Such a great playground for kids of all ages! I love the foam padding instead of sand or wood…read morechips! It's spaced out while still being close enough to watch everyone. When we visited, the splash pad wasn't opened yet, but my son (14 months old) adored this area of the playground! I couldn't recommend this enough!!

This park is wonderful. We were there on a very hot day and the only suggestion would be for a…read morelighter colored turf. The whole place is covered in a rubber like substance which is great for falls but it was red and black in some places and blue and black. Outside of the water area the flooring was way to hot for our toddlers bare feet. We had to be very careful when moving from the water area to the dry areas. But wow is this a cool park. Lots to do with a wide age group.

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)

The landscape was beautiful and the trails were clearly marked. I was there by myself and felt very…read moresafe. If you're ever looking for a nice quiet place to go for a nature hike, this is your spot.

This lovey trail is part of Croatan National Forest. It's free, and there's a small parking lot…read morewith a restroom at the trailhead. I visited on a warm weekday afternoon between Christmas and New Years and saw only a few other folks out on the trail. There's a big loop that's about 1.5 miles, or you could do a shorter loop. The trail is mostly shaded and quite flat, making it an easy stroll and accessible for kids (including strollers) and people who need low intensity hikes; there are many benches along the way. Many parts are wooden bridges out over the marshland; at the right time of day you can see fiddler crabs in the water. (If it's recently rained, don't go at high tide; parts of the trail may be wet or muddy!) You'll find a really nice variety of trees and micro climates- the grasses and small trees in the marsh land are quite different from the hardwood forests and pines just a few feet further inland. This trail would be especially lovely at sunrise or sunset. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the Emerald Isle/Swansboro area!

Flanders Beach has been shut down since Hurricane Florence, so don't get hopeful and think you can…read moreget to the water from this location. It is all blocked off. There is really nothing else to do at this site. I'm

Love this place and was saddened by all the damage Hurricane Florence did in late 2018. The good…read morenews is that the east side trails are open! I just hiked several of them and it appears there has been much work done to clear the trails of debris and add a top layer above the major trails for mountain bikes. I don't think most people know it is back open because the official government websites still list Flanner's Beach as closed. There are several wooden fences that were put up to prevent access to this area and the western trails. In fact, the entire parking lot is gated closed with "No Entry" signs posted everywhere. Although the camping area and circular hard-surface paths are open, access to the river-side trails is also blocked. I had to park at the small lot just south of where the county property ends. There are a few other places to park prior to there that will allow access to trails further away from the river. I'm hoping the western trails will open, but for now am grateful for whoever did the work to open the eastern side - thank you!

Again I can say this park is for all humans and beautiful animals. But as of yesterday like I…read morepredicted there was animal attack I don't know the full story yet, but they have a training dog school ppl with big dogs and the trainers are not logical trainers. Dogs need there space not to be in the middle of an active field with small dogs, ppl, children. That's a bad connection. The trainers bring dogs that have no control of their senses to a family park in an open space. Park department should not allow this. My dad trained German shepherd , Doberman and he trained them indoor until they were well trained and obedience. If they continue to get complains the park department may listen. I don't know why they are not investigating yet. I would hate to have find another park for my pup because of safety.

Beautiful clean concrete sidewalks Kids park with swings…read moreWater fountain near park Amphitheater

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!

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.

This is a tract of woodland facing the sound (not the ocean). Parking is free, and there is a bit…read moreof a walk but there are facilities, not just bathrooms but a boat launch. There is also a frisbee golf course. The space is not huge, but there are some interesting sights to be had and it is free. There are some fairly flat boardwalks but also trails which run over hills about as high as you're likely to see on this island.

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.

FAVORITE PLACE HERE. We spent hours finding the most amazing shells. The water is crystal clear and…read morethe wanes aren't bad at all. I would come back in a heart beat.

We had so much fun on Shackleford Island. We saw so many horses, found a lot of cool shells, and…read morethe beach was beautiful. It's about a 30 minute ferry ride from Beaufort. There is a restroom but NO amenities or food available for purchase. Bring everything you need with you. Once we arrived, there was a tour guide but it wasn't much of a tour. She walked us to the other side of the island to show us two horses on the beach and then walked all the way back to where we started to show us where to find the best shells. Her "tour" lasted about 30 minutes. We did most of the exploring on our own and that's when we found the majority of the horses. As long as you aren't looking for a super guided tour, this is a great day trip!

**RV SITE REVIEW** A…read morecouple weeks back me and my dad camped for one night at Goose Creek State Park, and we stayed at RV site #20. This RV site was fantastic. All of the sites were flat (which is what you want), and offered plenty of privacy (The sites were very spacious from one another). All RV sites consist of 30 and 50 amp hookups, as well as a connection to fresh water, and a sewage pipe. The bath house was new and clean. It was modern on the inside, offered hot water (even in 20 degrees), and was well taken care of. The camp host does a great job at taking care of this site. I would highly recommend that you stay/visit Goose Creek when you can. It is a great hidden spot that offers a wide array of trails and activities.

This was a beautiful little park with a small beach and lots of beautiful walking trails. Also pet…read morefriendly.