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 restaurant 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 Crystal 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!

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

Vacation season is almost upon us here on the Crystal Coast and first-time visitors to Emerald Isle always want to know what they can do especially with the economy more focused on saving money. With that said, here are 10 wallet-saving things to do on the Crystal Coast.

1. Take a kid fishing on the Bogue Inlet Fishing Pier
2. Take the short water taxi ride to Shackelford Banks to see the Shackelford Banks ponies and go shell collecting. You’ll need to drive to Beaufort (45 minutes) from Emerald Isle. Operated by the Outer Banks Ferry Service located on the Beaufort waterfront at 326 Front Street, Beaufort, NC,  I recommend you call 252-728-4129 for schedules and more information.
3. Play putt-putt at the Emerald Forest Putt-Putt course
4. Rent bikes from Hwy 58 Bikes rentals in Emerald Isle. It’s so convenient, the shop is located right on the Emerald Isle bike path.
5. Shell collecting on the beaches of  Emerald Isle (simple pleasures are priceless)
6. Go bowling at Mac Daddy’s in Cape Carteret. This is the perfect rainy day family activity!
   
7. Hit the waterslide in Emerald Isle. One of the oldest amusement parks on the Crystal Coast, the Water Boggan is located at the corner of Reed Drive and Islander Drive (less than a half a mile from the Emerald Isle Bridge).
8. Visit Fort Macon on the east end of the island of Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach. This North Carolina state park and civil war fort offers the public access to the surf, sun and sand of the Crystal Coast—as well as a historic landmark.
9. Fly your kite on the beaches of Emerald Isle
10. Catch a movie at the Emerald Isle movie threater. For those rainy days, why not catch a movie at the Emerald Plantation Cinemas located at the Food Lion shopping in Emerald Isle. Phone (252) 354-7263 for list of movies and show times.

On the Pricier Side

• Kayak to Bear Island ($55 per person) to Hammocks Beach State Park. A short drive over the Emerald Isle Bridge to the waterfront hamlet of Swansboro, here you can leasurely kayak to Bear Island.
  
• Rent jet skis at Water Sports Jetski Rentals (address: 1960 Salter Path Road Salter Path, NC 28575 Phone: (252) 247-7303) Bogue Sound is the perfect location to rent a jet ski or waverunner. Here your family can navigate the many islands that dot our Intracoastal Waterway while keeping a safe distance from larger boats.
• Visit the N.C. Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Here you can have a close encounter with a stingray and even get eye to eye with a shark. Perfect for those rainy days at the beach, this is one of the most popular attractions on the Crystal Coast.  Located five (5) miles west of Atlantic Beach, take NC 58. Turn onto Pine Knoll Boulevard at the stoplight at Milepost 7. Turn left onto Roosevelt Drive. For N.C. Aquarium hours, it’s best to call 252-247-4003 or toll-free 866-294-3477 for a complete list of events and hours of operation.

What’s Your Favorite Activity on the Crystal Coast?

If you are a veteran Crystal Coast vacationer, please leave a comment and let everyone know what fun activity your family loves here on the Crystal Coast.

Your Crystal Coast Blogger – Bobby Carroll

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The 4th of July holiday will be here before you know it and the Crystal Coast is making grand plans for this year’s edition to be a memorable one. If you’re planning a vacation trip to the Crystal Coast during the week of July 4th, here is a rundown of 4th of July holiday events scheduled to held in Atlantic Beach, Beaufort, Emerald Isle, and Morehead City.

The City of Morehead City sponsored 4th of July Celebration

Friday July 4th Independence Day – Happy Birthday America!!! Celebration
On Friday, July 4th, Morehead City will host a concert at Jaycee Park. The musical group “Boomerang” will be in concert commencing at 7:00PM. Fireworks after Dusk.

Saturday July 5th Concert at Jaycee Park, “Boomerang” at 7:00PM

Town of Emerald Isle 4th of July Celebration

Fireworks at Bogue Inlet Pier – Emerald Isle
Event Date: July 4, 2008

The town of Emerald Isle will host a fireworks display sponsored by Bogue Inlet Pier and Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation on Friday evening at the Bogue Inlet Pier.
For more information call 252-354-6350.
Event Times: 9:30 PM

Town of Atlantic Beach 4th of July Fireworks Celebration

Event Date: Jul. 4, 2008
Event Times: 9:00 pm

The town of Atlantic Beach will host its annual fireworks display at 9:00 PM on Friday, July 4th at The Circle. You are encouraged to bring your beach chairs and blankets for this awesome holiday event.

For more information, please call 252-726-2121 or email tab@atlanticbeach-nc.com

The Town of Beaufort 4th of July Pyrates on Parade Celebration

4th of July “Pyrates on Parade”
Event Date: July 4th

The Beaufort Business Association will sponsor the parade beginning at 11:00 am.
For more information, please contact Martha Barnes.
Phone: 252-728-3917

As you can see, the 4th of July holiday on the Crystal Coast will be a grand old time.

Enjoy your 4th of July holiday and be safe!

Bobby

Sail Over to Beaufort

Held at the NC Maritime Museum, the 34th Annual Wooden Boat show offers a variety of small boats, boat rides and a wooden boat building competition, the 34th Annual Wooden Boat Show begins today, April 27th. This week long event is held in downtown Beaufort through May 3rd. This Crystal Coast town will be the “main harbor” for this weeks maritime activities.

Boat Show activities include:

• Civil War re-enactment
• Workshops
• Live Music
• Maritime skills demonstration
• A Boat building challenge
• National crafts fair
• Demonstrations
• Boat launchings
• Races
• Other educational programs

Don’t Miss the Boat!

If you’re looking for an informative, fun-filled week’s worth of events, make your way to Beaufort. For 30-plus years the North Carolina Maritime Museum’s Annual Wooden Boat Show has been a hit with boat owners and all who appreciate the art of wood boat construction. Addition is free so don’t miss this special week-long event. Be sure to checkout the events calendar here.

If You Go

Be sure to share with our readers your favorite part of the Show. We look forward to your comments.

Until my next post,

Bobby – Your Crystal Coast Blogger