Best Family Activities in Southport, NC

By Guest Blogger Katie Lawson

Heading to Carolina Coastwith the fam?  Don’t miss out on the best family activities in Southport, North Carolina!

Southport, North Carolina is an amazing little place to visit. It’s located in the Southern part of the state in Brunswick County. I’ve been traveling there with my grandparents since I was about 12 years old and just fell in love with its history and charm very early on. If you’re a history buff or enjoy a good ghost story, Southport will not disappoint.

In the past three years or so, our kids have visited the town over a half a dozen times. They always look forward to walking on the pier and stopping to get ice-cream or just sitting back in the swings and watching the fishing boats float by. I’ve teamed up with Mom Favorites to compile a list of some of the best things to do with kids when visiting Southport, North Carolina.

Old South Tour Company Ghost Tour

This is by far one of the best things I’ve ever done in Southport! I would, however, suggest doing this with older children, as the little ones may bore easily. That being said, we did take our one year old last summer and she sat in the stroller as we toured the streets of historic Southport.

This is a ninety minute walking tour of the town. Katie Compton, or the lady in black, is the tour guide and owner of The Old South Tour Company. Every night, she meets all guests at the Widdler’s Bench in the center of town at Dusk. As the group follows her around town with nothing but her lantern to light the way, Katie gives you the fascinating history of Southport, intertwined with some of the towns best kept paranormal secrets.  Her tales are filled with stories of yellow fever, ship wrecks off the coast, pirates and young love gone wrong. One of the most interesting things that happened to us on the tour was when walking through the historic grave yard and no one’s camera would work! Creepy!!

Taylors

Taylor’s Cuisine Café and Catering is my all-time favorite breakfast spot in Southport! I’ve heard it said that all the tourists go to Local’s (another breakfast place nearby)  and the locals go to Taylors. Not only can you get an amazing cup of coffee in a big purple mug and the best grits you’ve ever put in your mouth, but my girls can get their favorite pancakes. These aren’t just any pancakes either, they’re purple! Now I don’t understand why, but if you use food coloring to change the color of something you eat, my girls will be all about it! They beg to go to Taylor’s and get a purple pancake! Now only will you get great service in a friendly atmosphere, but you will be remembered, even if you only visit once every summer. Karen Taylor, the owner, has even been featured in Food Network magazine for her amazing food! Go check them out!

Ferry Ride to Fort Fisher

Another exciting family adventure is the ferry ride from Southport to the Fort Fisher Aquarium. My girls love that our car got to ride on the boat with us! They have a snack machine and a lounge on the top deck and the girls got to eat a snack and see out over the Atlantic. It was their first time on a boat and they loved it! North Carolina’s aquarium at Fort Fisher has lots of hands on exhibits that the girls just loved to see. They even got to touch a stingray in the tank! There is also a beach nearby the aquarium where we usually picnic and play in the water. You really have to watch the ferry schedule though! You don’t want to miss the last trip back to Southport because it you do it’s a 90 minute drive back! Check out the following websites for information on the ferry schedule and Fort Fisher Aquarium:

http://www.southporttimes.com/southportferry.html
http://www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher

 

The Swings At Southport

One of our very favorite things to do really isn’t much to do at all. In the evenings after we’ve had dinner, the girls and I love to go downtown to Southport and sit in the swings by the water, if we’re lucky enough to get a seat! Sometimes we people watch, feed the seagulls or just sit and eat ice cream and just enjoy the evening.  They especially love it when my Dad, who is also a local, comes by and visits with us.

So if you’re lucky enough to get to visit Southport, try some of my family’s favorites. I know they’ll quickly become yours too!

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Katie is a 20-something mother of 4!  She’s a self-proclaimed beach bum, blogger, middle-school teacher, Jesus-lover, home-cook and steel magnolia.  Connect with her on her blog, www.blessthismessylife.com.