Now that we have returned home from our Crystal Coast vacation, I wanted to offer “our best of the Crystal Coast” highlights. If your family took your summer vacation to the Crystal Coast, don’t forget to list your personal favorites by leaving a comment below. Here are our best of nominations!

  1. Best dinner value: Jordan’s Seafood. Excellent prices, fair portions, and good reliable service is what makes this Emerald Isle restaurantJordan's House of Seafood in Emerald Isle tops for a dinner value.
  2. Best lunch value: The Crab Shack in Salter Path with their $7.95 Baby Flounder lunch special plus 2 side items is our choice for the best lunch value on the Crystal Coast. We received 3 large pieces of Flounder making this one excellent lunch value.
  3. Best ice cream: The Emerald Isle DQ soft serve followed closely by The Candy Shop Hersey ice cream are our choices for best ice cream on the Crystal Coast. Glenn and his great staff at the DQ provide awesome service even when the line is out the front door!
  4. Best meal overall: The consensus of the Carroll family was our Friday evening meal at Rucker Johns. While the service on 2 of our 3 visits during the week was just “ok”, our final meal on Friday (9-11) was most tasty and the service quite improved over our previous visits. What made this particular meal special was the seared tuna entree with mixed veggies and sweet potato. For $8.95, the portions were good and the flavor outstanding! Special kudos to Becca, our RJ waitress, for her attentive service.
  5. Best family activity. Hands down the trip to Beaufort with a water taxi to Shackleford Banks is a must for any family vacation to the CrystalSand dollar found on Shackleford Banks Coast. Kids of all ages will enjoy spotting the ponies of Shackleford Banks, shelling (go early for large conch shells) and a swim in the sound. Take care not to forget to wear foot protection while roaming this barrier island as prickly burrs are plentiful. Swimming on the ocean side can be tricky as the water gets deep quickly and the currents are swift so take caution.

Can’t Miss Things To Do in Emerald Isle

For family fun, I wholeheartedly recommend the following fun things to do on your Crystal Coast vacation:

  • Putt-putt golf at Emerald Forest. Every trip to Emerald Isle should include a game of putt-putt.
  • Biking anywhere in Emerald Isle on those wonderful bike paths is a pure delight! Mega kudos to the Town of Emerald Isle for providing these awesome strips of asphalt for residents and visitors alike!
  • A walk on the Bogue Inlet Pier after a cone of ice cream at the DQ. It’s a Carroll tradition.
  • Favorite rainy day activity at the beach? A trip to the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is a must!The NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Your Crystal Coast favorite Things To Do?

Now that you know our favorite things to do on vacation on the Crystal Coast, it’s time you listed your personal favorites by leaving a comment.

Helping you create wonderful vacation memories here on the Crystal Coast,

Bobby