Learn about the Stars at Ingram PlanetariumThe Ingram Planetarium, located in Sunset Beach, has a unique 40-foot dome theater and offers a variety of programs throughout the year. Programs include Ancient Horizons, Endless Horizon, The Sky Tonight, Search for Life in the Universe, and more. In the summer, hourly programs are held Tuesday through Saturday between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. During the rest of the year (during fall, winter and spring), hourly program are held Thursday through Saturday between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. Also in the Planetarium is a Science Room with a variety of science, math, and navigational exhibits. For more information about the programs offered throughout the year, contact Ingram Planetarium at (910) 575-0033. Day Trip To Lumber River State ParkIf you enjoy camping and outdoor activities, you may want to take one or two of your days in the Brunswick County area to travel to Lumber River State Park, which is near Orrum, North Carolina. Located on the Lumber River, this park offers a variety of activities including paddle sports, hiking trails, picnic areas and more! You may want to call ahead for river conditions if you plan to go canoeing or boating, as the water levels are too low for these sports during some times of the year. The park is open year-round, with varying hours of operation depending on the season. For more information, contact the Lumber River State Park at (910) 628-9844. Spend the Day at the North Carolina Oyster FestivalThe North Carolina Oyster Festival is held each year during the third weekend of October on Ocean Isle Beach. The N.C. Oyster Shucking Championship is held at this festival, which sends its winner to the national championship. Oysters are the favorite food of the Brunswick County islands, and there are plenty of them at this festival. Live music, arts and crafts vendors, 5K and 10K races, an oyster stew cook-off and more are also offered at the festival. Admission is $3.00 for adults and free for children under 12 years old. For more information, contact the North Carolina Oyster Festival at (800) 426-6644. Watch Sea Turtle NestsBrunswick County is one of the largest counties in North Carolina and is almost entirely surrounded by water, wetlands, and wooded areas. Because of the natural habitats found in Brunswick County, a variety of animals make their homes here. Sea turtles are no exception, and the endangered animals are protected by a variety of sea turtle protection programs that are in place in Brunswick County. A variety of volunteers monitor nests of sea turtle species, and during the June and July hatching season, volunteers watch the nests to ensure turtle hatchlings can make it safely to sea. If you happen to be in the area during the hatching season, you may be able to experience one of these amazing egg hatchings. For more information, contact the Ocean Isle Beach Turtle Watch Program at (910) 579-1016 or the Bald Head Island Turtle Sanctuary and Conservancy at (910) 457-0089. Practice Your Swing at the Driving RangeIf you enjoy golfing but don't have time to golf a full round at a local course, you may want to check out a local driving range. Holden Beach Driving Range is a lighted facility that has lessons available on-site. A pro shop and batting cages are also available at this location. At this range in Holden Beach, you can practice your swing 24 hours a day, because when no staff is on duty, there is a self-payment booth for your convenience. For more information, contact the Holden Beach Driving Range of Holden Beach at (910) 842-3717. Another option is the Pro Tee Practice Range in Ocean Isle Beach. They have 36 fully lighted stations, a pro shop, refreshment area, batting cages, and a mini golf course. This facility is open daily and operates with a self-payment booth. For more information, contact the Pro Tee Practice Range at (910) 754-4700. Visit the South of the Border AttractionWhile you are in Brunswick County and so close to the border between North Carolina and South Carolina, you may want to stop off Interstate-95 and check out the South of the Border attraction. South of the Border has a campground and a motel, a miniature theme park, shops, restaurants, a nightclub and more. As you are traveling either on Interstate-95 or the intersecting U.S. Highway 301-501, you are sure to see numerous signs advertising this famous attraction. You may want to stop and check it out - you can feel like you are in Mexico without even leaving the Carolinas! For more information, call South of the Border (a.k.a. Pedroland) at (843) 774.2411. View Area Art at the Southport Art MuseumThe Southport Art Museum, located in Southport, offers a variety of art that is from different eras of North Carolina's history. You can begin your journey through the Museum by viewing early art of Native Americans, Scrimshaw, Early Explorers and Local Pirates. If you enjoy nautical themes, you will like the displays of Cape Fear Lighthouses, Early Maritime, Ships in a Bottle and Model Ships. Art from past wars is also displayed, which features the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. Whatever your interest in art, the Southport Art Museum will have something on display to suit you! The Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and admission is free. For more information or for tour reservations, call (910) 457-6166. Have Breakfast at Russell's PlaceRussell's Place Restaurant, located on Oak Island, is a diner-style restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. A favorite among locals, Russell's serves omelets, biscuits, pancakes and waffles for breakfast; while the lunch menu offers sandwiches and burgers. The atmosphere in Russell's is a friendly one, with many patrons sharing conversations with those seated at nearby tables. Russell's Place is open daily and can be reached at (910) 278-3070. Visit the Coastal Grand of Myrtle BeachIf you enjoy shopping and want to visit Myrtle Beach while you are in the area, the Coastal Grand shopping mall in Myrtle Beach is just the place for you! This mall was built on 170 acres in 2004 and has five large department stores and 120 other stores. Located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 17 Bypass and U.S. Highway 501, the Coastal Grand consists of 1.5 million square feet of shopping fun. In addition to the numerous stores found at the mall, a food court and a movie complex are also found here. For more information, contact the Coastal Grand-Myrtle Beach at (843) 839-9100. Go Searching For Beach TreasuresWhile you are hanging out on the beaches of Brunswick County, you may want to go beachcombing for beach "treasures" that are found in the area. Shells and shark's teeth are easily found on the beaches, especially after storms and hurricanes. On a normal day, the best time to search for treasures is after high tide. Shark's teeth normally sparkle at the water's edge in coarse, wet sand. Whole sand dollars are also very common on the beaches of Brunswick County, but make sure you leave the live ones on the beach. If they are still brown and furry, they are alive and should be returned to the water. If they are white and skeletal, you can take them home with you! Whatever you find at the beach, it is a good idea to clean your treasures with mild bleach water. | Brunswick Beaches RestaurantsOcean Breeze Beach Club2729 W Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Fish House Restaurant 5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 Island Way Restaurant 1407 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Betty's Waterfront Restaurant 1045 Varnamtown Road SW, Suite B Holden Beach, NC 28462 Driftwood Grill 3370 Stone Chimney Road Holden Beach, NC 28462 Plaza Garibaldi 8004 Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Fulford Junior Fish House 3330 Old Ferry Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Holden Beach Seafood Fish House 1075 Songbird Lane SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Provision Company Restaurant 461 Kristen Lane Holden Beach, NC 28462 Captain Pete's Restaurant 103 South Shore Drive Holden Beach, NC 28462 Paradise Cafe 102 Jordan Boulevard Holden Beach, NC 28462 Patronies Pizza 2625 Holden Beach Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Brunswick Beaches ShoppingWildflour Cakes & Pastries516 Lockwood Folly Road Bolivia, NC 28422 Blue Water Point Motel & Marina 5710 W 57th Place 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 Pottery by Bob Furr 521 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Crest Fishing Pier 1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Beacon One Seafood 1 Fisherman Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Robinson & Robinson Seafood 3 Fisherman Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Brunswick Beaches AttractionsBlue Water Point Motel & Marina5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Crest Fishing Pier 1411 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Environmental Overlook Trails 3003 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Holden Beach Marina 3238 Pompano Street SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Cedar Landing Marina & Seafood 1305 Cedar Landing Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Holden Beach Pier 441 Ocean Boulevard W Holden Beach, NC 28462 Yaupon Beach Fishing Pier 705 Ocean Drive 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 Brunswick Beaches ActivitiesYe Olde Gun Club Shooting Range107 SW 20th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Sea Thriller Watersports, Inc. 5710 57th Place West Oak Island, NC 28465 Blue Water Point Motel & Marina 5710 W 57th Place Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Skate Park 49th Street SE Oak Island, NC 28465 Lockwood Folly Country Club 19 Clubhouse Drive SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Privateer Charters 104 SE 25th Street Oak Island, NC 28465 Oak Island Parks & Recreation Department 3003 E Oak Island Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Ocean Rentals 4014 E Beach Drive Oak Island, NC 28465 Sea Thriller Watersports, Inc. 1305 Cedar Landing Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Holden Beach Driving Range & Golf School 2355 Holden Beach Road Holden Beach, NC 28462 Treasure Island Miniature Golf & Oasis 3445 Holden Beach Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 Super Track Go Carts & Bumper Boats 3437 Holden Beach Road SW Holden Beach, NC 28462 |