Wooden walkway through dune grass beside the Oak Island Lighthouse
  Accessible Oak Island

A beach everyone can reach.

Mobi-Mats that roll right onto the sand, beach wheelchairs to rent from the Town and handicap parking at the water's edge. Here's everything in one place.

Find a Mobi-Mat access ↓📞 Beach wheelchairs: 910-278-5518
5ramp structures to the beach (Town of Oak Island list)
10accesses with Mobi-Mats onto the sand
7beach wheelchairs to rent from the Town (some float)
—accesses with handicap parking on our map
Beach wheelchair rentals

Rent a beach wheelchair from the Town.

Oak Island Parks & Recreation rents beach wheelchairs to residents and visitors, thanks to grants and community donations. The big balloon tires ride on top of the sand, and some chairs float, so you can take them into the water.

  1. Call the Recreation Center at 910-278-5518 or stop by 3003 E Oak Island Dr. There is no online booking, and the chairs are in high demand, so reserve early. Recreation Center hours: Mon–Thu 5:30am–7pm, Fri 5:30am–6pm, Sat 9am–2pm, closed Sunday (Town Parks & Recreation: beach wheelchair rules).
  2. Pick the right chair. The Town has 7: 3 that break down and 4 that don't. You need a vehicle big enough to carry the chair.
  3. Bring a $50 cash deposit. It covers late fees or broken and missing parts. You can keep a chair up to 2 days from April to September and up to 7 days from October to March. Pick-up is 10:00 AM on the first day; drop-off is on the last day, 5:45–9:00 AM Monday to Friday or 9:00–9:15 AM Saturday. Bring the renter's driver's license, the island address where the chair will stay and the license plate of the car carrying it. Chairs stay on the island, and get a rinse each time they leave the beach.
  4. Head to a Mobi-Mat access (list below) for the smoothest route across the sand.

From January 1, 2027 the Town will charge $10 a day for residents and $13 a day for visitors, plus the $50 cash deposit (Town Parks & Recreation page).

Heads-up: Mobi-Mats are seasonal and weather-dependent. During unusually high tides the Town may remove them. Check before you go if mat access is essential to your trip.
Wheelchair-friendly accesses
Mobi-Mat, ramp or handicap parking
Mobi-Mat locations

10 accesses with a mat to the sand

Listed west to east. Each one shows handicap parking, restrooms and rinse stations from the Town's GIS data and its access list. Per the Town, the length and placement of the mats are set under the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA), not by the Town.

Open the full map →
More accessible parking

Handicap parking & ramps

These accesses have handicap parking or an accessible ramp but no Mobi-Mat, so the Town has not documented a rolling route onto the sand. Check the access before you count on it with a beach wheelchair.

Good to know: Middleton Park (4610 E Dolphin Dr) sits across from the SE 46th Street Cabana access. It has restrooms, handicap parking and a large lot, so it's a comfortable base for a full beach day.