In mid-April, my mom and I decided to hit the road for a mini-adventure to a few of our favorite haunts along the southeastern coast of North Carolina. My home base of Raleigh is only two hours from Wilmington, a historic and artsy port city on The Cape Fear River. Wilmington is close to many pristine beaches including Wrightsville Beach.
Sadly, I was laid off from my tech sales job on February 28th and nothing soothes an anxious heart like a day at the beach. There is peace and calm when you stand by the ocean. As a person of faith, I marvel at meditating on how the science of the waves and gravity all work together so seamlessly to create the tides. People often say science and faith are opposites, but God’s the master scientist and creator. Standing by the ocean, even when things get out of control, the breeze, the breaking of the waves washes stress away.
When we go to Wrightsville Beach, we usually stay at an oceanfront hotel. Our favorites are Shell Island, Surf Suites, Sandpeddler, Holiday Inn and Trailborn – formerly Blockade Runner. However as it was spring break week for some students, rooms were fairly booked up. We instead used our Hilton points to stay at a nearby Hampton Inn, located in Wrightsville just over the bridge on the mainland.
I am a big fan of Hampton Inn as the chain exudes comfort and offers free breakfast. They also offer coffee and tea all day. I highly recommend The Hampton Inn – Lumina Station. The staff was welcoming and the rooms were comfortable and the location was only five minutes give or take from Wrightsville. The hotel is also near Lumina Station, a popular shopping area with a Harris Teeter, restaurants and shops.
Book your Hampton Inn – Wrightsville stay here
I usually go to Harris Teeter and stock up on snacks and lunch supplies for our beach picnic. You can also check out Robert’s Grocery, known for it’s chicken salad, for good picnic eats.
Our Adventure:
Living in Raleigh we are blessed to be only a few hours from the coast. Wilmington and neighboring Wrightsville are a quick drive down I-40. We couldn’t have picked a better day for a road trip. The temps were in the 70s with crystal blue skies and radiant sunshine.
My mom and I arrived in Wrightsville around 3 p.m. and our first stop was our favorite seafood restaurant ‘The Oceanic’ Located right on the Atlantic Ocean, accompanied with its own pier. The Oceanic offers views that would inspire Jimmy Buffett to write a song. There are other great oceanfront restaurants in the world, but it’s hard to find one that rivals The Oceanic. Their delicious menu features an assortment of seafood delights featuring fresh caught North Carolina fish. My mom loves their crab dip and is willing to drive two hours just to get a taste of it.
While the views and food are well worth dining at The Oceanic, what truly sets it apart are the people. The staff are always friendly and are very knowledgeable about the menu. I always feel welcomed when dining there.
I indulged in a virgin pina colada (calories don’t count on vacation) and enjoyed the broiled seafood dish of the day with rice, veggies and their signature hushpuppies. The ocean waves set the soundtrack, as you could hear the waves crashing soulfully from the pier.
For more information about The Oceanic click here.
After our meal, we spent about twenty minutes relaxing on the pier, staring into the heart of the ocean and allowing the rhythm of the waves to relax the soul. By four o’clock, the wind had picked up and brought a chill, even in the blazing sun.
While we love Wrightsville, we decided to use the remaining daylight hours to drive over to Fort Fisher. Located roughly 20 minutes from Wrightsville, Fort Fisher is a popular area for recreation and tourism. The Fort located near Cape Fear River and fronting the Atlantic Ocean was a major Civil War Fort for the Confederacy until it fell in 1865 to The Union army.
You can tour the earthworks and learn more about the history of Fort Fisher in the state of the art visitor center. Fort Fisher is a State Historic Park.
Also located at Fort Fisher, you’ll discover the wonderful North Carolina Aquarium. This is one of several NC Aquariums along the coasts. Unfortunately it was closed by the time we arrived, but I plan to make a day trip to the aquarium soon.
My mom and I enjoy walking along the rocky oceanfront path near the Fort. This area is dangerous for swimming and doesn’t offer beach access, but provides great views of the ocean and a great paved trail for ambling along the water.
We capped off our day by returning to Wrightsville and indulging in ice cream at the walk-up Original Ice Cream Stand on Lumina Avenue in Wrightsville Beach. While I’m technically on a diet, I couldn’t resist a scoop of the delicious Hershey’s Moose Tracks ice cream. Stopping for ice cream here has been a family tradition for years. Wrightsville and Wilmington have several other great ice cream shops including Kohl’s Frozen yogurt (Wrightsville), Boombalattis (Wilmington) and Kilwins (Wilmington.
We were back at the hotel by nine o’clock and enjoyed a movie – ‘The Man from Uncle’ before going to bed. I appreciated that this Hampton Inn had Netflix. At the beach you are not in the room much, but it is nice to have a movie night at the end of a jam-packed beach day.
After a well-rested night, we started our morning with a hearty breakfast at the hotel, before packing up our car and preparing for the day’s adventure.
Our first stop was a visit to one of our favorite haunts in the Cape Fear region, Historic Brunswick Town, which we discussed in a recent post. This state historic site was once home to one of the most prosperous port cities in North Carolina and served as the state capital from 1748 to 1770 (check). Unfortunately Loyalists and British troops set fire to Brunswick Town given its strong community of patriots. It remained a ghost town until it was repurposed as a Confederate Fort in The Civil War. Today you can walk the grounds, traveling through 300 years of history from Native American Tribes, Colonial Settlement, Civil War and beyond through interactive exhibits at the visitor center and touring ruins of homes and businesses. For a detailed history and tour of Brunswick Town check out our recent post.
We finished up at Brunswick Town around 12:30 p.m. and decided to take advantage of the beautiful 72 degree sunny weather. My mom and I had not visited the lower beaches of NC like Oak Island and Ocean Isle for several years. We decided to take the afternoon to explore these areas.
Oak Island
Gorgeous Oak Island is a hidden gem along the Carolina coast, where you can enjoy a laid back beach vacation with great access to The Intracoastal Waterway and Atlantic Ocean. Only about thirty minutes from Wilmington it is less commercialized than Carolina Beach and Wrightsville. This sand in your shoes vibe is a perfect family destination to rent a condo and get off the grid.
Oak Island is inhabited by three small communities: Ft. Caswell, Caswell Beach and Oak Island (town). Each has their own personality. Caswell Beach is home to the guardian of the island shores ‘Oak Island Lighthouse.’ The town of Oak Island has fun shops and local seafood restaurants.
Quick History: I was surprised to learn that Oak Island was not an island until the 1930s, when it became a barrier island with the construction of the Intercoastal Waterway. The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), a continuous navigable route extending from Boston, Massachusetts, down the East Coast to Florida and along the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas, significantly improved transportation. By connecting natural features like rivers, inlets. Learn more about the ICW in this excellent Our State Magazine feature.
The area of Oak Island was originally inhabited by Cape Fear Indians who used the region for hunting and fishing. The first permanent settlers came to Oak Island in the 1830s with the construction of Fort Caswell. This fort was later used during the Civil War to defend Confederate positions on the North Carolina coast. It later was used as an army training ground in World War I and a patrol communications base in World War II.
By the 1930s Oak Island became a tourism center and a popular family vacation spot. It continues to attract families looking for sand and surf today.
As we drove into town, we noticed a historic highway marker remembering the devastation of Hurricane Hazel, which wreaked havoc on the area in 1954. My mom lived in Raleigh when Hurricane Hazel hit and still vividly remembers the power of the wind shaking their house even inland. While Raleigh experienced the storm’s powerful winds, the coastal areas like Oak Island faced unimaginable destruction; over 350 beach houses were washed away. Despite the extensive damage, the resilient community of Oak Island eventually rebuilt. It’s no wonder that native North Carolinians take hurricanes so seriously, knowing firsthand how destructive they can be.
Our Oak Island Adventure:
My mom and I enjoyed driving around the island and exploring the different areas of Oak Island. Our favorite spot was near The Oak Island Lighthouse, where we were able to learn more about the lighthouse and enjoy a thirty minute beach walk. The views were spectacular and we were treated to a viewing of over 15 Brown Pelicans flying above and diving into the water for fish.
About the Oak Island Lighthouse: located in the town of Caswell Beach, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River, this beacon of light was built from 1957-58 and stands around 153 feet tall. It sits next to the Oak Island Coast Guard Station, looking south at the Atlantic Ocean. The lighthouse features 16 LED lights which produce four, one-second bursts of light ever 10 seconds. It has a luminous range of 20.5 nautical miles. It has been owned by Caswell Beach since 2004 and is managed by the Friends of Oak Island Lighthouse, who provide wonderful exhibits to share the history of the lighthouse and region.
In the distance we were able to see the nearby Bald Head Island Lighthouse, on neighboring Bald Head Island.
Bald Head is reached via a ferry from the town of Southport. Interestingly enough my ancestor, Benjamin Smith (who we briefly discussed in the Brunswick Town post), used to own Bald Head Island, which was formerly called Smith’s Island. He helped to build the first lighthouse circa 1791. The current ‘Old Baldy’ lighthouse dates to 1817.
Importance of NC Lighthouses: Though North Carolina’s coastal waters often appear pristine on a sunny day, did you know that the state’s coast is quite treacherous for boats? North Carolina’s coast is defined by a series of sandbars and outer banks that can shift during storms and provide a false ‘deep’ – thousands of ships have gone down in this Graveyard of The Atlantic. In order to help ships navigate these treacherous waters, a series of lighthouses were built along the coast from Corolla to Hatteras to Cape Lookout to Oak Island to help guide ships navigating the coast and entering port. And while it can be argued that in this modern age of GPS lighthouses don’t matter, their beacon lights can continue to act as a failsafe and ensure safe passage.
Ocean Isle:
After two hours exploring Oak Island, my mom and I decided to continue heading south towards the beach community of Ocean Isle.
Similar to Oak Island, Ocean Isle is a man-made barrier island, created in the 1930s as part of the Intracoastal Waterway project. Its popularity as a tourist destination has endured, thanks to numerous rental homes and cottages ideal for families. The island’s direct access to the ICW also makes it a favorite among boaters. Learn more here.
We crossed the bridge into Ocean Isle just after five o’clock. The weather was so pretty that we decided to stop at one of the many public beach access lots and go on a thirty minute oceanside stroll, before grabbing dinner.
Ocean Isle has a lot of great dining spots for any budget. Based on local recommendations we decided to try the Ocean Isle Fish Company…and we were not disappointed. Located right on the Intercoastal Waterway, the restaurant offers amazing waterfront views. The interior decor has a ‘captain’s quarters’ vintage beach meets bar feel. The seafood was fresh off the boat and the broiled potatoes and veggies were delicious. We also enjoyed a mocktail in a souvenir cup.
After finishing our meal around eight p.m. we were treated to a gorgeous sunset that looked as though it had been painted by Monet. My mom and I enjoyed just sitting by the water and taking in the views as day transitioned to night.
Arriving back in Raleigh around eleven p.m., we were already eager to plan our next trip to the coast. The stretch from Wilmington to Ocean Isle brims with possibilities – water recreation, history, great food, family adventures – ensuring there’s never a dull moment.
Plan Your Southeastern NC Coastal Adventure:
If you are flying into NC, you can easily reach the coast from Raleigh, with two to three hours. I recommend making the Wilmington area an initial base camp.
Wilmington is a fun and artsy city with a lot of history and character. Wilmington’s riverbank along the Cape Fear River is lined with eclectic local shops and eateries. Wilmington is also home to the Battleship North Carolina – which served in WWII.
Check out our Must-See Wilmington post from a few years ago
Wilmington is close to a number of beaches, each with their own personalities.
I personally prefer Wrightsville as it is a small natural island with great restaurants. The downside of Wrightsville is it can get pricey in the summer months, so we usually do a day trip from Raleigh or stay overnight in the offseason. Luckily NC is known to have 70 degree days periodically in the winter and you can find a great Hotwire deal last minute.
In Wrightsville I recommend the following hotels and restaurants:
Where to Stay in Wrightsville:
Shell Island – secluded at the ‘northern end’ of Wrightsville, each suite has an ocean view, equipped with a kitchen. We stayed here a few years ago and loved it. Only downside is at the time they didn’t have the best restaurant for lunch and dinner. So we bought groceries at Harris Teeter and cooked our own food in the room. You can also drive to other area restaurants easily. This part of the beach is fairly quiet and a wonderful place to stay.
Holiday Inn Lumina Resort: They have the best beach access and pool set up; they also have a great oceanfront restaurant on site and a full service coffee bar. My only qualms is no free coffee in the morning (a pet peeve of mine, as a least regular coffee should be complimentary and not from a Keurig). I love this hotel and highly recommend it.
Trailborn/Blockade Runner: For over 50 years, The Blockade Runner was one of the most popular lodging spots in Wrightsville. I used to stay here with my parents growing up. I love their beach access and views! It was recently sold and renamed (I still call it The Blockade Runner). While I like staying here, it is not my top choice as the past few times I felt nickeled and dimed by cost of coffee, and our shower didn’t work. That being said, the staff are friendly and it has great views. I would stay there again, just not my top pick.
Surf Suites: Located beside the Oceanic – great beachfront access and convenient to area shops
Sandpeddler: Cute condos with easy beach and sound access. Located across from The Oceanic
Hampton Inn – near Lumina Station: While not beachfront, this is a convenient hotel to use as a basecamp for Wrightsville, Wilmington and the surrounding areas.
Restaurants (my picks)
Carolina Beach is also popular and is known for its boardwalk, nearby Currie Beach is right next door to Fort Fisher, home of the NC Aquarium and Fort Fisher State Historic Site. You can also enjoy Cape Fear River Access at Carolina Beach State Park.
Other popular Wilmington area beaches include Topsail Beach and Figure Eight Island. Figure Eight is gated and you would need access via your rental code or if you own property/visiting a friend there.
Further south through the Cape Fear corridor towards the South Carolina line you’ll fall in love with
Southport: Historic community on Cape Fear River lined with centuries old live oaks and an eclectic mix of tourist shops and restaurants.
Oak Island: Lighthouse views and ocean breezes…plan your Oak Island trip here.
Holden Beach: It’s known for its beautiful beaches, opportunities for water activities like kayaking and paddleboarding, and for offering a slower pace of life than many other beach towns. The island also boasts a rich natural environment, including the chance to spot dolphins and explore tide pools. Plan your adventure here.
Sunset Beach: Family fun and sand and surf. Sunset Beach offers a variety of restaurants, outdoor activities and more. One fun place to explore is the Ingram Planetarium. Learn more here
Ocean Isle: Perfect for boat and beach lovers. Ocean Isle accommodations is heavy on rental homes, but if you need a smaller condo/room I recommend The Ocean Isle Inn and Islander Inn.
Calabash – home to the world famous Calabash Seafood style. Calabash-style seafood refers to a way of preparing seafood that involves lightly breading it with a cornmeal-based coating and then frying it to a golden brown. Calabash is a charming village located on The Little River.
Stay tuned to American Nomad for mor NC Beach Adventures, Historical Time Traveling and Museum Explorations in upcoming posts.
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