What Happens to Your Golf Cart Rental During a Hurricane Evacuation

Hurricane season on the North Carolina coast runs June 1 through November 30 — which means it overlaps almost the entire JellyCarts season (March 15–November 15). If you're booking a summer or fall trip to Pleasure Island, it's worth knowing what actually happens if a storm shows up in the forecast.

How evacuation orders actually work here

Evacuation orders for Carolina Beach and Kure Beach are issued by the towns in coordination with New Hanover County Emergency Management, not by any single business. When an evacuation is called, it goes out through radio, television, and official channels, with police going door-to-door in some areas to confirm residents and visitors are aware. Both towns publish official evacuation zone maps — Kure Beach's evacuation page is worth bookmarking if you're staying on the island during hurricane season.

Road blocks go up once an evacuation area clears, and re-entry isn't allowed until officials lift the order — sometimes not for days, depending on the storm.

What that means for your rental

You won't be stuck negotiating this in the moment. JellyCarts' standard policy is free cancellation up to 24 hours before your rental starts — and named storms get their own rule: if a named storm is affecting your dates, cancellation is free at any notice, even inside that 24-hour window. You don't have to outguess the forecast to protect your money. If you're already mid-rental when an evacuation order comes down, the priority is simple: get off the island safely, the same as everyone else. Text the number on your rental agreement and we'll sort out the cart later — it is not the thing to worry about during an evacuation.

Practical advice if you're booking during hurricane season

A few things worth knowing before you plan a late-summer or fall trip:

• Storms are tracked days in advance on this coast — you will almost never be surprised by a same-day evacuation order with no warning.
• If your travel dates land inside an active hurricane watch or warning, call ahead. Most of the coordination in a real storm scenario happens over the phone, not through a booking form.
• A rental house or hotel booking almost always drives the actual evacuation decision before a golf cart rental does — follow your accommodation's guidance and the town's official channels first.

None of this is unique to golf cart rentals — it's just coastal North Carolina in hurricane season. The short version: book normally, know that named-storm cancellations are free at any notice for exactly this reason, and if a storm is genuinely bearing down, your safety is the only thing that matters that day.

Questions before you book? Text 910-999-2278 and we'll help you plan around the forecast.