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Enjoy an Afternoon of Water-SkiIng

Brunswick County offers a variety of great waters that are suited for water-skiing, which is a popular recreational activity that can't always be enjoyed in coastal areas. In Brunswick County, the 22-mile stretch of beach between Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach is great for skiing because of its quiet surf. Also, northwest of Southport in Boiling Spring Lakes you will find Big Lake, which offers great water-skiing conditions and a free public boat ramp on Alton Lennon Drive.

Attend the Annual a Day at the Docks Festival

A Day at the Docks is an annual event held on the waterfront of Holden Beach each April. Free charter boat rides, live entertainment, free Coast Guard boat inspections, crafts, a sunset boat parade, and a blessing of the boats are activities enjoyed by attendees of the event each year. This event was created to celebrate the area's heritage, as well as to welcome the spring. Admission is free to the event, which is welcome to those of all ages. For more information, contact A Day at the Docks at (910) 842-4820.

Go Fishing from an Area Fishing Pier

Fishing is enjoyed by thousands of locals and visitors of the Brunswick County area each year. Many go offshore and inshore fishing on boats and charters, while others choose to fish from the beach or off fishing piers. If you enjoy fishing from area piers, there are a few to choose from in Brunswick County. In Southport, the City Pier at Waterfront Park is a small pier with free admission. Long Beach offers the Long Beach Pier at (910) 278-5962 and is the longest fishing pier of North Carolina. On Oak Island, you can choose between the Ocean Crest Pier at (910) 278-6674 and the Yaupon Pier at (910) 278-9400. The South Brunswick Islands offer the Holden Beach Pier in Holden Beach at (910) 842-6483, the Ocean Isle Pier of Ocean Isle at (910) 579-3095 and the Sunset Beach Pier in Sunset Beach at (910) 579-6630.

Attend the Annual Christmas by the Sea Festival

The Christmas by the Sea Festival, sponsored each year by the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce, is an annual festival to celebrate the Christmas holiday. The moderate climate of the North Carolina Coast makes the weather beautiful in December, and this festival is a great way to celebrate! Fresh mistletoe and seashell ornaments are available for purchase at local shops, and oyster stuffing is a popular local holiday food. The festival occurs during three weekends of December and involves a variety of community organizations. A parade and tour of homes in Oak Island kicks off the festivities for the first weekend, and the second weekend takes visitors to Southport for a historic home tour, lighted boat parade, choral concert and a variety of great local shopping. Finally, the third weekend finishes the festival with a band concert and a variety of children's activities. For more information, contact the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce at (800) 457-6964.

Ride the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry

The Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry terminal is located in Southport and takes you on a 30-minute ferry ride that ends south of Kure Beach, at Fort Fisher. This ferry ride crosses the Cape Fear River and will allow you see a variety of area history and nature attractions along the way. These attractions include the historic Price's Creek Lighthouse, The Rocks, Zeke's Island, and Federal Point. The ferry ride is $1.00 for pedestrians, $2.00 for bicycles, $3.00 for motorcycles, $5.00 for vehicles 20 feet or less, $10.00 for vehicles 20 to 40 feet, and $15.00 for vehicles 40 to 65 feet. You may want to call ahead to find out about the current ferry schedule so you can plan your trip schedule as needed. For more information, contact the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry at (910) 457-6942.

Go Surfing

While the location of the Brunswick County beaches produce moderate surf that is more suited for body boarding, some surfing can still be done in the area. Just north of Brunswick County, the Topsail Island beaches offer great surfing conditions and are just a short drive from Brunswick County. Before you head out for a day of surfing, be sure to check the local weather and tide reports, and be aware of local regulations. For more information on local regulations, as well as information about surfing lessons, you can contact the Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation Department at (910) 256-3925. To purchase surfing gear, you can reach Local Call Surf Shop of Oak Island at (910) 278-3306; while Beach Fun Rentals of Holden Beach at (888) 355-4446 offers equipment rentals.

Have Fun with the Adventure Company

The Adventure Company of Southport offers a variety of outdoor adventure trips that you can enjoy while you are in the Brunswick County area. Their specialty is kayaks, and you can choose between a variety of kayak tours, rentals and environmental programs. Single and tandem kayaks are available for rental and range from $30-$40 for four hours, $45-$55 for a full day and $140-$175 for five days. Kayak tours begin at $45 per person, but family discounts are available. The Adventure Company also offers bicycle tours of historic Southport, and a variety of adventure trips to countries like the Bahamas, Honduras, Chile, and more! For more information, contact The Adventure Company at (910) 454-0607.

Enjoy a Thai Meal at Thai Peppers Restaurant

Thai Peppers Restaurant has been serving authentic Thai food in Southport for more than 13 years. Located in Historic Downtown Southport, Thai Peppers offers a variety of menu items and daily specials. Menu items include soups, salads, seafood, noodles, specialty curry and stir fry dishes. Carry-out is available, and they also offer catering and banquet facilities. For more information, contact Thai Peppers Restaurant at (910) 457-0095.

Enjoy an Outdoor "Concerts on the Coast" Performance

The Concerts on the Coast is a summer concert series that take place in Southport, Holden Beach and Ocean Isle Beach. In Southport, the performances are held in Franklin Park on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. between June and September. In Holden Beach, the concerts are held at the Intracoastal Waterway Stage on Jordan Boulevard on Sunday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. between May and September. In Ocean Isle Beach, the concerts are held at the Museum of Coastal Carolina on Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. between May and September. For more information, contact Concerts on the Coast at (800) 222-4790.

Go Shopping at Callahan's of Calabash Nautical Gifts

If you are looking for the perfect nautical souvenir, the Callahan's of Calabash Nautical Gifts shop will have just the thing for you! Located in Calabash, this large store has a few shops under one roof. The Callahan's Nautical Gifts features nautical items and gifts, jewelry, homemade candy, and more. Also in the store is the St. Nick Nacks Christmas Shop, which has a variety of holiday items for Christmas, Easter and Halloween. Pea Landing Mercantile is also located in this shopping area, which has fudge and candy, gourmet foods, cookbooks, and other home and garden items. As you can see, there is something for everyone at Callahan's! For more information, contact Callahan's of Calabash Nautical Gifts at (800) 344-3816.