‘Tis the SEAson in North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands
The holidays are here again, and it’s time to get in the festive spirit – what better way than with an island getaway? In North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands, a white Christmas has a whole new meaning when you get the beaches’ pristine sand between your toes and take in the sound of the ocean waves. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year with both sunrises and sunsets over the blue water.
For a twist on your holiday, head to North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands and make new memories and traditions with loved ones. These seasonal events and experiences are a must-add to your holiday wish list.
Replace Gingerbread Houses with Sandcastles
Forget the messy icing and sticky candy, and create your mansion masterpiece with powdery sand and decorative seashells. Enjoy the mild weather and spend your holiday break on the beach with stress-free access from a beachfront rental home with plenty of space for the extended family.
Shop Coastal
From The Christmas House in Southport to St. Nick Nacks Christmas Shop in Callahan’s of Calabash, you can find Christmas ornaments and mementos for everyone, all while enjoying the scenic coastal towns of the Brunswick Islands. You can also find countless …read more
Discover the Museums of North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands
Beyond the beautiful beach scenery, the Brunswick Islands hold a rich history, which guests can experience with a visit to the area’s museums. With history dating as far back as the colonial times and tales of pirates, visitors can explore the fascinating, in-depth past of the islands and coastal communities. Not only does the Brunswick Islands offer a great place for visitors to enjoy the beaches and sunshine, but a trip to coast can also be educational! Be sure to add these museums to your Brunswick Islands itinerary:
Fort Johnston – Southport Museum & Visitors Center:
Fort Johnston in
Ingram Planetarium:
Visitors looking for more of an out-of-this-world museum experience can check out the Ingram Planetarium in Sunset Beach. This state-of-the-art planetarium has an 85-seat SciDome Sky Theater with high definition digital protection and surround-sound system. The theater shows educational programs about space exploration and astronomy, along with laser music shows. Explore the interactive exhibits in the Paul Dennis Science Hall for fun, hands-on learning.
Museum of Coastal Carolina:
The Museum of Coastal Carolina on Ocean Isle Beach is North Carolina’s only natural history museum located on a barrier island. The museum …read more
Celebrate Thanksgiving in the Brunswick Islands
Create new traditions this Thanksgiving and replace turkey with fresh seafood and changing leaves with changing tides. Thanksgiving in North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands is guaranteed to be a holiday to remember with endless opportunities for quality family time without the usual holiday chaos. Who needs football when you can watch the sunset over the ocean before a post-dinner nap? (OK, some of you may still want to enjoy watching football in your spacious beach rental).
The Brunswick Islands offer activities for all ages and interests with outdoor adventures to explore, local shops to browse, history to discover and much more. The destination is also home to a range of beachfront rental homes, ideal for families of all sizes, with spacious kitchens and plenty of room to celebrate the holiday with stunning coastal views.
For those looking to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast without the stress of cooking, you’ll find a range of unique restaurants in the Brunswick Islands from traditional Calabash style and fresh-caught seafood to international flavors and casual American fare, several with waterfront dining. And yes, some restaurants will also be serving traditional Thanksgiving fare.
After a day of thanks, find your Christmas …read more
Get a Bird’s-Eye View of the Brunswick Islands
Even with the fall weather setting in, travelers can still enjoy outdoor activities in North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands with attractions that make the destination a perfect year-round vacation spot.
Find a new perspective on your next visit and get a bird’s-eye view of the Brunswick Islands by zipping, climbing or flying to great heights with spectacular sights.
Zipline Through the Canopies
It doesn’t have to be summer to explore the treetops by zipline! Soar through the 100-year-old cypress trees with zipline tours at Shallotte River Swamp Park and spot deer, raccoons, wild boar and more in the natural swamp habitat. Shallotte River Swamp Park is open year-round where you can get your fill of fun with 10 zipline stations including 1.25 miles of zipline cable, along with 53 different challenge elements in the aerial adventure park.
Climb Through History
Looking for a middle ground between a high-flying adventure and grounded escape? The Brunswick Islands are home to both the oldest standing lighthouse and the last lighthouse built in North Carolina, and you can climb to the top of both for 360-degree views of the Carolina coast. Essential to the area’s history, Old Baldy on Bald Head Island is 110 …read more
Bluefish Bonanza
Five a.m. always comes too early on a Saturday and no one should have to be up at that hour without a compelling reason. (I can feel Cheryl rolling her eyes as I write this because she’s regularly up at 5 am – 4 in the summer – baking goodies for The Sweet Spot, but that’s a topic for another day…). In my case last Saturday, it was the Bluefish Bonanza, which I had been asked to photograph for the BHI Chamber.
A shower and two cups of coffee later, I arrived at Beach Access 39, shouldered my camera bag and walked out to the beach. A lone fisherman with his dog was staking claim to his spot, which he assured me would yield a winning bounty, and which, in fact did!
With the sunrise, lines went in the water and the competition began.
Throughout the morning, I roamed from beach access to beach access in search of the prize-winning bluefish, only to be met by smiling, but slightly puzzled, faces as it appeared nothing was biting. The largest fish caught were a 27” red drum (caught by Shannon Hagan) and a good-sized ray, but no bluefish of note. …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Nobody Knows The Truffles I’ve Seen
Hi, guys! It’s me. I know, I know. It’s been a while. Okay, it’s been too long since I’ve posted about our life here. But, I have a good excuse/reason why I haven’t as much uttered a word to you: the sweet spot on bald head island.
Truth be told, I’ve missed this little corner, sharing our discoveries of our very own island paradise with you. So, pour yourself a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and we’ll catch up!
No one and I mean no one is more surprised than yours truly that we opened a bakery. A bakery! Not even a blip on a blip on the radar screen of our master plan when we moved here a little over a year ago. And, honestly, we’re not exactly sure how it even happened – a brief discussion with Joyce and Sue at the gallery, a hug or two for a handshake and a moment of blazing optimism (or incredible stupidity – perhaps?) But, it did, and what started out as a kind of lark turned into a full-throttle, fabulously successful business that has taken over our lives (but in a good way). After the first day of opening …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head
Chapel & BHI Club | Sept. 14th, 2013
Today marks two wonderful years with my best friend, my rock and my other half. So I thought today would be the perfect day to reminisce about our amazing Bald Head Island wedding.Terry’s family is quite large, and large weddings/events only come around once in a while, so we knew this was really going to feel like a family reunion. We wanted a location where our guests could also feel like they were getting a two for one, a beach vacation and a wedding celebration.We settled upon Bald Head Island for several reasons. It is a beautiful, quaint, quiet island about 2 1/2 hours from Raleigh and about 45 minutes from the coastal city of Wilmington. Terry has spent nearly half his summers growing up on Bald Head since his mother is a real estate agent on the island. I was also very familiar with the island, since I had been working with Mary for several years as a rentals assistant. I am now a full time real estate agent and wedding planner on Bald Head, working remotely from Raleigh, NC.At the time, Terry and I were living and working in Houston, TX, so …read more
Source: BHI Weddings
Why Use a Wedding Coordinator on Bald Head Island?
Bald Head Island weddings can be a logisitcal nightmare, even for the most detailed oriented and organized of brides, and especially for those who do not travel to the island frequently.Two years ago I planned my entire wedding, soup to nuts all the way from Houston, TX. I had to make sure I planned enough visits through the year and a half period to view venues and meet with vendors. There were days I was just pulling my hair, wishing I had asked for more help from an expert. What a headache! It did help that my future mother-in-law lived and worked on the island as a real estate agent, and that I assisted her with rentals. So I had a bit of a leg up comparatively.The entire experience of planning my own wedding, as well as working with my mother-in-laws real estate agency has turned me into a wedding/travel expert on Bald Head Island. It is with this knowledge and expertise that I can assist brides to help plan their special day. Whether I am with them from the start, or I am only needed the weekend-of. Each bride can be …read more
Source: BHI Weddings
Why Use a Wedding Coordinator on Bald Head Island?
Bald Head Island weddings can be a logisitcal nightmare, even for the most detailed oriented and organized of brides, and especially for those who do not travel to the island frequently.Two years ago I planned my entire wedding, soup to nuts all the way from Houston, TX. I had to make sure I planned enough visits through the year and a half period to view venues and meet with vendors. There were days I was just pulling my hair, wishing I had asked for more help from an expert. What a headache! It did help that my future mother-in-law lived and worked on the island as a real estate agent, and that I assisted her with rentals. So I had a bit of a leg up comparatively.The entire experience of planning my own wedding, as well as working with my mother-in-laws real estate agency has turned me into a wedding/travel expert on Bald Head Island. It is with this knowledge and expertise that I can assist brides to help plan their special day. Whether I am with them from the start, or I am only needed the weekend-of. Each bride can be …read more
Source: BHI Weddings
The Sweet Spot
It’s nice to be right.
Every well-trained husband will tell you that it’s a rare occurrence and to be relished when it happens.
The issue between Cheryl and me has been my contention that as delicious as ALL of her dishes are, her baking and desserts have always been above and beyond. I can say without bias that she makes the best Key Lime Pie I have ever eaten, her bread pudding is something out of a dessert lovers’ dreams and she makes even the K-car of cookies – the chocolate chip – into a thing of flavorful and textural wonder.
Cheryl always demurred and protested that her baked goods were good, but nothing to write home about.
So, you can imagine my satisfaction when The Sweet Spot on Bald Head Island opened last week to so much enthusiasm from our fellow islanders, both resident and visiting. I thank you all from the bottom of my husbandly heart for proving my point that Cheryl’s sweets are sweet indeed!
And, in the words of Emily Jarmosevich, Cheryl, “You are awesome!”
It’s nice to be right!
Life is good y’all, Stay tuned.
Hey! Come by and see us! Located in the newly-expanded (and most FABULOUS) All About Art on Merchant’s …read more
Source: Feasting on Bald Head