I went here with my boyfriend and his extended family - our group of 13 (ages across 3 generations)…read moreeasily spent almost 2 hours here and we golfed pretty efficiently! This course was one of the most enjoyable and scenic courses I've ever had the pleasure of playing at. Many of these holes were creative and doable as well. And during one of the holes where there's a chance your putt putt ball can fall into the water, there's a grate to catch it. The prices are pretty great, at $14/person for the first round and only $6/person for the second round (for golf at least). The only thing we could really give feedback on was that the train was broken at the time, but they were communicative with us about it and it didn't affect how much we could play. We could still easily access the upper levels of the course just fine, and even our elderly players walked up the steps and slopes fine as well. Some of the "mineshaft" looking areas were pretty warm and stuffing (just a warning!), though. Overall, it's a really enjoyable and nice place to go to with groups. It's one of the larger activity-based attractions on the island, so depending on when you go, it can get quite busy. The ambiance was lively, though, and it drizzled a bit (I like a little rain). They also had go-kart raceways and water boats, too! We'll definitely be coming back to enjoy all the activities in its entirety :)

We were a group of nine that visited Professor Hacker's Lost Treasure Golf and Raceway. Although…read morethis spot is a bit outdated, it's a good place for some family fun. We tried their go-karts, bumper boats, and 18 hole mini golf course. We go-karted first. I couldn't hear any of the instructions and had to come back to get a back seat to be able to drive better (I highly recommend getting the extra back cushion if you're on the shorter side). It's a very short course, so the laps get repetitive, but we still had fun. We tried the bumper boats next. I didn't enjoy this one as much because my boat's motor was broken and I couldn't move, so I got stuck in corners if people didn't bump me. I did enjoy spraying my family friends though. The mini-golf here is harder than it looks! We had a great time trying all the different courses. Some things felt in need of love or an update, but this didn't take away from the mini-golf experience. Overall, we had a fun evening here.

From the website: "Leisure waterfront park with benches (6),…read moreconcert stage, covered bench swings (2), covered picnic tables (2), parking, piers (8th & 9th Street), and restrooms." I stopped here before heading to work on a nice Spring day. Well maintained, pleasant place to relax for a few moments. Nice monument titled "The Carolina Sounder" and a sundial are two artistic features of the park. I found it to be a nice relaxing place with a lovely view.

A beautiful waterfront area on the sound side of Morehead City. A large grassy area with a few…read morebenches, tables, and a small concert stage area. Definitely walkable to a few waterfront restaurants to grab a bite to eat or bring to the park area for a meal with a view!

Located behind Town Hall and adjacent to Emerald Isle Parks & Recreation Community Center. Shaded…read moreareas for families to relax. Features Include: Basketball Court, Bike Rack, Fossil Pit, Gazebo, Playground (monkey bars, swings, sandbox, slide, little playhouse), Picnic Pavilion, Benches, 2 Lighted Tennis Courts, and Restrooms (with changing tables)

We came here to check out the sunset. Close to our Airbnb. Plenty of parking and wooded trails…read more Nice frisbee golf area. We walked the wheelchair accessible wooden walkway that went to the dock. Clean restrooms by the trail entrance.

Hidden gem! Kind of small, trails aren't marked, but the sound views are lovely. It has disc golf…read moreas well as nature trails.

The park is primarily a barrier island with ferry service, though there are some onshore trails…read morethrough the forest and ample picnic space while you're waiting for the boat. The ferry is reasonably cheap and does not take advance reservations. They limit capacity on the way over, but obviously this does create a situation where passengers can build up by the end of the day, to which their solution appears to be to have the last scheduled ferry service double up if need be (they had at least two boats it seemed). The island has ample uninterrupted beach, which had plenty of sea life, including a sand dollar which I would more typically see farther south. There was a modest paved walk through the island to get to the beach, passing primitive campgrounds and some bathroom facilities on stilts. During my visit, they emphasized that the water available on the island was not drinkable; apparently they had to repair facilities after a hurricane and the intent was to produce drinkable running water, but there was still some unsolved technical issue. They cautioned us in advance to bring plenty of water, and there were working fountains on the mainland. Every island is different, and in this region, most of them are settled. The next really wild one heading north is Shackleford I think, and heading south would be Masonboro (which I haven't found practical to get to). The atmosphere here is worth preserving.

Really nice park. Nice trails. Well maintained infrastructure. Top notch campground with very…read morenice bathrooms. This is a good place to check out.

Plenty of parking and free when it's off-season. Very clean indoor restrooms with one changing…read moreroom. Sheltered picnic area with grills available. Send volleyball, lots of beach during low tide. Trucks drive through the beach, but they have permits. We had a great experience there. People were very polite and respectful. We didn't hear any loud music or smell any cigarette smoke. There is a small wooden platform with an ocean view if you don't want to go into the sand.

Can't say enough how I love this beach. It has all the things that the OBX does but is way more…read moreintimate and less crowded. The town has been systematically replacing old worn out decking and railing boards with Trex-like boarding and railing which really dresses the walkway up a lot and cuts down on how hot the path gets. Kudos to Emerald Isle for their beach access cleanliness and attractiveness.

Fun for all! This is 100% geared towards kids, but Captain Spike definitely throws in some adult…read morehumor too. The trip is perfect amount of time for the kids to not get bored. Mrs Fettuccini was great and remembered every kids name. The treasure was icing on the cake - my kids loved it. Absolutely a must do when in the area.

This tour was amazing. Took the evening Ghost Float tour. It was fun exciting ghostly and had…read moregreat story's the staff was great. Definitely worth the visit.

If you are a beginner hiker or just looking for an nice walk, here is an excellent start. We walked…read morearound for a good hour and saw some beautiful views.

I wouldn't call this a pond. It is an extensive body of water. It is a good sized lake. Some…read morewaterlillies have entered it. Otherwise it is a very beautiful example of the round or oval lakes that occurred in the area and throughout the southeast in the old days. Many of them were drained leaving this lake to be important as a source of knowledge of interest. The forest surrounding the Patsy Pond Nature Trail is a joy and a wonder to behold. A section of it, however, has been seized upon by a small hunting group and each year or two they burn it out to remove the unique flora and understory plants. They do that, they claim, to open the land to deer hunting because deer, they say, like the open areas. Because the area is also part of a managed forest (where loblolly pines are encouraged to grow and planted in long rows, this idea about deer and hunting doesn't make much traction. Shooting at animals while standing (more often sitting) on a trail drinking beer is not my idea of hunting. One year I was in the area and the North Carolina Department of the Environment had a 'controlled' burn. It torched a wide area. Upon reporting the flames, which reached more than 120 feet in the air at times and emitted acrid smoke, no authorities took notice and did not question what was happening. Disappointing to say the least - however this area butts up on the Croatan National Forest and this trail skirts at its deepest point. That area is wild and has been for a long time. I recommend the Patsy Pond Nature Trail as one of the entry points to that wilderness. Bring all protective clothing with you.