Big Bay

Big Bay: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this nature spot: Open, good conditions · Very crowded · Approach road bad · Closed / not accessible.

Best time to visit Big Bay

Season: November to March for sightings; sanctuaries may close in peak monsoon.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

Visiting Big Bay: tips

• Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see animals.
• Keep your distance and do not feed wildlife.

How to reach Big Bay — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 34.21628, -78.69363. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Big Bay

• Lake Waccamaw State Park · lake · Columbus · ~23 km · Must-see
• Waites Island · river spot · Horry · ~53 km · Must-see
• Green Swamp Preserve · sanctuary · Brunswick · ~53 km · Must-see
• Singletary Lake State Park · lake · Bladen · ~59 km · Must-see
• Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest · sanctuary · Bladen · ~66 km · Must-see
• Jones Lake State Park · lake · Bladen · ~67 km · Must-see
• Tuckahoe Bay · sanctuary · Horry · ~69 km · Must-see
• Wat Carolina Buddhajakra Vanaram · Buddhist site · Brunswick · ~69 km · Must-see
• Bladen Lakes State Forest · sanctuary · Bladen · ~69 km · Must-see
• Little Pee Dee State Park · park · Dillon · ~69 km · Must-see
• Carolina Forest · fort · Horry · ~71 km · Must-see
• Hollywood Wax Museum · museum · Horry · ~73 km · Must-see
• Moores Creek National Battlefield · park · Pender · ~75 km · Must-see
• Richardson Millpond · lake · Columbus · ~12 km
• North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences at Whiteville · museum · Columbus · ~15 km
• Waccamaw River · river spot · Columbus · ~20 km
• Lake Tabor · lake · Horry · ~20 km
• Chadbourn Depot Museum · museum · Columbus · ~21 km

See everything within a day’s drive of Big Bay

Other wildlife, forests & gardens near Big Bay

• Green Swamp Preserve · sanctuary · Brunswick · ~53 km · Must-see
• Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest · sanctuary · Bladen · ~66 km · Must-see
• Tuckahoe Bay · sanctuary · Horry · ~69 km · Must-see
• Bladen Lakes State Forest · sanctuary · Bladen · ~69 km · Must-see
• Battleship North Carolina · sanctuary · New Hanover · ~85 km · Must-see
• North Carolina Coastal Land Trust: Orton Plantation Holdings, LLC · sanctuary · Brunswick · ~86 km · Must-see
• Brookgreen Gardens · sanctuary · Georgetown · ~108 km · Must-see
• Cape Fear Botanical Garden · sanctuary · Cumberland · ~118 km · Must-see
• Moore Farms Botanical Garden · sanctuary · Williamsburg · ~139 km · Must-see
• Clayton Bay · sanctuary · Brunswick · ~27 km

All wildlife, forests & gardens in North Carolina

Frequently asked