Topsail, North Carolina

Well it's that time again--summer vacation! The weather is hot and the kids are out of school and if they're anything like my kids, they are bored and looking at you Mom's and Dad's to keep them busy! Like most families summer vacations mean heading to overpopulated, littered, and hectic beaches. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing and a time to unwind, not another stress! My family loves the beach but finds that many beaches in our area are just way too crowded for us since we have small children.

We happened to find the perfect beach spot a few years ago that embraces what vacations are supposed to be about. Topsail Island in North Carolina is the beach to go to if you are looking for a great beach experience without the crowds of people and miles of littered shoreline. Topsail Island is a 26 mile barrier island that has three small towns in it; Surf City, North Topsail Beach, and Topsail Beach. The island has plenty of accommodations for every lifestyle ranging from campgrounds, vacation rentals, motels, even a bed and breakfast. There is plenty of breathing room when you head to the shore.

My family spent almost every day of our vacation in the sand and surf and the nearest families were a good 30-50 feet away on either side so you don't feel like you are in someone else's lap the whole day. If you want to take a break from the beach there are plenty of activities that are fun for the whole family.

On Topsail Beach if you are looking for something educational but still fun for everyone be sure to check out the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. Here you can meet some of their "patients" and learn how they are fighting the extinction of a great species. Also, when you go home you can go to their website and keep track of how your favorite turtle patient is doing as they constantly update their website with news on how they are recovering. Also another neat feature is turtle tracking. Some of their released turtles are outfitted with satellite transmitters and through the website you can see everywhere your turtle has been. It's a great place to visit and you can still be involved from home!

Other great activities for any age are the Battleship North Carolina located in Wilmington, Ecological Marine Adventures, Surf City Ocean Pier, and The Belle Of Topsail just to name a few. So no matter what type of vacation you are looking for whether it be relaxing or action packed Topsail Island is the place to be this summer!

Happy Travels!


http://www.topsailcoc.com/index.aspx