Onslow's beach accesses ready for summer: What to know about parking, amenities and more

As summer nears, Tim Johnson wants to make sure Onslow residents have all the tips needed to have a fun day at the beach.

After Hurricane Florence wreaked havoc to North Topsail's beach accesses, the last few years haven't been quite the same. Johnson, Onslow Parks and Recreation's Park Operations Supervisor, said things are now ready to go for this year's season.

"The entire access was basically wrecked," Johnson said about Access No. 4 in an episode of Onslow County Today. "All the woodworking was knocked down, the restrooms were, all the plumbing underneath was torn out, so there was no way to use this at all."

Previous coverage: A Long Process: Town of North Topsail Beach still recovering from Hurricane Florence

More: North Topsail considers paid beach parking

Johnson said they had to wait for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get through the process of fixing everything. Now, he said the inside of the restrooms and decking are basically brand new.

First, though, Johnson wants to make sure residents have all the information on the available beach accesses.

"When I first started working here, this is the way it was explained to me," Johnson said in the episode. "We have four beach accesses, and I try to remember them; the even numbered beach accesses are on the ocean side, and the odd numbered beach accesses are on the sound side. And they're labeled from the south end of the island to the north."

The amenities

Beach access four is the most popular thanks to the building with restrooms and a deck at 484 New River Inlet Road, while access one is down the street another three miles north on the sound side, at 1759 New River Inlet Road.

Beach access four tends to be the most popular, and often fills up quickly. Johnson said he finds people who come from town or come to visit tend to enjoy this access.

"Throughout the years, I've had kids grow up here in Onslow County, and my kids will tell you that all the high school kids hang out here, because it's the very quickest, it's the first one they come to," Johnson said. "My wife and several of her friends, they prefer beach access two. Most of the locals go there, or the people that come up from Surf City, they enjoy that access as well."

Access two is located at 2950 Island Drive, and access three is at the very end of the island, but Johnson said it's basically just a parking lot controlled by North Topsail Beach, so residents have to pay to park.

This lot is a four-wheel drive accessible area for those interested in driving onto the beach. It's not as much for swimming.

As for the county-owned accesses though, Johnson said it doesn't cost a dime to park.

"It's always free here," Johnson said. "Now remember, here at beach access four, is the town park across the street, and it costs money to park over there because that doesn't belong to us, it belongs to the town. But in our parking lot here, and the several parking lots that are at beach access two, and the beach access one parking lot, is totally free all the time."

Beach access one is small, but Johnson said in the episode, that he often sees residents go to access one when access four fills up.

Access two has three parking lots, Johnson said. There's the big main lot, the parking across the street on the sound side, and then a small parking lot just past the sound side lot. Access two also has a concessionaire that rents kayaks, and the owner posts his hours on his small shed in the parking lot.

On top of the option for kayaks, is the chance to grab lunch while soaking up the sun.

Johnson said there will be a vendor at access four where the concession stand is, and they'll post their hours on the site. There will also be a vendor at access two. Johnson urged residents to look online for vendor hours, as Parks and Rec has no control over those.

"It's a convenience because not everyone wants to lug their lunch to the beach," Johnson said.

Preserve and enjoy

On top of enjoying the beach, Johnson and Onslow Today Host Lisa Whitman-Grice talked about the importance of protecting the beaches and the wildlife.

Johnson said Parks and Rec has taken all beach garbage cans away over the last couple years, and only placed them in the parking lots, to encourage residents to get their trash off the beach.

"Please feel free to take your trash out with you, many people do, they just pack it up in their coolers and they just take it home and throw it away when they get home," Johnson said. "That's the best, to be honest with you, because it keeps the beach clean."

More: Topsail Island named 2021's Best Beach in North Carolina by NC Tripping

If you want to take matters into your own hands, Johnson said there are little bags available to pick up trash, as well as containers for cigar/cigarette butts.

Johnson added that alcohol and glass containers are prohibited on the beach.

"If you break a glass container, and you think you've picked everything up, and then someone's small child walks by, he's either digging or he steps on it, the next thing you know, we have a bigger problem," Johnson said.

He added that residents should make sure to keep ahold of all grocery bags, balloons, and small trash that resemble jellyfish and harm turtles and other wildlife.

"We are very fortunate," Whitman-Grice said. "We have these incredible beaches here in Onslow County, free parking, the best view that there is, gorgeous wildlife. We'll see dolphins, all kinds of birds, but we want to make sure this stays beautiful."

For more information or questions, call the park phone number at 910-347-5332, or visit Onslow Parks and Rec's Facebook page for consistent updates on accesses.

Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Onslow's beach accesses: Where, how much to park, what's available