Topsail Island
In early August my family traveled south to Topsail Island, North Carolina. This seaside town is nestled between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, stretching 26 miles long. It was so beautiful. Giant pastel beach houses and shacks stand high on stilts overlooking the ocean on either side of the main road. If you are looking for a peaceful, un-commercialized beach destination on the east coast, Topsail is the place to visit.
My brother and I drove to Charleston, West Virginia where my parents live from Lexington, Kentucky the night before to cut off 2 hours from the trip. The following morning, we packed the car with bags, beach chairs and plenty of snacks and hit the road. The drive was not bad at all, roughly 7 hours. Once you get past Winston-Salem, it is nothing but miles of beautiful Carolina backroads.
We booked a beachfront Air BnB. This was my first time staying in an Air BnB, so I didn’t know what to expect. I still don’t understand the hype between Air BnBs and Millennials (my brother Matt being the Millennial that booked the place). Isn’t it the same thing as a rental, just through a different website? Nonetheless, the house was perfect.
The house was a two-story split into two different units. We stayed in the left unit which had 2 bedrooms, 1 bunk room, and 2 and a half baths plus a washer and dryer. The space could easily sleep 8 or more. The kitchen and living room were spacious and even had a foosball table. The separate driveway provided plenty of room for a few cars.
The true selling point was its beach accessibility. The ocean was literally our backyard. All we had to do was walk down the back porch steps to the sand. It was so convenient. There was no hassle lugging your beach gear blocks away or through the maze of a hotel. Did I mention the wifi (strongly) reached the beach? What more could you ask for?
I highly recommend this Air BnB, especially if you have a family with kids or are bringing along grandparents, like we did. It was perfect for my 2 year-old nephew, Ellis. He played in the sand under the umbrella and then when it was time for his nap, we just ran upstairs and laid him down. It was also perfect for my 85 year-old Grandmother, “Mamaw” Connie. She loved sitting on the shady back porch in the Adirondack chairs, scrolling through Facebook, reading, drinking coffee, or watching her family in the sand below. After the sun set when it wasn’t super hot, she was able to sit in the sand. It was important for us that Mamaw was comfortable and had a great time. She definitely did.
What many would consider a con, the Island did not have many options for dinning. However, I liked that it was not commercialized and overrun with restaurants and gaudy mini-golf courses. All of that takes away from the beauty of the natural surroundings. We just had to drive about 10 minutes inland to go to the Food Lion. There were also 3 beach stores, a gas station and a gym which was all we needed.
We stayed on the North side of the island where there were only a few places to eat. There was a bar about a block from the beach, which looked to have ice cream, a few grocery items, and an outdoor bar with corn hole. (It looked like a cool place to meet people.) Next time I come into town, I am definitely hitting up that place.
The real gem of the island was Seaview Pier Restaurant. It was a local restaurant connected to a pier. It was very low-key and casual, so don’t worry about wearing your Sunday best to this place. They had just about everything, from fresh seafood to good ole Carolina BBQ with that sweet, vinegary sauce. The food was so good we had it for 4 meals in a row. The first night we ate on the back porch that overlooked the beautiful pier with a cotton-candy colored sunset. The other nights we did carry-out. Carry-out was great because we didn’t have to worry about cooking or getting ready, and could enjoy dinner in our sweatpants in the comfort of our Air Bnb. If you do decide to eat at Seaview, try their hushpuppies. They are out of this world!
I really enjoyed this vacation because we did absolutely nothing. I sat in my beach chair everyday, basking in the sun, letting the waves crash against me as I read Emily Herny’s ‘People We Meet on Vacation.’ By the end of the week, I had finished the book and had a nice bronzy tan.
Topsail Island, I will be back.