I felt serene and accomplished that I could find this mailbox tucked away in a part of the…read morebeautiful Sunset beach just like it was featured in the Nicholas Sparks book 'Every Breath'. It was on my bucket list for 5 years and I finally made it :) The walk to the mailbox from the 40th street was surely not a short one, roughly 3 miles to & fro but was worth it every minute. I went on a chilly December morning, so wasn't surrounded by a lot of folks which I sort of liked as it gave me some alone time with my thoughts. The abundance of shells everywhere on the sand made me a child once again, making me happily collect a whole lot of them as souvenirs. Finally the mailbox - Reading through countless pages of beautifully penned words by people who were there before me, gave me an undescribable connect to them. So many emotions - happiness, grief, thankfulness, separation among others. When I think about that spot, I could still hear the sounds of the waves crashing and a light, cool breeze blowing. It's a memory I'll cherish for years to come. You need to visit it at least once in your lifetime. It is definitely something being there. Note: Parking is very tight so try going early. And, the notebooks are archived at UNCW Archives @ Wilmington. Call them to read years of previous entries.

A bit of a walk but so worth it! Nothing better than a walk on the beach all to The Kindred Spirit…read moreMailbox. There is no sign or directions....just a mailbox on beach. A neat experience. Inside the mailbox you will find notebooks where you can write your own personal message. A message of your own can be whatever you like. A must see and do in my book. Facing the Sunset Beach Pier walk right about a mile or so. Walking the beach on the right high up on dune you will see a small hill of sand leading to the mailbox and a couple benches. Keep walking! You will find it.

First POTUS and hero of the Revolutionary War, George Washington resolved to tour the United…read moreStates. Part to observe the political climate and park to instill unity in the new country. He passed through here in 1791 and this official marker recalls that event. It reads, "Washington's Southern Tour. President Washington, on April 27, 1791, was a guest at the home of William Gause, Jr., which stood four miles south." Online there is more information, "After spending two nights in Wilmington, Washington made his way toward the South Carolina line in Brunswick County. On April 27, he was a breakfast guest in the home of William Gause Jr., about ten miles from the state line. The Gause house was located near Gause's Landing on the west and sound side of Shallotte Inlet. Gause was a war veteran, having lost a leg in the Revolution, and had served in the North Carolina House of Commons in 1778." Four miles south of the marker along Ocean Isle Beach Blvd is to the Intracoastal Waterway and is likely where "Gause Landing Creek" gets its name. [Review 13990 overall, 1312 of 2020, number 2630 in North Carolina.]

Connecting the cities of North Myrtle Beach and Little River, carrying Sea Mountain Highway over…read morethe Intracoastal Waterway, the Little River Swing Bridge was built in 1935 and restored in 1980. It is a simple two-lane roadway but what's neat about this is that unlike the usual "bascule" style drawbridges that lift one or two sides like leaves, this is a swing bridge. When it opens, it twists 90 degrees to the side to allow waterway traffic to pass. Swing bridges are rare, but I managed to cross the Fort Denaud swing bridge last month in Central Florida https://www.yelp.com/biz/fort-denaud-bridge-labelle?hrid=U_pLy3N4EMHOlZebymMMLA. There are some other swing bridges in South Carolina including the Harbor River Bridge at Saint Helena Island, the Wappoo Creek Bridge and the Ben Sawyer Bridge near Charleston, the Woods Memorial Bridge in Beaufort and nearby, the Socastee Swing Bridge here in Myrtle Beach. The bridge is easy to drive over and there is no toll. If you're fortunate, you'll get to see this marvel open. [Review 19376 overall - 950 in South Carolina - 346 of 2023.]

Saw the viewing platform and water nearby, so turned over. Within an hour saw Spoonbills, White…read moreIbis, Wood Storks, and more! A great place to get away and enjoy Nature!! Even saw some turtles!

Beautiful views along the water. There's a lot of parking along highway 17, some paid lots, and…read morefree lots of you're eating at that restaurant. Holiday time the restaurants are decked out in colorful lights with a holiday tree set up at the end of the dock. Can book a sunset cruise boat ride or pirate ship ride. Flat, paved or deck - wheelchair and stroller accessible.

The space is much written about. It amounts to a boardwalk into the marsh and along the water's…read moreedge, along which various boat launches and restaurants are evident. The marsh is characteristically majestic. The businesses aren't much. It's always nice to get a bit of that fresh sea air, but compared to, say, the similar Shem Creek boardwalk in the Charleston suburbs, this one is nothing to write home about. Parking was a tad confusing but out on the street appeared to be free. I'm sure that eating on the water is nice, but food options are better elsewhere in my experience.

This was an amazing free WWII with a 9/11 memorial!! There wasn't a lot of parking but there is an…read moreempty lot next to it with a bathroom (was locked). You can even watch planes and helicopters from the airport take off. There was a lot of history and information here! Definitely worth a stop if in the area!

What a beautiful tribute to the men & women who have served our country and a great opportunity to…read morelearn about their service in a beautiful park setting. Everyone's comments have been very accurate. We enjoyed learning and seeing the 'nose art'. The WWII section was very well done with clear photographic images of that time. Do yourself a favor and take some time to honor those who sacrifice for our freedom.

The USS Battleship in North Carolina is one of the largest & iconic attractions of Wilmington,…read moreNorth Carolina. It went beyond my greatest expectations and was quite a workout in the middle of July. We chose to go on the self guided tour, so we could explore at our own pace. History of the battleship: The Battleship NORTH CAROLINA participated in every major naval offensive in the Pacific theater of operations during World War II, earning 15 battle stars. This authentically restored National Historic Landmark proudly serves as her State's World War II Memorial to the 11,000+ North Carolinians who made the ultimate sacrifice.- (Source: https://battleshipnc.com) One of the highlights of visiting this battleship is that your ticket for the self guided tour allows you to leave and re-enter the battleship on the day you bought it (from 8 AM to 5 PM). Military discount is $10 an adult person - must have military ID. We spent about 3 or more hours exploring the ship and it was quite an exercise workout going up and down the stairs in the ship on a hot day. There are 9 levels to explore on the battleship. We were not able to finish exploring all the levels due to being exhausted by the heat and getting dehydrated. There are areas you can sit and take a break in the ship fortunately. We took a few breaks but not enough. There are some fans inside the ship yet not many. The battleship has a wealth of information to read at the entrance area and inside the ship at every area. It felt like going inside narrow passage ways in a labyrinth walking through the ship. They displayed information of life inside the ship - a floating home away from for thousands of men living there. If you love military naval history or have a curious mind open to seeing & learning a wide variety of information & history, you will find this battleship fascinating. The shops inside the ship, post office, dining & recreational areas, officer living quarters, pharmacy , and kitchens were fascinating to me. The view of the battleship is very impressive as well. I can only imagine what this battleship was like many years ago especially when the only communication people on the battleship could receive from loved ones was through mail coming into the post office on the ship. I should have brought water and take more rest & hydration breaks at the battleship. It gets really hot during summer and very cold in the winter. It was too exhausting to keep going past three hours on the ship in one day . Overall, I loved visiting the battleship and a little shocked at how difficult it must be living on that ship with thousands of people on it. Looking forward to visiting this battleship again in the future.

Come see the history and beauty while walking on, around, and within the halls of the USS North…read moreCarolina. These ships have typical tight spaces and steep ladders for those who have difficulties involving such movements. Plenty to see. Nice gift shop on grounds and friendly greeters at the door to welcome you on board. All photography shown were uploaded also to Instagram: @3spade7star_photography and Facebook ThreeSpade SevenStar

This site had escaped my notice on numerous visits to the area, but I found a reason to stop in…read more The weather was rainy, but it actually wasn't the worst decision to visit, as rain without wind was reasonably manageable with an umbrella and the precipitation was effective in suppressing the bugs and heat that I would have otherwise experienced. There were no alligators in sight though, so what I got out of it was a historical visit. And I have to say, it's an impressive historical site. It has both a colonial and a Civil War history. One distinction I find hard to explain is that I don't hear a ton about pre-Revolution America in a lot of places I visit in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, but the Carolinas emphasize this period a lot more in their sites. This place has a museum, which includes such artifacts as a confederate flag that was apparently presented to Abraham Lincoln as a trophy of Union victory, leading to some interesting turns in history. The outdoor experiences include a walk through some excavated ruins and around the old earthen fort, as well as a nature trail. Notably, a memorial to the Africans who were brought to the area was affecting. For those visiting the area from afar, North Carolina does not charge for entrance to state park sites, unlike most other states. The location is not terribly far in absolute driving time from Wilmington, but it will transport you to another time.

Beautiful grounds, with very interesting ruins. The staff is also very friendly and helpful. We…read moreloved all of the fox squirrels!

Absolutely beautiful area and well worth the visit…read more We took a drive out to Conway yesterday. It's truly an Americana town with so much history dating as far back to the 1732 British settlement. We took a lovely stroll on the Riverwalk and soaked in the scenery. Saw many different types of boats coming thru on the water as the trailhead is right there. Boaters can even dock, do lunch or simply just walk around town. Few people were fishing, and many families were enjoying the fully fenced in playground. A local hot spot right on the edge of the riverwalk is a place called Chanti's Pizza, it's a popular local restaurant that caters to many homeowners, as well as great reviews by numerous visitors that come to town too! Would be a perfect place to dine if spending some time here and wanting to have lunch or dinner on the water. It's truly an iconic boardwalk trail (approximately 1.5-mile of a scenic pathway) along Waccamaw River that goes under the US-501 bridge and over some extremely old railroad tracks. Stunning views of the river and an abundance of Spanish moss draping the trees. Definitely a must do if you are near this community or while traveling on vacation just as we were.

Highly recommend adding Conway downtown and the riverwalk to your local holiday sightseeing…read moreentertainment after sunset. Some light exhibitions have music to add to the ambiance. There's plenty of parking on the side streets and parking lot. Check out the official Conway town website for the most updated information of events starting in December - tree lighting, caroling, shows in the theater. 20-30 minutes from Myrtle Beach. Best of all, it's free. In October, definitely come back for the Halloween town when the trees are decorated with hanging pumpkins and there are spooky displays everywhere. The calendar features events like movie nights, food trucks, and the scare factory.