As I write my little versions of travel guides, I wanted to start with the cutest little beach town that I called home for the past four (kind of five-ish) years. This town holds a huge spot in my heart and I’ve got my fingers crossed that life will propel us back to our house there at some point, even if for a short while. Being part of a military family and interacting most often with other military families it’s always amusing to me that the majority holds being stationed at Camp Lejeune (the base just North of Surf City) with such disdain, preferring almost unanimously Camp Pendleton in CA. Against their disappointment in duty station, my love for the area contrasts so vividly. Perhaps they have settled in Jacksonville, NC, or somewhere nearby and missed out on the little nuances of Surf City that make all the difference, or maybe it is my naïveté as a North Carolina local, knowing no better but to love some of the quirks of the Tar Heel State. Either way, my alliances stand. And so I bring to you a two-part guide, fueled by a little homesickness, sharing what (in my not really that humble opinion) makes Surf City great.

The second part of this guide is just places to eat. I consider eating an “activity” but as I started this guide, the list was too long so I figured I’ll just link it here instead.

Most of my recommendations are going to be kid-friendly places because, whelp, I have two kids. However, I was tearing the town up pre-kids and will include my favorite kid-free bars at the end *wink*.

Go to the Beach, duh!

Surf City beach is one of my all-time favorite beaches! It might not have cyan-blue water or palm trees but as far as having a great beach day goes, it checks all the boxes!

1. Free parking. This one is HUGE and makes going to the beach the most inexpensive good time you can have.

**Edit** It’s been brought to my attention after posting that there actually isn’t free parking anymore. Of course. I did a little bit of reading on the new paid parking regulations and it looks as though residents still get free parking and that the off season is still free. Check out the new details here for yourself. Sad (because who doesn’t love free stuff) but understandable.

2. Alcohol is allowed. Well allowed everywhere except right by the pier during beach season. I’ve definitely gotten a ticket and a warning or two, so just pay attention to the signs.

3. Pups are allowed. The furry friends are allowed all year long and in the off-season, they’re allowed off-leash! It’s a super dog-friendly town. I’ve even brought our cat to the beach once (though, that wasn’t the most successful of times).

4. There is a healthy mix of partying and kid-friendly atmosphere. If you’ve been to several different beaches then you’re well aware each has its own personality similar to the cities and towns they belong to. On the beach, at Surf City I don’t feel like I’m getting the stink eye when we’re raging and on the flip side, I’ve had plenty of wholesome family beach days.

5. The beach itself is comfortable. The sand is a good size grain (not sure how else to describe that but if you’ve been too grainy beaches they’re far less comfortable), there is plenty of space, the walk onto the beach isn’t too long, and the water runs on the warm side.

And while “beach season” may be from May to September, some of my favorite beach memories are in the fall and springtime. If you’re a tourist though please stick to beach season because I love the town when it’s not so busy.

For all up-to-date beach rules and regulations please click here as I am not all-knowing.

Soundside Park

Soundside Park is a great place to take kids, dogs, and the old folks. It boasts a decent-sized (and newly renovated) playground right on the Intracoastal Waterway. There are plenty of picnic tables making it a nice place to bring lunch to. There’s a stage where they’ll do small events from time to time (pre-covid… don’t know what’s going on these days). Around Christmas time they have lights all around and a Christmas tree making it one of the most magical spots.

The park connects to the trail to the bridge too, making it a good pre or post-walk spot. This brings me to my next activity.

Walk the bridge

If you’re into exercising this is a great one! This was my favorite postpartum workout as it was strenuous enough but the beautiful views make it more fun than a chore. You can run it if you want to amp up the sweat but walking it was enough for me. You can either park on the mainland and walk to the island and back or park at Soundside Park and do the reverse. There are benefits to both. If you start at the park you could stop for lunch (or a drink) at Sears Landing or Diver for a snack (or a meal if you aren’t a glut like me). If you start at the other end, you can enjoy the Park midway or walk a little further to the beach and the nearby restaurants and bars. If you’re slightly confused, if you park at one end, you have to get back to your car… which means in walking the bridge, you have to walk across and then back, so you’re kind of tricked into more exercise. Don’t worry though, you can do it!

The Corner

Located in what I like to call, Surf City Mainland’s “little corners” (I just made that up for no reason), The Corner is a cute sandwich shop and bar. While also located in the food part of “things to do in Surf City”, this place gets a double mention due to its outside area. The Corner is a great place to grab drinks and hang outside. They have Corn Hole and are dog friendly! Perfect place for a little bit of dartying (day partying). It’s also one of those spots where when the sun goes down, the atmosphere switches from restaurant to hangout.

Salty Turtle

Surf City’s own (and only) brewery, Salty Turtle is the place to be. Both dog and kid-friendly, this is a great post-beach or post-dinner spot. The place has a great atmosphere and definitely changed the game up in town. While most of the time it’s pretty low-key, the weekends draw in a big crowd. They often have local food trucks and sometimes live music. My favorite beer is La Surfeza Mexican Lager (and probably what’s in my hand in the picture below).

Buddy’s

Buddy’s is also a restaurant but I love it more for its bar. Buddy’s is front-row on the beach! Which for me is reason enough to go. They have cheap beer and an outside bar. There’s also extra space to bring your drinks to upstairs where you can get an even better view of the water. Buddy’s is great for post-beach drinks (or a break from the sun), island bar hopping, or for Pre-dinner drinks while you wait for your table at Daddy Macs (and you can thank me later for that tip).

The Peak

Right off of the main beach road, The Peak is a great little bar with plenty of fun beers on tap! Definitely a locals’ favorite, the peak has the small beach town feeling that I love. Another good post-beach spot or a place to add to your island bar hop. The peak is kid-friendly and has really good personal pizzas you can order! I love that there are couches, I feel as though that always makes for a more laid-back atmosphere.

UnWINEd

Unfortunately, I’ve only been once (because it just opened as we were on our way out) but this is a cute bar with a great outdoor space! They have live music often and are located on the island, so the beach is just a hop and a skip away. I actually went when I was still pregnant with my second child and they had a great Non-Alcoholic beer! They’re kid-friendly and have little bites to eat. It’s the perfect warm-weather hang!

Tortugas

Tortugas is the bar on the island (closest thing to a club). It’s not kid-friendly (so it’s been a hot minute since I’ve been) but they have pool tables, a huge dance floor, and the best bathroom mirror for drunk selfies (if that’s what you’re into). I’ve seen the place packed and I’ve seen the place empty. Definitely depends on the season (as does anywhere in the area). And hey, it’s only a block or two from the beach so after last-call you can take a dip in the ocean! Don’t actually do that because you might drown or get eaten by a shark (but we definitely have a time or two *shhh*).

Trailer Bar

If you couldn’t tell by the name, yes, this is literally a bar in a trailer. It’s pretty much exactly what you would expect. They’ve got a pool table, a bar, and a little dance floor but also a nice porch you can drink on and great bartenders! Also not a kid-friendly establishment but it’s right next to Tortugas so it’s easy to kill two birds with one stone and there’s equal opportunity for late-night beach walks (not swims remember).

So there you have it.

Those are my suggestions. Surf City is the perfect little beach town that has put up with all of our ruckus and treats its locals like family. This town is the right amount of classy meets trashy and definitely one of the most affordable beaches! Having already grown so much since I stumbled upon it in 2016, I can’t wait to see how it continues to blossom. Stay sandy Surf City!