< PreviousThe first rule of Brunswick Islands? KIDS RULE! 30 WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO BE A KID AGAIN? LEARN MORE AT WWW.NCBRUNSWICK.COM/THINGS-TO-DO/THINGS-TO-DO-WITH-KIDS 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 31 You’ve found an entire island kingdom where kids rule the day. Here, kids can be kids and parents can too. With 45 miles of shoreline to explore, there will always be another sandcastle to create or ebbing wave to boogie board. The firm sand is perfect for bike rides, bocce ball, kite flying, cornhole, and tidal pool exploration. There are shells to be collected, scuttling crabs to be chased, and dolphins to be sighted. At night the beach becomes a starry wonderland where the ocean’s roar feels louder, and the mysteries of a sea turtle’s return is something to reverently behold. This vacation is a perfect time to discover new skills and enjoy new experiences. Sign up for surf lessons, golf lessons, a family kayak excursion, a charter fishing trip, or a dolphin cruise. There’s no better way to discover nature than to meet it face-to-face in the many nature preserves, in a planetarium, or zip lining through the Swamp Park. Of course, kids who rule a kingdom should view their realm from atop a lighthouse where they can shout, “I hereby declare this island in the name of...me!” We are at their service. MORE IDEAS FOR KIDDING AROUND The Swamp Park Skateboard Park Battleship NORTH CAROLINA Brunswick Nature Park Oak Island Nature Center Oak Island Lighthouse Old Baldy Lighthouse Surf Lessons Golf Lessons Ingram Planetarium Kayak Excursions Adventure Cruises Crabbing Splash Pad Fun Go-Karting Miniature Golf NC Maritime Museum Museum of Coastal Carolina Old Bridge Museum Day Camps Fishing Charters Pier Fishing Ferry Rides Disc Golf BikingVows that wow… with oceans of love. For your free wedding guide , visit www.NCBrunswickWeddings.com and let the planning begin! 32 SAY YES TO THE BEACH!There’s nothing more love affirming than a destination wedding. And the choices here are many. You can stand before the endless ocean and pledge your commitment to the one beside you. Or take your vows under the awe- inspiring ancient live oaks. If golf is your fancy, a carpet of emerald fairway can make the perfect backdrop for your special day. North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands presents not only a perfect setting for a wedding, but everything you need to make it memorable for you and your guests. Venues abound from elegantly uncomplicated beach set ups to elaborate resort and clubhouse ballrooms. And accommodations for your family and friends run the gamut from hotels, inns, and B&Bs, to vacation rental homes that fit the largest families. Catering, flowers, planners, dresses, personalized gifts—are all given the special Brunswick Islands touch. And when it comes to the honeymoon, no travel required. You’ve already begun life’s journey together in the perfect spot to make dreams come true—and a lovely place to return for many anniversaries to come. Our special settings make more than weddings special. Weddings? Yes, but we’re an ideal destination whenever friends and family gather. North Carolina’s Brunswick Islands attracts generations as a place to reunite and relax for family reunions, golf outings, class reunions, and friends’ getaways. Accommodation options run the gamut from vacation rental homes that can accommodate 20 or more, or at hotels and inns across our friendly islands and towns. With just the right combination of things to do and wide-open spaces to kick back and reminisce, our islands and towns are all about connection. WEDDING AND REUNION VENUES 801 Ocean Event Center Bald Head Island Club The Barn at Rock Creek Brick Landing Venue The Brunswick Center at Supply Brunswick Plantation Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson Carolina National Golf Club Endless Summer Sailing Charter Greenland Farms Ingram Planetarium Islander Inn The Isles Restaurant & Tiki Bar Lockwood Folly Country Club Magnolia Greens Golf Course Museum of Coastal Carolina Ocean Isle Inn Old Baldy Lighthouse The Pearl Golf Links Shoals Club Silver Coast Winery Southport Community Building St. James Community Center The Sunset Inn The Village Chapel of Bald Head Island 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 3334 EVER THINK YOU’D WRITE A LOVE LETTER TO A BEACH? “ Sunset Beach is low-key and everyone is always warm and welcoming. -Emily, 25 years of vacations in NC’s Brunswick Islands Sunset Beach What made National Geographic rank this beach among the “21 Best Beaches in the World?” Well, you might say “it’s plenty of nothing.” With virtually no commercial development, towering dunes and spectacular sunrises and sunsets are all that are needed to create a world-class setting that speaks to the soul in a whisper. This natural gem is the smallest of our barrier islands. Just the right size to wander its expansive beachfront to visit the adjoining Bird Island. Birdwatchers flock here to observe birds of all kinds who find this to be the perfect rest stop on their travels north and south. At low tide, the vastness of this beach unfolds before you in a magical way—ideal for children’s cartwheels and bike wheels. You just may find yourself twirling around, arms spread wide, in a giddy celebration of the sun and sand. 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 35 Love letters in the sand. You don’t see this every day; a mailbox propped by the dunes of Bird Island marked “Kindred Spirit.” Placed here over 40 years ago—a mind clearing, 30-minute stroll from the closest beach access, people from all over write their personal meditations and love letters in the journals with- in. The inspiration for Nicholas Spark’s novel, Ev- ery Breath, Kindred Spirit is a gentle reminder of the shared human spirit.36 WHO KNEW A TINY TOWN COULD HAVE SUCH BIG FUN? Ocean Isle Beach Ocean Isle Beach is a family favorite with its beautiful palm-lined streets. There’s no telling how many of its fans caught their very first glimpse of the ocean here as toddlers—then return year after year until it’s their turn to share the experience with their children and grandchildren. The island has a wide variety of accommodations— from oceanfront hotels to condos to vacation home rentals. The island’s marsh-side vacation rental homes with docks on deep canals are ideal for families, where you can tie up your boat, launch your paddleboard or kayak, or cast a line or crab net. Ocean Isle has been named “The South’s Best Tiny Town” by Southern Living . Tiny perhaps, but this beach village is packed with big fun. The lively town offers something for everyone with a wide array of restaurants, many with waterfront views. Challenge the family to a mini-golf tournament, try your luck at the arcade, or take a zip-line tour above the wonders of the ecosystem at The Swamp Park. Adults can also enjoy the adventure of finding a new favorite refreshment at the local brewery or winery. Whether it’s your first glimpse of the ocean or one of thousands in your life, the pleasures of Ocean Isle Beach never grow old. 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 37 My happy place. Ocean Isle Beach is peaceful, tranquil, and serene. I have so many memories here. -Kellie, 10 visits to NC’s Brunswick Islands “38 TAKE OUR BRIDGE TO YOUR NEW HAPPY PLACE. “ There’s an atmosphere that is hard to explain. Our family “gets it.” -Jackie, 45 years of visits to NC’s Brunswick Islands 800.795.7263 | NCBRUNSWICK.COM 39 Your spirits soar as you cross over the Intracoastal Waterway on the Holden Beach Bridge. It quite literally lifts you up above the water and sweeps westward providing a bird’s eye view of the majestic expanse of beach below. You can’t help but say, “Ahhhhhh” as you come in for a soft landing in a vacation experience that soothes the soul. Holden Beach welcomes families to inviting vacation beach homes—no hotels here—as well as fishing and shrimping trawlers to its working waterfront. Spend the days inspecting tidal pools along the beach for treasure troves of perfect shells while working up an appetite for the fresh local seafood arriving daily. Prefer to bring in your own catch? While the Holden Beach fishing pier is temporarily closed as upgrades are planned for the site, a wade in the surf with a rod and some bait gives intrepid anglers plenty of chances to put dinner on the table. The Intracoastal Waterway is your backyard where kayakers lazily paddle while checking out the wildlife. And your glorious front yard of pristine beach invites you to cycle or saunter to popular Lockwood Folly Inlet on the island’s eastern point. The epitome of low key, Holden Beach is the bridge to a true vacation escape. Holden BeachNext >