Attractions

A handful of interesting attractions including the North Carolina Maritime Museum and a whole host of amazing history can be found in the Southport, Oak Island and Bald Head Island, N.C., area. After you have exhausted local offerings in this coastal North Carolina region, save a day to travel to nearby Wilmington for lots more to see and do, or take the ferry to Fort Fisher in Carolina Beach and visit the N.C. Aquarium.

David and Carolyn Pryor, both highly experienced educators and sailors extraordinaire who have been involved with the Southport Sail and Power Squadron since its inception (see  Watersports section for information about the Southport Sail and Power Squadron), invite you to participate in their customized adventure cruises aboard the 52-foot cutter Carolina Gale. With...read more

At this site stood the first successful permanent European settlement between Charleston and New Bern. It was founded in 1726 by Roger and Maurice Moore (who recognized an unprecedented real estate opportunity in the wake of the Tuscarora War, 1711-13), and the site served as port and political center. Russelborough, home...read more

Southport's oldest church was in continuous use until Easter Sunday 2004, when St. Philip's dedicated a new 350-seat church on property across the street. The new church has the traditional clapboard look on the exterior, a bell tower and carillon. The Chapel of the Cross at St. Philip's is a beautiful...read more

Shaded by centuries-old live oaks and aflame with color in spring, this is a park to savor — a place in which to drink in the spirit of old Smithville. The walls and entrances that embrace The Grove were constructed of ballast stones used in ships more than 100 years ago....read more

A shady little park with a gazebo, benches and a partial view of the waterfront, Keziah Park is notable for its uncannily bent live oak. Estimated to be 800 years old, the tree is called the Indian Trail Tree after the legend that it was curved while a sapling by ancient...read more

On July 4, 2011, the Maritime Museum opened the doors at its new location after months of construction, reconstruction and loving volunteer effort. With double the space of the old museum and a raised, open beam ceiling that resembles a ship's hull turned upside down, the museum has the feel of maritime...read more

Have you ever considered visiting a jail? Not an enforced visit, of course, but one you can leave anytime you want. If the thought intrigues you, consider the Old Brunswick Jail, after all, "It's nothing like Alcatraz, more like Mayberry." Built in 1904 and in service until 1971, this two-story structure...read more

"The Winds and the Sea sing their requiem and shall forever more. ..." Profoundly evocative of the harsh realities endured by Southport's long-gone seafarers, the Old Smithville Burial Ground (1804) is a must-see. Obelisks dedicated to lost river pilots, monuments to entire crews and families who lived and died by the...read more

Dressed in period costume and riding in a surrey pulled by a mule, local historian Katie Stewart offers tours of historic Southport. She tells tales of the town's history, many with basis in fact. Interesting facts about pirates, blockade-runners and Colonial settlers figure prominently in her stories. Also offered are lantern-led Ghost Walks....read more

Relax and experience the quiet power of the winds aboard sailing vessel Kelly Allen, a 37-foot O'Day center cockpit sloop. Sail the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway. Captain Bob Griffith is licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard, and sails are available year round, weather and tide...read more

Have you ever dreamed of flying? Skydive Coastal Carolinas, a member of the United States Parachute Association, can make that dream come true. There are several options available. A tandem jump allows the first-time jumper to experience freefall from approximately 2 miles in the sky with the use of a parachute harness...read more

This 2-mile-long walking tour links 25 historic landmarks, among them the tiny Old Brunswick County Jail and the Stede Bonnet Memorial. Architectural beauty abounds along the route, revealing Queen Anne gables, Southport arch and bow, and porches trimmed in gingerbread. The free brochure describing this informal, self-guided chain of discoveries can...read more

This Farmers' Market is held every Wednesday morning from 8 AM until 1 PM, May 2 through September 26. The location on the Fort Johnston Garrison lawn overlooking the Cape Fear River is a treat in itself. You can browse the beautiful local produce, baked goods and handcrafted items spread under ancient...read more

After St. James Anglican Church left Brunswick Town in favor of the rival port of Wilmington, the Anglican parish of St. Philip formed in 1741. In 1754 it began building a brick church at Brunswick, the seat of royal government in the colony. After struggling with finances and a destructive hurricane, the...read more

Built c. 1890 for a total of $3,300, this church is the third to occupy this site. Today the building features two of the area's best stained-glass windows (at either side of the sanctuary); handsome, diagonally paneled walls; and a beaded ceiling (i.e., finished with narrow, half-round moldings) finished by a...read more

At the end of Howe Street, you'll come upon this breezy little park and take in the breathtaking scene at the convergence of the Intracoastal Waterway, the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. From the swings overlooking the waterfront you can see Old Baldy Lighthouse and Oak Island Lighthouse (the...read more