle beaches and land surrounding them, hoped to open a large summer tourist attraction and ocean resort. Fort worked with developers, but the plans never materialized. After his death, his daughter Anita Maulick inherited Emerald Isle.
In 1951, seven people purchased the 12-mile (19 km) stretch of island for $350,000 from Anita Maulick. Emerald Isle was sliced into 54 blocks of 1,000 feet (300 m), each going from ocean to sound. The partners drew from a hat for the ownership of blocks. Because they wanted Emerald Isle to be family-oriented, the owners limited commercial development and mobile homes to five blocks each.
In 1960, ferry service began, providing wider access to the Bogue Banks beaches of modern-day Emerald Isle.
In 1971, the Cameron Langston Bridge was opened to provide access from Cedar Point to the western end of Bogue Banks and Emerald Isle. The bridge, spanning the Intracoastal Waterway, offers a great view of Bogue Sound and Bogue Banks. The opening of the bridge increased island development.
From the History section of Emerald Isle, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping9
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare1
Map of Emerald Isle
65 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°F | 34°F | 4.6 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 36°F | 4.1 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 41°F | 3.7 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 50°F | 3.5 in |
| May | 78°F | 59°F | 3.2 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 67°F | 5.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 71°F | 6.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 70°F | 7.8 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 65°F | 9.6 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 54°F | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 65°F | 43°F | 4.8 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 37°F | 4.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Newport/Morehead City Wfo (12 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Carteret County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-10-19: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-10-14: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.
- Cape Carteret 3 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Cedar Point 3 mi northwest, about 5 min by car
- Broad Creek 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
- Brandywine Bay 13 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Atlantic Beach 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Piney Green 18 mi west, about 28 min by car
- Havelock 18 mi northeast, about 30 min by car
- Jacksonville 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Beaufort 22 mi east, about 36 min by car
- New Bern 30 mi north, about 48 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Rhizoprionodon terraenovae emerald isle, Razvan Orendovici from United States, CC BY 2.0
- Polistes exclamans 397493488, Kirill Levchenko, CC0
- Abandoned Batting Cage, Esstroud, CC BY 3.0
- Greater scaup decoys, Haydenowensrulz at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.