Sea Trail

Sea Trail (also known as Sea Trail Plantation or Sea Trail Resort) is a well-established 2,000-acre master-planned golf and beach community in Sunset Beach, North Carolina, just a half-mile to a few minutes from the white-sand barrier island beaches of Sunset Beach. Originally planned in the mid-1980s for 812 homes across seven distinct sub-neighborhoods — each with its own sub-HOA under the overarching Sea Trail Master Association (STMA) — the community continues to grow as developer Riptide Builders completes the original vision with new sections like Gulls Landing (Ryan Homes) and Cobblestone Village (RS Parker Homes). Although Sea Trail is not a deed-restricted 55+ community, it has long been a magnet for retirees and near-retirees drawn by the resort lifestyle, walkable-golf-cart neighborhood feel, and low-maintenance sections. Residents are a mix of full-time locals, snowbirds, second-home owners, and a sizable vacation-rental population, which gives the community a lively, non-cloistered atmosphere uncommon in age-restricted golf communities. The centerpiece is 54 holes of championship golf across three 18-hole courses designed by Rees Jones, Dan Maples, and Willard Byrd — all recognized by Golf Digest and GOLF Magazine over the years. Following a major Maples Course restoration that began in late 2024 and wrapped in 2025, the community also rolled out a new Club Car golf-cart fleet with Visage GPS. The Maples Clubhouse is currently closed; all golfers now check in at the Jones Byrd Clubhouse, which houses the pro shop, 55 Bistro Bar, lounge, and gathering rooms. A second amenity hub — the "Pink Palace," MAC (Members Activity Center), and Creek Side Building — anchors the non-golf social scene with the Jody Hughes Library, indoor pool with spa and sauna, outdoor pool and whirlpool, fitness center, meeting rooms, and multipurpose halls. Recreation beyond golf is deep: lighted tennis courts, pickleball courts (with more being added), bocce ball courts, horseshoe pits, walking and biking trails, community gardens, fishing ponds, a community chapel, and a barbecue area. A full-time activities director coordinates clubs and interest groups including golf, tennis, pickleball, bocce, horseshoes, gardening, yoga, pilates, fitness classes, men's and ladies' golf associations (STMGA, STLGA, Lady-Niners), and bike-riding groups. One of the most-loved perks is the community's private gated beach-parking lot on Sunset Beach island — a rare amenity that makes beach days effortless. The seven original neighborhoods span a wide range of housing: single-family homes on quarter- to half-acre lots, all-brick custom homes on the golf courses, Charleston- and Low-Country-style homes, patio homes, villas, townhomes, and mid-market condo buildings (River Creek, Royal Poste, and others). Newer sections have their own character — Cobblestone Village is a quiet 56-home enclave of low-maintenance new construction by RS Parker Homes, while Gulls Landing at Sea Trail is the most active new-construction phase, offering Ryan Homes ranch and two-story plans from 1,601 to 2,739 sq ft with first-floor owner's suites and James Hardie exteriors. Riptide Builders' longer-term plans include additional pools, clubhouses, sidewalks, and tracts like Pelican Preserve (approximately 175 additional high-end single-family homes). On-site dining includes 55 Bistro Bar, Sunset Slice, Sunset Cove, and Sunset Prime, supplemented by the Calabash seafood scene a few miles north and the full Myrtle Beach restaurant universe 20–25 minutes south. HOA dues vary significantly by sub-neighborhood and home type — condo owners typically pay around $2,600–$2,700 per year to their sub-HOA, while single-family owners pay STMA dues plus their neighborhood HOA. There is no CDD. Property taxes are relatively modest for a coastal golf community (roughly $2,700/yr on a $350K assessed value per local agents). Location is a major selling point: the community sits just off Highway 17, about 2 minutes to Sunset Beach's public access, 10 minutes to Ocean Isle Beach, 15–20 minutes to North Myrtle Beach's shopping and dining, 25–30 minutes to central Myrtle Beach attractions, and about 45–55 minutes to both Wilmington and Myrtle Beach International airports. McLeod Seacoast Hospital is under 20 minutes away and Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center is about 25 minutes.