A beautiful beach and classic architecture is the hallmark of the Southern Shores. With a beautiful beach, an occasional flat top home nestled among the dunes and extensive residential areas surrounded by a lush maritime forest, Southern Shores is unlike any other town on the Outer Banks.

The flat top vacation homes that date back to the post WWII boom years are perhaps the most distinctive feature of Southern Shores. To understand how and why the town is so different and where the flattop homes can be found, it’s important to understand the history of the town.

Why are so many streets named Dogwood in the Souther Shores? Driving through Southern Shores can be confusing; it can seem as though every road is named Dogwood. Actually it’s just a few of the roads, but they’re the streets that are most used, so for the uninitiated it is bewildering.