Surf City
I can’t express enough how much we absolutely LOVED Surf City, North Carolina. It is the perfect combination of beach town, tons of local gems and perfect for families. This has been one of the only places we’ve been that we have thought, “man, we could definitely live here.” Check it out for a chill, low-key, family-friendly beach vacation and I don’t think you will be disappointed! We didn’t even scratch the surface of all of the great local food, shops and activities that are in the area during our week here, so it’s already on our list of places to re-visit.
Our Top 4 Fun Things To Do with Kids in and around Surf City:
Play and fish at Soundside Park - this is THE BEST CITY PARK WE’VE EVER BEEN TO! The playground is top notch, the boardwalk is huge, you can fish right off of the pier and the park hosts a variety of events throughout the year (we were there for the Christmas Lighted Boat Parade - which was so cool and the Christmas Market with tons of local vendors with handmade goods and live entertainment). It’s awesome when you find a free spot that can actually entertain the whole fam! This is also a great place to enjoy the beautiful sunsets that Surf CIty has to offer.
Have a beach day on Topsail Island - the beaches here were so enjoyable with easy public access and parking. It’s always fun to just enjoy a day playing on the beach!
Explore Wilmington - only a 40 minute drive from Surf City is Wilmington, NC which is a neat town to explore and stroll along the Wilmington Riverwalk for great views. There are a ton of great restaurants, unique shops and coffee shops to visit in Wilmington, so stroll downtown and see what you can find! And if you’re like me and watched One Tree Hill growing up (and were just mildly obsessed as a teenager), you can visit all of the filming spots! Or if you are an ice cream connoisseur, like our 5 year old, then don’t miss stopping in at Boombalatti’s Homemade Ice Cream - you won’t be disappointed!
Go aboard Battleship North Carolina - explore the most decorated battleship of World War II in Wilmington, North Carolina! This was such a fun stop, especially for our 5 year old. We used it as another history homeschool day and got to explore every nook and cranny of this amazing battleship!
Favorite Food Stops: 1) Shaka Taco and 2) Maine Lobstah Shack. Both of these places are just SO good, we still crave them! Fresh delicious seafood, outdoor picnic tables and a place where the kids actually ate all of their food?! Sign us up!
Where we stayed: Ocean’s RV Resort in Holly Ridge. WE LOVE IT HERE! The staff is amazing, the grounds are clean and well kept, and the sites are well maintained and spacious. There is an awesome playground, pool, workout room, and even a pool bar. They have a clean laundry facility and bathroom facilities. The resort also hosts events nearly every weekend for the kids & adults (we loved the kid’s Christmas party with crafts/treats and bingo with great prizes, & even a movie night). Just a gem of a place. Not to mention the great location - so close to all Surf City has to offer & only a 40 minute drive to Wilmington. I can’t say enough great things about all of the amenities, the awesome staff, wonderful events and the full-time families who live there were so kind as well. Our kiddo cried when we had to leave and we are already making plans to go back.
Brewery Spotlights: As always, we are on a quest to bring you recommendations for great local craft beer and/or food in cities all across America that also have a kid-friendly spaces. In Surf City/Holly Ridge, there are two breweries that we really enjoyed. 1) Salty Turtle Beer Company - I wish this place had a better beer garden/outside area instead of being in a shopping center because holy moly, we absolutely loved ALL of the beers here! Unfortunately, it’s not a very kid friendly place in terms of having room for the kiddos to run around, BUT you’ve gotta stop for a quick beer, it’s just so dang good. No food selections here other than snacks, but they do have fun events like trivia nights. 2) Sandpiper Brewing - we stumbled upon this place kind of by accident as it was right next door to Ocean’s RV Resort, but we were glad we did! No food at this location other than snacks, but a nice outdoor area with room for kids to run around and good beers. This is a newer brewery, so as of our visit, they are only open Thursday-Saturday.
Coffee Shop Spotlight: Sundail Coffee & Tea - not only is this an adorable location, the coffee and pastries are top notch.