Ok, you who know me know that eventually I would do a post about beach trips! I LOVE the beach, and will go on a day trip or weekend trip in a heartbeat. I have been known to get up around 9am, decide at 10am we were going to the beach for the day and be on the highway by 11am... not to return till the sun was setting on the beautiful sound! It will take several posts to cover my favorite beaches, so here we go! First and foremost, my favorite place for a day trip is Topsail Island. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Town-of-Topsail-Beach-North-Carolina/138345019542554 Located just 2.5 hours from Raleigh (if you don't stop) it offers a great place to soak in the sun and enjoy beautiful coastal views. The island is dotted with small public access points, including one large one in North Topsail, which has outdoor rinse off showers, bathrooms and a concession stand.
If gentler water is more your speed, you can head to the very end of the South side of the Island and enjoy swimming in the sound. Perfect for swimming, floating and fishing the sound offers a quieter side of the island perfect for younger children and pets. A word of warning though. People do fish there, so water shoes can be smart to keep from walking over any leftover hooks. Things to see and hidden gems:
Sound Side Park https://www.facebook.com/soundsidepark recently renovated with a big playground, benches and a
large open field this is a great place to have a picnic. In the summer months their are free outdoor programs including music, dancing and movies. There are many other smaller playgrounds scattered throughout the island as well.The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle hospital is a must see https://www.facebook.com/seaturtlehospital?ref=br_tf . Recently they moved into their brand new space and have begun giving tours again. This is a wonderful opportunity to see sea turtles up close and personal, and hear about the fantastic work they do at the hospital rehabilitating injured turtles, as well about the nesting habits of the beautiful gentle creatures.
The Assembly Building: Missiles and More museum: http://topsailhistoricalsociety.org/
Our family stumbled on this hidden jewel quite by accident. We were visiting the island on an extremely hot day and decided to see what was inside this huge building. What met us was a wonderful little museum and told about the history of military activity in the islands history. http://missilesandmoremuseum.org/ We learned about operation Bumblebee, Pirates and WASP. Want to learn more, then pop on over the next time your there, I think you will be pleasantly surprised as what you and your kids can learn, and its got AC! :-)
The Jolly Roger Pier https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jolly-Roger-Inn-and-Pier/314180554679, allows spectators to walk on it (for a small fee) and see what the fishermen have been pulling in all day, and The Patio Playground https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patio-Playground/100893243335360 has putt putt, an arcade and some of the best malts and sundaes you have ever tasted, its pricey, but worth the expense every once and a while!
So Whether you are spending the day, a weekend, or longer Topsail Island offers a great place for a family get away.
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