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 How To Sail or Go Sightseeing with Priority SailingPriority Sailing of Southport offers both sailing lessons and sightseeing cruises of the area. Whether you want to learn how to sail or if you just want to relax while you tour the area, Priority Sailing can help! Both children and adults can learn to sail on their 52-foot cutter, Carolina Gale. A variety of sailing certification levels can be achieved when you learn from Priority sailing. A variety of sightseeing cruises are also available, including a Full Moon Cruise or Sunset Cruise or a Weekend Cruise Package. For more information, contact Priority Sailing at (910) 454-4479. Visit the North Carolina Maritime Museum at SouthportThe North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport is home to a variety of exhibits and artifacts that will teach you about the maritime history of the area. Local shipwreck treasures, sharks' teeth, a fragment from a 2,000-year-old Indian canoe, and shrimping nets are among the items you will find at the museum. Visitors of all ages enjoy the trivia board located in the museum, and there is also a research library and video collection available. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is $2.00 for adults (ages 16 and older), $1.00 for seniors (62 and older), and free for children less than 16 years old. For more information, contact the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport at (910) 457-0003. Take a Break on the Southern Elegance Casino CruiseIf you enjoy gambling but can't make it to Las Vegas, you may enjoy taking a casino cruise on the Southern Elegance. This Southern riverboat is a 175-foot boat that docks on the waterfront of Little River, which is located on U.S. Highway 17 just three miles north of North Myrtle Beach. Table games, video poker and slot machines are located on the three decks of this boat, which also has an observation deck, food and beverage service and an elevator. If needed, free shuttle service to and from the ship is provided. For more information, contact the Southern Elegance Cruise Office at (877) 250-5825. Enjoy a Thai Meal at Thai Peppers RestaurantThai 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. Go HuntingBecause of the abundant wildlife areas in Brunswick County, many people enjoy visiting the area to go hunting each year. There are a number of areas in the region where hunters can find both large and small game, which include species of deer, black bear, wild turkey, rabbit, and dove. In Brunswick County, the Green Swamp Game Land is almost 15,000 acres and one of the most isolated areas of southeastern North Carolina. Owned by the Nature Conservancy, this area can only be traveled on foot. Other hunting lands in Pender and New Hanover Counties include the Holly Shelter Game Land, Sutton Lake Game Land and Roan Island. For more information about hunting regulations and licensing, contact the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at (888) 629-4535. Information and licenses can also be found at a variety of local stores, including the Wal-Mart Super Center of Southport at (910) 454-9909, the Wal-Mart Super Center of Shallotte at (910) 754-2880, the Holden Beach True Value Hardware at (910) 842-5440, or Island Tackle and Gifts at (910) 579-6116. Ride Your Bike on the East Coast GreenwayThe East Coast Greenway was developed to try to connect all major East Coast cities with a continuous off-road path. Recently, Brunswick County has joined the East Coast Greenway, which is a 2,600-mile trail that begins in Canada and ends in Key West, Florida. Bikers, hikers, inline skaters and wheelchairs enjoy portions of this trail throughout the year, which has been compared to an urban Appalachian Trail. For a map or for more information about the trail, contact the East Coast Greenway at (401) 789-4625. Get a Unique Nautical Souvenir from Cape Fear JewelersMany women enjoy getting a piece of jewelry from the area to act as their souvenir, so after they are not on vacation anymore they can always be reminded of their fun vacation times. If you want to get a jewelry souvenir that will remind you of Brunswick County, Cape Fear Jewelers has just what you are looking for! Located in Southport, Cape Fear Jewelers has a variety of 14-carat gold nautical jewelry. They also have a selection of other jewelry, including diamonds, gemstones, silver, and more. One of their unique nautical pieces will make the perfect souvenir for you! For more information, contact Cape Fear Jewelers at (910) 457-5299. Go Shopping at Callahan's of Calabash Nautical GiftsIf 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. Go Swimming in the Atlantic OceanSwimming is a popular activity enjoyed on the beaches of Brunswick County each year. For your safety, many beaches are staffed with lifeguards in the spring and summer. When you are swimming in the ocean, be careful of rip currents and sea creatures. The surf is usually quite moderate in the area, but you should always swim with a partner. The warm ocean water and fine sand will make for a great day of swimming and sunbathing at the beach! | Oak Island RestaurantsIsland Way Restaurant1407 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Plaza Garibaldi 8004 Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The Barbeque House 5002 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Captain Stanley's Seafood Restaurant 5515 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Russell's Place Restaurant 5700 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Sub Shop & Deli 5705 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 ShoppingOcean Crest Fishing Pier1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Pottery by Bob Furr 521 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Art Guild 212 NE 41st Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Local Call Surf Shop 8417 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The Yaupon Tree 8501 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Seaside With Coffee 8017 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Island Jewelers 8801 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 The Pet Stop 8308 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Sporting Goods 8800 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 3 Cheers Party Rentals 5022 E Oak Island Drive Suite #2 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 Brunswick Beaches AttractionsOcean Crest Fishing Pier1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Environmental Overlook Trails 3003 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Yaupon Beach Fishing Pier 705 Ocean Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Blue Water Point Motel & Marina 5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 South Harbour Village 4909 Fish Factory Road Southport, NC 28461 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 Privateer Charters 104 SE 25th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Rentals 4014 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Skate Park 49th Street SE Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Jungle Golf, Arcade & Ice Cream Shop 6321 Oak Island Drive East 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 Blue Water Point Motel & Marina 5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 St. James Plantation 4006 St. James Drive Southport, NC 28461 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 Cattail Cruises & Tours 4320 Southport Supply Road SE, Suite #600 Southport, NC 28461 |