Travel & Lifestyle Blog

Things to do in Southport, NC

Small Town Series – North Carolina

There are many unique small towns across the United States. Many times we just drive right through them on our way to a bigger city or attraction. In this series, I will highlight small towns from each state. We have found that if you take the time to stop, shop, and eat in these towns, you will be pleasantly surprised! Small towns are usually “hidden gems” among the big, bustling cities.

Southport

The town of Southport is located on the coast of North Carolina, about 32 miles south of the city of Wilmington, North Carolina. This is a charming little town with a population of about 3800, located near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Southport’s beauty has made it a perfect location for many movies and TV shows; Dawson’s Creek, Under the Dome, Revenge, I know what you did last summer, Nights in Rodanthe, and more! It’s also famous for its Fourth of July festival which attracts between 40,000 and 50,000 visitors annually.

History

During the 18th century, British settlements along the Carolina coast were prone to attacks by pirates and were unable to defend themselves. In 1744, the Governor appointed a committee to look into building a fort to defend this region by the Cape Fear River. In 1748 the fort was finally built and named, “Fort Johnston”. The town developed around Fort Johnston. It was named Smithville, after Benjamin Smith, a colonel in the continental army during the Revolutionary War and later Governor of North Carolina. The town grew as a fishing village and was renamed Southport in 1887 to promote it as a major shipping port.

…

Things to do in Southport, NCRead More »

Things to do in Southport, NC Read More »

Things to do in Murphy, NC

28 Comments / Travel / Cathy

Small Town Series – North Carolina

There are many unique small towns across the United States. Many times we just drive right through them on our way to a bigger city or attraction. In this series, I will highlight small towns from each state. I am starting with the state I live in, North Carolina. We have found that if you take the time to stop, shop, and eat in these towns, you will be pleasantly surprised! Small towns are usually “hidden gems” among the big, bustling cities.

Murphy, NC

The town of Murphy is located in the Southwestern corner of North Carolina almost to the Georgia line. The town’s population is about 1700. Murphy is in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains(Blue Ridge Mountains) and is near the Valley & Hiwassee rivers. It’s a very cute little town with a beautiful downtown. The flowers and landscaping around the downtown buildings are wonderful! The town is so inviting, and the people are very friendly. It might be a great place to retire someday! We have not stayed in this town but we did do some exploring and ate at a great restaurant! We also would love to bring our camper to this area, with the mountains in the background, and the bubbling streams and rivers. It would be an ideal place to camp.

History

Murphy is an old town that dates back to the 1830s. It was named for a North Carolina politician, Archibald Murphey. The first Trading post was established in 1828, to trade with the Cherokee people, Early Settlers, and U.S. Army Soldiers(from nearby Fort Butler). Note: The site of Murphy along the Hiwassee River was known to the Cherokee people as Tlanusi-yi (the Leech Place), because of the legend of a giant leech called Tlanusi that lived in the river.

In 1836, the Cherokee people were removed and held in Fort Butler. This is known as the Trail of Tears, this is a very sad part of the history in this area. The Native Americans were forcibly removed from their ancestral homelands. Fort Butler is no longer a structure but the site can be visited with historical markers to read.

Hotels in Murphy

Stonebrook Lodge
Sunset Motel
Days Inn by Windham
Murphy Motel
Best Western of Murphy
Hampton Inn
Holiday Inn Express & Suites

…

Things to do in Murphy, NCRead More »

Things to do in Murphy, NC Read More »

Cruising from Charleston

14 Comments / Travel / Cathy

The first time I was on a cruise ship was for my honeymoon. We live in North Carolina and chose the port closest to home with Carnival Cruise Lines which was the Port of Charleston, SC. It’s about a 5-hour drive from our home. The main reason we chose Carnival Cruise Lines was because of cost and convenience. Carnival has many, many cruises to choose from all around the United States! Currently, you can choose from 26 ships(worldwide). The size of the ship is a personal choice, you may want a smaller ship like the Fantasy(855 ft long with 2056 passengers) or a monster ship like the Panorama(1055 ft long with 5146 passengers).

NOTE: Due to Coronavirus, and the loss of revenue, Carnival Corporation will be selling or scrapping 18 ships worldwide(Fantasy is one ship that has already been scrapped). See below for some updated information on the new cruise procedures.

Carnival ship Fantasy — Carnival Fantasy

Carnival Cruise Lines has many US ports to choose from;

West coast

Seattle, WA
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
Long Beach(Los Angeles), CA

Gulf coast

Galveston, TX
New Orleans, LA
Mobile, AL
Tampa, FL

East coast

New York, NY
Baltimore, MD
Norfolk, VA
Charleston, SC
Jacksonville, FL
Port Canaveral(Orlando), FL
Miami, FL

Boarding the ship

My new husband had cruised many times before but it was the first time for me. The ship looked Huge to me, it was the Carnival Fantasy(855 feet long). I was terrified at first as we walked the plank to board the ship! How was I going to like being stuck on the ocean for 6 days! What if I got seasick? What if our room was so small that I was claustrophobic! So many thoughts…

We boarded early and took a look around. It didn’t take long for my fears to be replaced with excitement! This ship was Huge, but also Awesome! The main pool area was great with 2 hot tubs. There was also an adult-only retreat with its own pool and hot tubs. Our room was perfect! It was on the main deck(I think deck 7-Empress) and it had a window with an ocean view. I was surprised by the size, it wasn’t as small as I thought it would be. We had a king-size bed, a desk, TV, couch, and a bathroom with a shower. Our bags had already been delivered to our room.

…

Cruising from CharlestonRead More »

Cruising from Charleston Read More »

Things to do in Door County in October

26 Comments / Travel / Cathy

Door County is the largest county in Wisconsin and the most beautiful(in my opinion). On the map, Door County is the little finger(peninsula) that jets up into Lake Michigan on the Northeast part of the state.

I don’t think people consider Wisconsin when they are planning their next vacation or getaway. But, I think they should! It’s a great place to visit any time of year, but in the Fall, Wisconsin is spectacular!

Fall colors can be found around every curve! Door County runs from the city of Sturgeon Bay to Gill’s Rock, and onto Washington Island. You will find a series of quaint small towns with names like; Egg Harbor, Ephraim, Baileys Harbor, and Fish Creek. The peninsula of Door County has Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other.

Fall Colors & Festivals

The northern location of Wisconsin makes it a great place to see Fall colors! The state loves its festivals too! In Fall, you can find a festival every weekend!

Here are a few in Door County, Wisc.;

Sister Bay Fall Fest, Sister Bay
Lighthouse Festival, Sturgeon Bay
Pumpkin patch festival, Egg Harbor
Falltober Fest, Fish Creek
Fall Art Crawl, Ellison Bay

Maybe you would like to drive along curvy Hwy 42 which leads to Gills Rock and the Washington Island Ferry.

Door County is a good place to start, but you will find great Fall activities throughout the state.

Zoo Boo, Green Bay, Wisc.

Zoo Boo is an event held in October at the N.E.W. Zoo & Adventure Park in Green Bay. The zoo will be decorated for Halloween, so you can enjoy the sights while you visit the animals. Children can ride the carousel and walk through Happy Haunted Maze. Children should come in costume for trick or treating. Refreshments will be sold on-site.

Apple picking

apples on the tree — Apples ready for picking

Wisconsin is full of great apple orchards. In fact, there are over 300 orchards in the state of Wisconsin! Many varieties of apples are in season until late October; Gala, Jonathan, and Cortland just to name a few. Apple picking is a great family activity, and you can go home with a wonderful treat! Some of the orchards also have pumpkin patches, petting zoos, and hayrides. You will find orchards throughout Wisconsin. From the Southern part of the state to the Northwestern part, and back to Northeastern Wisconsin.

There’s even apple picking in Door County! Here are a few great orchards:

Appleberry Farm, Cross Plains
Apple Valley Orchard, De Pere
Hofacker’s Hillside Orchard, Appleton
Appledore Woods Berry Farm, Eau Claire
Orchard County Winery & Market, Fish Creek-Door County
Wood Orchard Market, Egg Harbor-Door County

If you would like to receive our Newsletters directly to your inbox, please subscribe HERE and come along on our adventures!

…

Things to do in Door County in OctoberRead More »

Things to do in Door County in October Read More »