Not long after the retirement party Lynn and I were wanting to get away. Somewhere relatively local so we could drive. Our dogs were getting old and we were not wanting to leave them for any long period of time. One of Lynn's work colleagues owns a house on Oak Island and also has dogs. She offered to let us stay there and bring the dogs if we would like. We took her up on the offer. We love Oak Island and had never taken the dogs there so this would be a way to enjoy a vacation without leaving them to a sitter.
We decided we would go on Tuesday, August 22nd an return on Saturday, August 26th. We got packed up and headed out by 10:00am. Oak Island is about a 4 hour drive from home so we would be there in plenty of time to enjoy an afternoon at the beach.
Darcy and Ruby were ready to roll! They love a car ride.
The next day was pretty much just time on the beach all day. There was a new restaurant we had been told we should try, Salt 64. We had reservations for that evening so after beach time we headed over there.
Salt 64 was excellent! We have sampled shrimp and grits all over the south, including New Orleans. This is it! The best! Highly recommend Salt 64 if you ever go to Oak Island.
After dinner we took the dogs out for another sunset beach walk. We were really relaxing and beginning to get used to this retirement thing. One thing about a lot of NC beaches, including Oak Island, is that the beach runs east and west. This means you can enjoy both sunrise and sunset on the same beach. We were loving the sunsets but not sure if we would be early birds for the sunrise.
Thursday morning we got the bikes out for a ride down to the coffee shop. The bikes came with the house. Good to have great friends! On the way to the coffee shop we stopped at the Oak Island Nature Center. This is a public use pier, park, and botanical garden on the Intracoastal Waterway.
After that we spent a couple of hours on the beach. Super relaxed vacation!
Later in the afternoon we did a little shopping and then went to Island Way where we had reservations for dinner. The Ocean Crest Pier is right beside Island way so after dinner we walked out on the pier for a sunset view.
The next morning we rode the bikes over to the coffee shop, and since it was a little overcast we decided to explore a little after that. We drove down to the western end of the island to check that out. The Point is the western tip where the intracoastal waterway comes together with Lockwoods Folly Inlet. It is a popular boating and fishing spot with public beach access and parking.
For the afternoon we drove over to Southport to check out the Wharf area. This is an area on the docks utilized by fishing and tour boats with shops, restaurants, and bars on the waterfront.
We stopped in at Southport Tap and Cellar for a cold beer before getting to the wharf. We had lunch at Fishy Fishy Cafe, one of our favorites.
Middleton Park is a public park a couple of blocks off of the beach in the town of Oak Island. That night there would be benefit concert. The concert was free but donations were appreciated. There were food trucks and a big crowd. The concert was a lot of fun and a good way to spend an evening.
The next day being Saturday it was time to head home. Since were not on any timeline we did our morning bike ride to the coffee shop first thing. After that it was back to the house to pack and get ready to leave. Since our friends were kind enough to let us use their house for the week at no charge we were determined to leave it better than we found it. We did a thorough cleaning, washed the linens, the whole deal. We also left them a thank you gift, a bottle of their favorite bourbon (I may have gotten into theirs), and the fridge stocked with favorite beverages. So nice to have friends willing to open their home to us!
Packed up and ready to go by 1:00pm. Looked like Ruby and Darcy were ready to get home, also.
This was a really relaxing get away. Oak Island is a laid back place with beautiful beaches and plenty of choices for accommodations. We recommend it anytime, but especially if you have a family event. It is a very family friendly Island.
"TRAVELING - it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller." lbn Batutta
Please feel free to leave a comment in the comment section below. Also, I can be reached at Rocky@Rocklyns.com should you feel the need to reach out.
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