Put your butt on the beach, toes in the sand, facing ocean, listening to the waves and sea gulls, get into the ocean (water temps are warm May - Sept), walking on the beach, day or night, biking, star gazing, laying in the hammock under the house, chilaxing whatever way works for you.   

Not an easy climb but well worth the view! Reservations are required at least 2 weeks in advance of when you'd like to make the climb, and on Wednesdays and Saturdays 10am - 2pm you can get an informational tour of the lighthouse that includes access to the second level of the tower only.Tour Information

Female turtles (mostly loggerheads) that were born on Oak Island's beaches return to lay their eggs/nest at night, so keep an eye out for these huge creatures.  You may be lucky enough to see a nest "boil" and hundreds of tiny hatchings scurry to ocean. 

Just a 6 blocks east of our house on Dolphin Drive and SE 46th Street, every Monday morning. Great place to buy local produce, honey, sweets and crafts. Visit their website for details.

Check out the activities sponsored at the OKI Recreation Center, 3300 East Oak Island Drive.  For a nominal fee you can rent kayaks and canoes, use the weight lifting facility, drop in/participate in various exercise classes, there’s information on sea turtle nesting sites on the beach, and other activities. Website

Just across the bridge on the mainland, walkable/ bike-able small town with history, local shops and a wonderful Maritime Museum.  

For a nominal fee, drive onto the Ferry for a pleasant 20-minute ride up the Cape Fear River to the NC Aquarium and Ft. Fisher state historical site.  

Just 45 minutes north of Oak Island is the port city of Wilmington, complete with a riverwalk and the Battleship North Carolina. 

Just a little over an hour south of Oak Island is where no child could every be bored, Myrtle Beach, SC.