Go Bird Watching For Area Bird SpeciesThe many natural habitats in Brunswick County are home to more than 200 species of birds. Many visitors and locals enjoy bird watching each year, and there are also groups of volunteers who monitor some species to ensure their safety. The wood stork is a popular species, which are commonly found in the Twin Lakes section of Sunset Beach. You may spot ibises and pelicans on Battery Island in the middle of the Cape Fear River, with critical nesting areas protected by the National Audubon Society. For more information about bird watching or volunteering in the area, call (910) 579-2828. Have Fun with the Adventure CompanyThe 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. Spend an Afternoon Shopping in Area Antique StoresThough there are many nice gift shops in the area, many visitors prefer to do their shopping at area antique stores. Shopping at antique stores is a great way to find unique items of the area that can't be purchased by just anyone at a souvenir shop. If you are interested in antiques, Brunswick County has a number of shops available. In Southport, you may enjoy Magnolia Gifts and Antiques at (910) 457-4982, Northrup Antiques Mall at (910) 457-9569, or Southport Antiques at (910) 457-1755. Also, you may want to travel to nearby Burgaw, which is home to the Burgaw Antiqueplace, which consists of items from 50 dealers. The Burgaw Antiqueplace can be reached at (910) 259-7070. Join an Adult Soccer LeagueIf you enjoy competitive sports and getting lots of exercise, you may enjoy participating in the adult soccer league of Oak Island. The Oak Island Recreation Department offers adults the opportunity to play in this soccer league, which is open to both men and women. Throughout the league season, ten matches are played, and the season ends with a single-elimination tournament. The location of the games is the Oak Island Soccer Field at Middleton Park. For more information, contact the Oak Island Recreation Department at (910) 278-4747. Drink from an Old-Fashioned Water Pump at the GroveThe Grove is a historic park set among the old live oaks of Southport. Located in Franklin Square Park at E. West and Howe Streets, the entrances of this park were built from ballast stones that were used in ships more than 100 years ago. Also in this area, you will find the Franklin Square Gallery, which began as a schoolhouse, then served as the City Hall, and eventually was turned into its present use as an art gallery. Another unique aspect of this park is the old-fashioned water pump, which is still in working condition and enables visitors to enjoy well water while they relax in the park. Attend the Annual Christmas by the Sea FestivalThe 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. Learn about the Area's History at the Smith Island Museum of HistoryLocated on Bald Head Island, the Smith Island Museum History is located in a building that was replicated after the original Bald Head Island light keeper's house. Located near the lighthouse, this museum features lighthouse artifacts available for viewing, and also has a gift shop with some souvenirs for sale. Some lectures and educational programs are offered at the museum, and tickets are sold for $3.00 per person to climb the Bald Head Island Lighthouse. For more information, contact the Smith Island Museum of History at (910) 457-7481. Visit Railroad Museums in Chadbourn and Fair BluffIf you are interested in the history of the railroad industry, you may want to take a day trip to some area railroad museums. There are two railroad museums not far from Brunswick County that will teach you about this interesting aspect of history. The Atlantic Coast Line Depot Museum is located in Chadbourn, which is located off U.S. Highway 76 South on N.C. Highway 410. This depot was built in 1910 and is now home to a variety of historical displays and stories about the railroad. Admission is free to the Atlantic Coast Line Museum, which is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Also in the area, you will find the Fair Bluff Depot Museum, located in Fair Bluff off U.S. Highway 76 to N.C. Highway 904. This depot was built in 1897 for the Atlantic Coast Line and has a variety of railroad memorabilia. The Fair Bluff Depot Museum also offers free admission, and is open on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. For more information about the Atlantic Coast Line Depot Museum, call (910) 654-6269 and for more information about the Fair Bluff Depot Museum, call (910) 649-7707. Take a Cruise with Starship Deep Sea Fishing and Scenic CruisesBased in Southport, the Starship Deep Sea Fishing and Scenic Cruises offer a variety of passenger charters and cruises for your enjoyment. Departing from the Southport Marina, The Starship is a 70-foot vessel that accommodates up to 140 passengers. Fishing trips are available for either a half or full day - half day trips run from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and cost $55 for adults and $30 for children 12 and under, while full day trips run from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and cost $70 for adults and $50 for children 12 and under. If fishing isn't for you, you will enjoy the dolphin and scenic cruise, which runs from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. in June, July and August and costs $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for children 12 and under. Finally, sunset cruises are given from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and include a light buffet. The cost for the sunset cruise is $15.00 for adults and $8.00 for children 12 and under. To make reservations for any of these cruises, or for more information, contact the Starship Deep Sea Fishing and Scenic Cruises at (910) 454-4000. Visit the South of the Border AttractionWhile you are in Brunswick County and so close to the border between North Carolina and South Carolina, you may want to stop off Interstate-95 and check out the South of the Border attraction. South of the Border has a campground and a motel, a miniature theme park, shops, restaurants, a nightclub and more. As you are traveling either on Interstate-95 or the intersecting U.S. Highway 301-501, you are sure to see numerous signs advertising this famous attraction. You may want to stop and check it out - you can feel like you are in Mexico without even leaving the Carolinas! For more information, call South of the Border (a.k.a. Pedroland) at (843) 774.2411. | Oak Island RestaurantsPlaza Garibaldi8004 Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The Barbeque House 5002 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Island Way Restaurant 1407 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Captain Stanley's Seafood Restaurant 5515 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Sub Shop & Deli 5705 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Russell's Place Restaurant 5700 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Beana's Kitchen at the Beaach 106 SE 58th Street PO Box 115 Oak Island, NC 28465 Tropical Treats 5811 East Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 LunaPops 5818 Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Little Bit's Grill 5902 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Bogey's Restaurant 5908 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The Flying Pig Coffeehouse 6006 Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island ShoppingOak Island Art Guild212 NE 41st Street Oak Island, NC 28465 3 Cheers Party Rentals 5022 E Oak Island Drive Suite #2 Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Crest Fishing Pier 1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Pain 5119 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Motorsports & More 5319 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Pawn, Bait & Tackle Shop 5422 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The End 106 SE 58th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Eagles Beachwear & Sport Shop 5802 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Burlington Outlet 5817 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Lucia's Gifts 5820 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 J. Huffman 5818 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Bubba's 5825 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Brunswick Beaches AttractionsEnvironmental Overlook Trails3003 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Crest Fishing Pier 1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Yaupon Beach Fishing Pier 705 Ocean Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 South Harbour Village 4909 Fish Factory Road Southport, NC 28461 Blue Water Point Motel & Marina 5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 The Oak Island Lighthouse 1100 Caswell Beach Road Oak Island, NC 28465 Indigo Plantation & Marina 6099 Indigo Plantation Road Southport, NC 28461 Southport Marina 701 W West Street Southport, NC 28461 NC Baptist Assembly / Fort Caswell 100 Caswell Beach Road Oak Island, NC 28465 Fort Johnston Intersection of Davis and Bay Streets Southport, NC 28461 North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport 116 N Howe Street Southport, NC 28461 Southport Historical Society 501 N Atlantic Avenue Southport, NC 28461 Brunswick Beaches ActivitiesOak Island Parks & Recreation Department3003 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Rentals 4014 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Privateer Charters 104 SE 25th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Jungle Golf, Arcade & Ice Cream Shop 6321 Oak Island Drive East Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Skate Park 49th Street SE Oak Island, NC 28465 Ye Olde Gun Club Shooting Range 107 SW 20th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Golf Club 928 Caswell Beach Road Oak Island, NC 28465 Endless Summer Sailing Cruises 4909 Fish Factory Road South Harbour Village Marina Southport, NC 28461 South Harbour Village 4909 Fish Factory Road Southport, NC 28461 St. James Plantation 4006 St. James Drive Southport, NC 28461 Oak Island Fun Park 4434 Long Beach Road SE Southport, NC 28461 Cattail Cruises & Tours 4320 Southport Supply Road SE, Suite #600 Southport, NC 28461 |