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Endless Summer:
Southport houses a host of active beach fun

By: Andrew Kinback

My partner in adventure, Anthony “Indiana” Zefiretto, and I made our way through territory that looked like the Dagobah System and down US-17. Our mission: to find an “Endless Summer,” a place where fun, relaxation and the spirit of the Cape Fear region all converge into one. Forty minutes south of Wilmington, we discovered such a place, a hidden jewel of Southeast Carolina.

The region we entered contained Southport, Oak Island, Caswell Beach and Bald Head Island. It is an area rich in history and flare. We were told not to come back until we had the story. The problem was, we had such a good time we almost didn’t come back.

Accommodations
Trying to find really affordable lodgings in the Southport/Caswell Beach area during the summer is like trying to find a needle in a balloon factory. Most probably won’t have too much luck if they’re looking to sew their socks. Even the commercial hotels and motels are a bit pricey. However, the region does offer up a unique variety of accommodations.

Luxury: Lois Jane’s Riverview Inn—This riverside bed and breakfast in Southport on West Bay Street opened in 1995, but the house has been in Meezie Childs and Davey Herring’s family since 1892.
The Inn is beautiful and snug with cozy, distinctive rooms, and an unparalleled view of the Cape Fear River from the second-story balcony. A Queen Deluxe Suite will run around $160 a night, complete with Southern-style breakfast, wine and hors d’oeuvre. But what makes it top-notch is the warm hospitality each guest receives.

Cost Efficient: Captain’s Cove Motel—When first coming upon Captain’s Cove on East Oak Island Drive in Oak Island, its first noticeable attribute is the multi-color doors that open to the rooms.

The Cove is a block away from the beach and is near the eight championship golf courses in the area. It also has an outdoor pool.

For $75, guests get a room with one double bed; $80 upgrades it to two double beds. The price is not only affordable, but it’s a great deal because of its access to Southport, Caswell and Oak Island.

Economical: Riverside Motel—Across the street from Lois Jane’s is the last remaining riverside motel in Southport. All the rooms have great views either facing the river or the street side. Waterfront rooms run $90, and street-side rooms run $75. It is still a little costly, but for the location and views, the rate is more than worth it.

Recreation
Whether by land, sea or air, Southport and Caswell offer plenty of opportunities for people to explore and experience the region. Some activities are highly exhilarating and others are simply simple. Whatever enjoyed, it will no doubt leave the Cape Fear area deeply embedded in memories for life.

Luxury: Skydive Coastal Carolinas—For the best view of the area, passengers used to go up in a Cessna-182 and then leap out of the plane with a parachute. They still can.

Coastal offers Tandem, Accelerated Freefall, and Static Line skydiving. One jump will cost daredevils $195. The plane takes off at the Brunswick County Airport in Southport, reaching an altitude of adrenaline unlike any other.

Cost Efficient: Adventure Company Kayak Rental and Tours—Step into Emma Thomas’ shop and talk with helpful assistants like Jane Henderson to learn about renting a kayak and taking a tour of the Cape Fear River, or go out onto the ocean. They have so many tours we can’t list them all here, but a two-and-a-half-hour tour rows around $45. The Adventure Company can be found on A. Howe Street.

Economical: Southport Trail and Waterfront Park—For those who prefer a little less exciting but equally adventurous activity, the Southport Visitor Center on West Moore Street offers a free copy of the map for the Southport Trail. The trail takes hikers on a designated route to show off some of the finest historical houses and churches the town has to offer.

Finish off the tour in Waterfront Park for a walk on the pier, a swing on bench swings or a stroll on the riverfront.

Nightlife
When asking the locals about the nightlife of the area, Anthony and I always got the same answer: “What nightlife?” Most residents admit to coming to Wilmington for a little night fun, but with some sleuthing around and creativity, we were able to find a few nice hot spots right in their backyard. In all honesty, they’re all pretty economical on the wallet, too, so I found no need to categorize here.

Chaser’s Sports Bar—On East Oak Island Drive in Oak Island there is a nice, down-home, sports bar. Chaser’s boasts a full-service bar, lots of room with lots of tables, and multiple TVs tuned into patrons’ favorite sports teams. We found the popcorn machine and checkered floors of the place to be a nice touch.

Oak Island Jungle Golf—For late-night family fun, hit the arcade and jungle mini-golf course. It is hard to miss on East Oak Island Drive, considering the monstrous mountain formations and wild animals cover the course and are more than noticeable from the road.

After putting away to the heart’s content, a treat awaits with the purchase of ice cream, also sold at the course. Jungle Golf stays open until 10pm; games are $7 for adults, and $5 for children 10 and under. Kids five and under play free with a paying adult.

49th Street Station—For a strong drink and a strong local presence, come on into the 49th Street Station. It has a full bar with a lot of standard brands of beer. On Thursdays they have competitive pool, and Saturdays they host karaoke. Anthony and I pulled over to this small place to shoot a few rounds of 9-Ball on their three penny-tables. The East Oak Island Drive bar may be small, but it has a lot of atmosphere.

Shopping
There are plenty of opportunities for shop-a-holics to pick up unique gifts and deals in Southport. The area is heavy in antique dealers and art galleries. With so many shops, it was hard to visit them all and decide which ones we should include, but these three were some of our favorites that can’t be missed.

Luxury: Timeless Treasures—What made us stop into this little antique shop on East Moore Street was the Bob’s Big Boy piggy bank sitting in the window. It had been years since Anthony and I last saw a Big Boy.

Treasures is full of such nostalgic items. From antique fishing lures to Star Wars action figures to hard-to-find kitchen utensils, treasures stack up the store’s shelves. Sadly, I did not have the $34.95 to pick up the Big Boy, but hopefully he’ll be there when I return.

Cost-Efficient: Olde Southport Village Shops—On the corner of 11th and Howe streets, it’s quite possible for visitors to wreck their cars as they glance out the window and see a small set of 11 colorful buildings forming their own little village in Southport. The Shops contain great cost-efficient deals. There is a bakery, toy store, Christmas store, hair stylist, and even an old-fashioned general store with old candies and jams. To call them charming doesn’t do them justice.

Economical: The Shell Shop—Visitors looking for ocean souvenirs can easily find them here. Sea shells, shell art, hermit crabs and a wide variety of piratical items are all for sale at great prices. They even have a realistic pirate sitting in the back of the store that scared the bejeezus out of me. Walk the plank out to Yacht Basin Road to check it out.

Restaurants
One characteristic that Southeast Carolina prides itself on is the variety of foods and restaurants it offers. Southport and Oak Island are no exceptions. While seafood is highly popular in these riverfront and beach towns, there are plenty of cuisines to excite many palates.
Luxury: Mr. P’s Bistro—Make sure to get reservations to Mr. P’s because over the summer this is definitely the place to be for fine dining in Southport. The restaurant on Howe Street looks like a pub, but inside it is nothing but the best cuisine and service. People rave about the Oysters Rockefeller.

Cost-Efficient: Provision Company—A passing pelican on our travels naturally hosed down Indiana Zefiretto, so to make him feel better I took him to the Provision Company on Yacht Basin Road. This open-air restaurant sits right on the water and seems to be perhaps the most fun eatery in Southport—great food, great prices, friendly service.

Indiana got a delicious crab cake burger while I ordered a Captain-and-Coke with “Thee Special,” which consisted of a half-pound of steamed shrimp, a crab cake and a side of cob. After eating and enjoying the view of the river, Zefiretto felt better about the pelican incident.

Economical: Leaky-Tiki Homemade Ice Cream—What’s standard for any beach trip is indulging in a cool treat. Leaky-Tiki is a colorful ice cream parlor, which makes its own fresh ice cream, shakes, sundaes and splits while selling flowered shirts from Hawaii. There is great indoor and outdoor seating.

We took the advice of the lovely and friendly Fallon Russell, who was behind the counter, and tried a medium Orange Pineapple ice cream. A medium could easily have been a large, but it was absolutely refreshing. Get Tiki with it on East Oak Island Road in Oak Island.

Caswell Beach
Most Popular: The hardest part about going to Caswell Beach is finding parking that doesn’t require a resident sticker. Caswell is generally private residences, so unless visitors know someone who lives in the area, they might be on the hunt. But once found, it is all worth it because Caswell’s beaches are like a paradise that has yet to be found.

The most popular part of Caswell Beach is around the Yaupon Fishing Pier that is on Ocean Drive just off of East Oak Island Road. People flock around the pier to swim, play volleyball, fish and take in the views. A decent college-student presence is around the pier, so the atmosphere is a little louder and jubilant.

While swimming the warm water, a fisherman caught a beautiful three-foot sand shark right off the shore. The shark was happy to get back in the water to enjoy the rest of Caswell after the fisherman released it. Don’t worry, swimmers, sand sharks have little to no interest in human beings.

Family-Friendly: For some quiet family fun, head down Caswell Beach Road where the largest free public parking lot resides. Once on the beach, head toward the lighthouse, and go about half a mile to find that under the lighthouse’s faithful watch, a lot of families’ plant themselves in the sand to have a good time. There are a lot of umbrellas and large tents, as well as kids playing everywhere building sand castles and acting like pirates.

The best part of Caswell Beach is in front of the large public parking lot on Caswell Beach Road. Locals will even flock to this point themselves because it is the only place in Caswell Beach that offers both garbage cans and portable potties. Even with the great parking and small frills, the beach is still quiet and not overcrowded. Caswell is definitely a beach to come to to avoid large crowds that often flock to its northern shores.

DAY TRIP: Bald Head Island
If there ever were an “Eden By the Sea,” it would have to be Bald Head Island. The only way to the island is by boat or a ferry that leaves Southport from the marina at Indigo Plantation. Once on the island, folks can rent a golf car to travel around (highly recommended), for there are no vehicles allowed otherwise. Visitors can also have a choice of biking or skating this beautiful island, or just putting on a good pair of walking shoes, taking it all in leisurely.
Bald Head Island offers an array of activities. Ten-thousand square acres of the island is a nature preserve to walk about and take in the natural beauty of the marshlands, ocean and maritime forest. Golf is a popular activity on the island, and playing on the four-star Bald Head Island Club Course is a golfer’s delight. There are also few restaurants but with top-notch food, and shopping is simple with only a few stores. But visiting Old Baldy is worth the trip on its own.
The island really makes the rest of the world feel like it’s at a stand-still—and that’s what a good vacation is all about, after all.