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Have Lunch at the River Pilot Café

The River Pilot Café of Bald Head Island serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers great views of the Cape Fear River. Their menu offers a variety of Southern food that includes seafood, meats, vegetables, and more. Adjacent to the Café is the River Pilot Lounge, which offers cocktails and a late-night menu. While you are on Bald Head Island viewing the lighthouse or other local attractions, you may want to stop and enjoy a meal at the River Pilot Café. For more information, call (910) 457-7390.

Ride Your Bike on the East Coast Greenway

The 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.

Take a Tour of Shelton Herb Farm

Shelton Herb Farm of Leland is a unique farm that grows a variety of herbs, specialty vegetables and native plants. Group tours are available upon request. A variety of over 800 herbs are grown at Shelton's, and you will be interested to see how an operation of this nature operates. For more information, contact Shelton Herb Farm at (910) 253-5964.

Go Horseback Riding

While you are visiting the Brunswick County area, you and your family may want to give an afternoon of horseback riding a try. Horseback riding can be a fun way to view a portion of the area from a whole new perspective! In Holden Beach, K&K Stables consists of 18 acres with shady trails. They offer Western-style riding lessons and guided trail rides. For more information, contact K&K Stables at (910) 842-8002. In Calabash, Peachtree Equestrian Center is located on 127 acres, with 70 acres of shaded trails. Trail rides, outdoor riding rings and an indoor riding arena give you a variety of options for your riding experience. Lessons are also available in both English and Western riding styles. For more information, contact Peachtree Equestrian Center at (910) 287-4790.

Relax or Enjoy Activities at an Area Park

The Brunswick County Parks and Recreation Department oversees numerous community and district parks in the area. All of these parks feature a variety of great facilities, including tennis courts, basketball courts, football and soccer fields, playgrounds, and picnic shelters. Some of the parks have other features like community buildings, horseshoes and shuffleboard. If you need a place to play or relax for an afternoon, one of these area parks is just the thing for you! For more information on parks in Brunswick County, contact the Brunswick County Parks and Recreation Department at (800) 222-4790.

Take a Nature Trip To Bird Island

If you like adventure and you enjoy viewing wildlife, you may enjoy a trip to Bird Island while you are in the Brunswick County area. Bird Island is at the south end of Sunset Beach and is one of the last undeveloped barrier islands in North Carolina. The State of North Carolina purchased the island so it could be protected from development, and several species of shorebirds live on Bird Island. An anonymous visitor created the "Kindred Spirit" mailbox, which gives nature lovers that visit the island a place to leave notes and letters about their experiences on the island.

Visit the Oak Island Lighthouse

The Oak Island Lighthouse, built in 1958, was one of the last lighthouses to be built in the United States. Also, it is the last lighthouse in the world to be manually operated. One of three lighthouses left on the southern coast of North Carolina, the Oak Island Lighthouse is managed by the United States Coast Guard. Their weekly inspections ensure the lights in the tower continue to be in working order. The lighthouse is 153 feet high with a concrete base, and its aerobeam lights can be seen by boats that are as far as 24 miles out to sea. In 2003, the National Park Service turned ownership of the Lighthouse over to the Town of Caswell Beach. Since then, the Town of Caswell Beach created an organization to help preserve the lighthouse, which is called the Friends of the Oak Island Lighthouse.

Visit Railroad Museums in Chadbourn and Fair Bluff

If you are interested in the history of the railroad industry, you may want to take a day trip to some area railroad museums. There are two railroad museums not far from Brunswick County that will teach you about this interesting aspect of history. The Atlantic Coast Line Depot Museum is located in Chadbourn, which is located off U.S. Highway 76 South on N.C. Highway 410. This depot was built in 1910 and is now home to a variety of historical displays and stories about the railroad. Admission is free to the Atlantic Coast Line Museum, which is open on Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fridays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Also in the area, you will find the Fair Bluff Depot Museum, located in Fair Bluff off U.S. Highway 76 to N.C. Highway 904. This depot was built in 1897 for the Atlantic Coast Line and has a variety of railroad memorabilia. The Fair Bluff Depot Museum also offers free admission, and is open on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. For more information about the Atlantic Coast Line Depot Museum, call (910) 654-6269 and for more information about the Fair Bluff Depot Museum, call (910) 649-7707.

Participate in a Local Fishing Tournaments

As you will find in any popular fishing area, many saltwater fishing tournaments are held in Brunswick County throughout the year. Many tournaments award great prizes to their winners, and proceeds normally benefit local charities. For more information about dates and locations of area tournaments, contact the Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Center at (910) 575-3474, the Bald Head Island Marina at (910) 454-0042, the Old Yacht Basin of Southport at (910) 278-4575, the Southport Marina at (910) 278-4137 and the Holden Beach Marina at (800) 426-6644. Also, you may want to check local listings upon your arrival for information about other area tournaments.

Go Camping

If you enjoy the wilderness, you may want to try camping for a night or two during your stay in Brunswick County. A variety of camping facilities are available in the area, ranging from the remote, undeveloped Masonboro Island to the modern private campgrounds with electric and water facilities. No matter what type of camping you prefer, be sure to check the local weather forecast before heading out on your camping trip. Remember to take sunscreen and insect repellent, and beware of poisonous snakes. Depending on where you camp, you can enjoy activities like hiking, bicycling, canoeing, fishing, and more! A few campgrounds you could try are: the KOA Kampground of Sunset Beach at (888) 562-4240, Ocean Aire Camp World Inc. of Supply at (910) 842-9072, and Sea Mist Camping Resort of Shallotte at (910) 754-8916.