Top NC Attractions

Shallotte River Swamp Park

Take a majestic tour and explore the ecological benefits of this natural environment or indulge in one of the many action activities they have on hand at Shallotte River Swamp Park & Outdoor Center. You can choose from one of their three fun-filled activities or maybe do them all!

Experience the area with their guided Zipline tours, climb on the Aerial Adventure Park, or relax and enjoy the Shallotte River on the Swamp Tour. For the more adventurous, climb to the top of the Main Tower and step off on their Quick Jump event. It is sensational! Visitors take in a variety of natural sights and sounds that encompass this beautiful region. This is the perfect combination of adventure seeking and ecological education.

With something for all ages, these spectacular adventures and breathtaking views are all there waiting for you! The Shallotte River Swamp Park is located at 5550 Watts Road on the mainland section of Ocean Isle Beach, NC between the island and Hwy 17.

Visit the Shallotte River Swamp Park Website.

 

Known as The Immortal Showboat, the USS North Carolina.

She survived every major pacific naval offensive of World War II and earned 15 battle stars. The USS North Carolina Battleship was brought to the Cape Fear River in 1961 by the citizens of NC as a memorial to all the men and women who served in WWII.

The self-guided tour includes an orientation film, crew’s quarters, galley, sick bay, engine room, pilot house, guns, Kingfisher float plan and more. The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA is open every day of the year, including all holidays, as the ship is a memorial.

[Read more…] about NC Battleship Memorial

For nearly 200 years, North Carolina’s oldest standing lighthouse, Old Baldy, has marked the mouth of the historic Cape Fear River. Today, thousands of visitors make the exciting journey each year to beautiful Bald Head Island to learn about the island’s rich maritime past at the Smith Island Museum of History and experience Old Baldy up close – including the climb to the top for a breathtaking view of the surrounding area’s outstanding natural beauty!

For centuries, even before lighthouses, mariners navigated into the Cape Fear River looking for the “bald head.” They used the landmark to find the river channel.

According to Bald Head Island’s historic tour director, Susan Grantier, said the bald head has less to do with the anatomical feature and more to do with sand.

“The head of an island is your highest point – Hilton Head, Diamond Head – and in this case it was a significant sand dune right at the mouth of the river,” said Grantier.

Just as necessary then, as it is now, a marker was essential at the mouth of the cape fear to keep ocean vessels from being marooned on the shoals below. [Read more…] about Bald Head Lighthouse

Come to the beach and take in some history at Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Historic Site.

I recently took an afternoon off and revisited this incredible place – I hadn’t been there in years and forgot what I was missing.

First of all the location alone is amazing – wooden walkways wind amongst ruins of the pre-Revolutionary town which lie side by side with the remains of a Civil War era Confederate fortification originally called Fort St. Philip’s (later renamed Fort Anderson).

All of this is located along a virtually undeveloped area along the Cape Fear River offering some of the most beautiful views of the river seen through ancient live Oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. A great place to spend the day and have a picnic on the grounds.

[Read more…] about Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson