Surf City Surf School

(22 reviews)

21.9 mi

Amazing! One of my favorite activities this week, this summer... this life! Our family of 4…read more(kids = 11 & 13) showed up at 8a for our 8:15 lesson. Chris and Evan were our instructors. I cannot imagine it going any better. My first run, I did on my knees. Next, I was standing up. I ended up coming in and watching my family. My kids were standing up and looking so comfortable on the board. This was an amazing adventure - the small class size of 2 people to 1 instructor is dead on perfect! Check this out and have fun!

Sean was amazing and so personable with my 10 year old daughter trying surfing for the first time…read more We had a blast, and he more than went out of his way to make sure our experience was as good as possible. Even in less than optimal weather (rain and 40's) we had so much fun that we never noticed the weather. Would highly recommend!

My daughter - first lesson ever

Practicing their stance

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My son - first time surfing

Topsail Surf & Cycle

(5 reviews)

6.3 mi

We were able to make the reservation and payment online through the website. They delivered the…read morebikes to our house next morning and picked them up when we were finished! If you are visiting Topsail, the best way to tour. The island is on an electric bike and these guys will give you amazing customers service.!

GREAT bike store!!! They are very knowledgeable and helpful! Ed is a very capable and…read moreknowledgeable mechanic. I brought my ebike in, under a warranty repair. They were very accommodating, professional and courteous. They were able to diagnose the problem, order the part and have my bike back on the road in a timely manner! They are also very knowledgeable about various mountain bike trails. What a great experience! I highly recommend this store for all of your biking needs! Thank you Lou and Ed!! Lynne

Our logo

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Tony Silvagni Surf School

(55 reviews)

33.8 mi

I've known Tony many years, so he was my first choice in helping me recently with a stand-up paddle…read moreboard. He talked to me about options, gave advice, and recommended what would be the best fit to make some memories on the water! He is honest, caring, and hardworking to help deliver the best experience for you on Pleasure Island. If you are visiting, or live in the area, he can help tailor your rentals. From relaxing on the beach (chairs & umbrellas), to making your stay more enjoyable off of it (bike rentals to cruise the boardwalk!)-he has it all. Tony has a wealth of knowledge as a local for must-do's on your trip; Not only that, who better to get surf lessons from than a pro long boarder? If you are coming to Carolina Beach, Tony and his crew can help you out with what you need to have a great day at the beach and beyond!

Professional beach chairs and umbrellas rental place. They set the beach chairs and umbrellas for…read moreus. The crew is very attentive and courteous. Friendly, good prices clean. Highly recommended!

Dog friendly beach up to 9am

Chairs rental

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EI Surf Lessons

(7 reviews)

32.9 mi

100% wonderful experience. My 12 year old took 2 lessons during our vacation week and had a blast…read more Her instructor Jill was super supportive, kind, and patient. She spent the whole time in the water keeping watch, but also gave my daughter the chance to catch waves on her own as soon as she was able. She loved it and we are looking forward to going back next summer, maybe even for a camp! Owners made sure our request for a female instructor was honored and were very responsive regarding any questions we had. DEFINITELY RECOMMEND.

Caleb was great! Attentive, patient, encouraging. Such a fun group lesson with me and my husband.read more

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Topsail

(2 reviews)

23.8 mi

These guys are the absolute best. We had six kids taking private lessons. The ocean conditions…read morewere rough and choppy but these guys got all six kids surfing despite the conditions. It was like they had been surfing for years. Topsail Surf Adventures is worth every penny. Don't miss out on this experience and specifically these instructors. We will be doing this again next year.

You will not find a better group than this for teaching kids how to surf! We booked with Jimmy and…read moreTyler and I will book again! Our son his fried and my husband had an incredible time with them Friday May 21st 2021. We enjoyed it way more than anything and we are all about the experiences - as our child was not meant to see birth nor a first birthday so we try hard to make sure his life is filled with these opportunities and fun! The rate they charge is super affordable (in fact I think they are under charging- so tip well). We will be back and use them again and again. In fact we have already booked them again for the last day of our trip!

Get your group together and have some fun! Perfect for families and corporate outings!

Surf Lessons in Surf City, Wrightsville Beach and Figure Eight Island.

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Learn from our pros! Our program has proven that we can teach all abilities.

50 South Surf Shop

4.9

(19 reviews)

0.2 mi

Friendly staff and some cool stuff inside. Not like the touristy beach shops. Glad to support local…read morebusinesses in my area

Great service, super knowledgeable. Purchases a wetsuit for our son and a paddle board. Great…read moreexperience and will be back again when we need more stuff to maximize the summer season!

They have more than clothes. Gear, rentals, and keepsakes.

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Town of Surf City

(4 reviews)

0.1 mi

There is nothing better to be in a resort town during off season. This month, I spent a week in…read moreSurf City, North Carolina. This time of year the town is fairly quiet, especially during the week. Parking was free for off season (saving us $30/day downtown). There was no wait at the restaurants (who were also running specials to attract customers). Surf City is near the center of Topsail Island. The beach side borders the Atlantic Ocean and the west side is bordered by inner coastal waterway. A large bridge connects the mainland to Surf City. The Island has an interesting history. From 1946-48, the Island was used by the US government to test missile trajectory. Abandoned observation towers are scattered across the island. The Island was devastated by Hurricane Fran in 1996. Today, draws to the island include fishing, surfing, kayaking, boating, biking, swimming, beach combing, visiting the parks, small aquarium or numerous shops. We started our vacation with a trip to the Visitors Center to get the low down and a map. The Surf City Pier is a must see. For $1, a visitor can walk out on the pier and watch the locals fish and take in the views. We enjoyed spending time on the beach. We had several days that were warm enough to swim, but we enjoyed just walking for miles up and down Topsail Island. We also enjoyed Southside Park with boardwalks over the marsh and fabulous views of the bridge connecting to the mainland. Everyday, we visited the Seafood Market. The fresh seafood was unbelievably good and some was local. As for restaurants, we found donuts, bagels, seafood, tacos, hotdogs, Mediterranean food and breakfast options. People are friendly. I highly recommend. I'll be back.

We stayed in Topsail Beach but Surf City was the place to go to eat, shop, etc. Our off-season…read morevisit meant many places were closed or had shorter hours. But we found plenty of restaurants, a few gift shops, the grocery store, and more. Enough to keep us fed and entertained. The pier is open during the day. There are a few parks. In summer you can go to the turtle rescue center, and I think there's a museum. There's a long history in the area, from natives and pirates to WW2 training to post-war missile testing. The roundabout is pretty much the center of the business/entertainment district, with shops and restaurants. Several ice cream and candy places. Houses spread out from there, north and south. Explore and enjoy. Off-season there is still a little traffic, probably crowded in summer so drive carefully.

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On Shore Surf Shop

Five stars for customer service and pricing. Mistakingly made the decision to head down to Surf…read moreCity on the weekend, meeting unexpected traffic...30 minutes to go 2 miles traffic. If i were in San Diego or pulling into Haleiwa it's understandable...but Surf City? North Carolina? I was near insanity, but too close to the shop to turn around. With the infuriating anger building I decided they had one chance to get my business. And it was slim. And what happened? Great, comfortable, friendly customer service. No pressure sales. Two days later and I'm back ordering a board from them. It's a nice little shop with pretty much everything you would need. Be sure to check out the consignment section...saw a cosmetically beat but great condition Hawaii Pro Designs longboard sitting in the back, in addition to a variety of short boards in varying conditions with varying prices. George is awesome. Send him your business. I've stopped into most other "shops" in the area and been brushed off, leaving me feeling like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman (minus the prostitution). Lesson to other shops in the area...don't judge a book by its cover - you just missed out on $2k in sales this time around (not to mention future business), as I'll never go back to your establishments.

Amazing-- On Shore surf lessons! George and Ariana (sp?) were great with beginners. So easy to work…read morewith and very mindful while providing the best experience. Thank you! We will return. Highly recommend.

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Marsh's Surf Shop

3.0

(2 reviews)

49.9 mi

Noisy, dirty, and darn near impossible to get a salesperson's attention. It wasn't even that busy…read more Guess there were better things going on on their phones than in the store.

Super cool family owned surf shop. Folks are friendly and have great local knowledge. Rated number…read more1 local surf store for a reason. Plenty of selection at this surf store by the bridge.

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Surf City Ocean Pier

Surf City holds a special place in my heart thanks to childhood nostalgia, the site of many a…read morefamily vacation filled with wonderful memories. The original pier and Barnacle Bills were lost to a hurricane, and it's much more developed than it was when I was a kid, but the soul remains.

The pier at Surf City offers way more than just amazing ocean and shore views. The 937 feet pier…read morehosts hunderds of avid fisherman each day. For only $1, I was able to walk the pier and watch several fish being pulled from the ocean. The complex consists of a bait/fishing shop, gift shop and small grill serving breakfast sandwiches and hot dogs and the pier. The staff in the shop are friendly and prices to rent a fishing pole are reasonable, but you need to bring your own gear. It costs only $12 to rent a pole and fish for 24 hours and the pier is open 24/7. I walked out on the pier and was mesmerized watching the people with their poles. I saw a ray and blue pulled in and released. The people were friendly in a Southern charm way. The views from the pier are lovely. I would like to return for sunset photos. The pier has fish cleaning stations and benches to sit. A lot of birds hang out hoping for some fish. Worth a visit if you love the ocean and fishing.

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Surf City Public Beach Access 18

4.7

(3 reviews)

0.1 mi

We parked in a paid lot about 1 minute walk from this beach access…read more This is close to the pier. Sand was clean and soft! There's a shower to clean off the sand at this access.

Outdoor showers are nice, and plenty of parking nearby. Also a beautiful beach and nice beach town…read moreatmosphere around it.

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The Gym Cape Carteret Aquatic & Wellness

4.1

(28 reviews)

33.4 mi

Front desk definitely needs training. No one knows how to sign up Renew Active clients. The website…read moreclearly shows Renew Active can enroll at the gym, with a 9 digit number (vs a 16 digit for the Silver Sneakers option) yet the front desk employees insisted I HAD TO HAVE a 16 digit number, so I guess I'll be choosing a different gym til they can figure it out. The "eligibility checker" they use goes directly to Silver Sneakers (a totally different program). If you have Renew Active don't bother trying.

A measure of grace for the day; I returned to the pool after almost 16 years, was warmly greeted…read more(...by name- WOW )- the lady at the front desk was very kind. She re-oriented me with the facility since it had been so long. Just like with a bike, once you learn how-you can get right back to it! I was so thankful when this pool/gym was built so close to home, and it felt so good to be back! Thank you for your hospitality!!!

You can do anything at The GYM Cape Carteret

Turkey Trot at the GYM Cape Carteret on Thanksgiving Day

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Be Stronger Than Your Excuses

Desperado Trail Rides

(19 reviews)

13.9 mi

Fantastic horse farm. I took my girlfriend there for her birthday, and neither of us had ridden in…read moreover ten years. Chris (owner) did an amazing job of quickly familiarizing us with a horse, getting us in the saddle, and leading us through a beautiful trail ride full of great instruction. The barn and grounds were in great condition, you can tell that Desperado Farm truly cares for their horses and customers. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, very easy to talk to and real masters in their trade. They were also very flexible with scheduling and payment, working around the weather and my own personal schedule. Great spot, great time, and great people. Highly recommend.

Had a great ride on Savannah the goodest girl. She was very well trained. Beautiful views on this…read moreride lead by Chris who was awesome. He really accommodates your experience based on your preference - not your typical trail ride. Would highly recommend and will be coming back the next time I am in town. Thanks Chris!

My girlfriend and I riding on Sundance(left) and Savannah(right).

Skylar and Sundance!

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Desperado Horse Farm

Chalmers Pool

4.0

(10 reviews)

88.9 mi

This is the absolute worse pool for anyone that has any strength issues. I know a lot of…read moregrandparents take their grandkids swimming in the summer. This pool doesn't have regular ladders to get out of water. The steps are built into the wall, too far apart, very hard to maneuver, my shins got totally bruised after trying to climb my way out. Someone told me that on Tuesdays they bring out a regular ladder ‍, only Tuesdays! Very strange!

I visited this pool 7 years ago and when back in the area visited again. My 5 star review still…read moreholds! The kiddie pool was large and had some fun water features. There are plenty of chairs. The only thing I would wish for is a little more shade but it made me get in the Water more to cool off. The staff was friendly.

Came back about 8 years later while in town. Stiff a great place !

Family time at the pool.

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Can get full early on a HOT day.

Salty Pirate Water Park

4.2

(36 reviews)

32.2 mi

Family fun amazing staff and always giving you the special attention. No doubt awesome places!read more

Their tube slides are extremely dangerous. My youngest hit his head multiple times on the yellow…read moreslide. The other slides are made from concrete and scraped my children's toes. There's little to no shade and seating for parents. The park is tiny and always packed with little kids so trust me if you're looking to relax look somewhere else. These slides are not safe and not well built to not bring your children to these death traps.

Concrete slides (times 3!)

Kiddie pool

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2 lifeguards stationed here at all times!

Wrightsville Beach Park

(6 reviews)

20.9 mi

This is our favorite park because of the amazing playground--it's great for all ages. They recently…read moreredid the soft, rubbery ground under the equipment, which is so nice and safer for kiddos. The park is clean and well-maintained. They also host fun community events like outdoor movies, concerts and Easter egg hunts, which we love! There are also tennis and pickle ball courts, basketball and fields.

Stay at Wrightsville Beach every year. The park is a real jewel, always visit when we vacation…read morethere!