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Visit the Old Brunswick Town State Historic Site/Fort Anderson

The Old Brunswick Town State Historic Site/Fort Anderson in Southport marks the first permanent European settlement located between Charleston and New Bern that was successful. Founded in 1726, Brunswick endured attacks from both Spain and Britain, and Fort Anderson was built in 1862 to help defend Wilmington. Today, visitors can still see Fort Anderson, whose earthworks are completely intact. The site is open year-round from Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is free, and the site also has a visitor center, gift shop, research library, and more. For more information, contact the Old Brunswick Town State Historic Site/Fort Anderson at (910) 371-6613.

Get a Unique Nautical Souvenir from Cape Fear Jewelers

Many women enjoy getting a piece of jewelry from the area to act as their souvenir, so after they are not on vacation anymore they can always be reminded of their fun vacation times. If you want to get a jewelry souvenir that will remind you of Brunswick County, Cape Fear Jewelers has just what you are looking for! Located in Southport, Cape Fear Jewelers has a variety of 14-carat gold nautical jewelry. They also have a selection of other jewelry, including diamonds, gemstones, silver, and more. One of their unique nautical pieces will make the perfect souvenir for you! For more information, contact Cape Fear Jewelers at (910) 457-5299.

Participate in an Area Walking or Jogging Race

If you are an athlete who enjoys taking running to a competitive level, you may enjoy competing in an area Brunswick County race. The Annual Oak Island Lighthouse 10K/5K Run/Walk is a popular race that is sponsored by the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce. This race takes participants on a scenic tour over the Oak Island Bridge, through the Oak Island village and past the Oak Island Lighthouse. This fun event attracts many participants each year. For more information, contact the Southport-Oak Island Chamber of Commerce at (800) 457-6964. Also held in Brunswick County during the annual Oyster Festival is the North Carolina Oyster Festival Road Race. These races consist of a 10K, a 5K, and a 1-mile Fun Run. For more information, contact the Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce at (800) 426-6644. Other races may be held during your stay in Brunswick County, so you may want to check local listings upon your arrival.

Learn To Sail

If you are interested in the sport of sailing but aren't sure where to start, you can learn from Priority Sailing of Southport! Priority Sailing offers a variety of sailing instruction, ranging from individual, couple and group sailing for ages ranging from youth to adult. You can choose your instruction course in a variety of levels including Basic Keelboat, Basic Cruising, Coastal Navigation, Coastal Passage Making, Offshore Passage Making and Celestial Navigation. All courses use standards set by the U.S. Sailing Association. For more information about learning to sail while you are visiting Brunswick County, contact Priority Sailing at (910) 454-4479.

Take a Day Trip To Faircloth Exotic Animal Zoo

If your children enjoy viewing unique animals, you and your family may enjoy taking a day trip to the Faircloth Exotic Animal Zoo, located in Bolivia. They have a unique variety of small and large breed animals, including Highland bulls, Watusi cows, Texas Longhorns, Zebu cows, lions, bears, yaks, tigers, black leopards, zebras, monkeys, buffalo, camels, and more! They also manage a petting zoo with lambs and goats, which are always a favorite with children. This unique zoo is open daily year-round from 9:00 a.m. until dusk. For more information, contact the Faircloth Exotic Animal Zoo at (910) 253-6820.

Travel To Myrtle Beach For a Performance in the Alabama Theater

The Alabama Theater, located in Myrtle Beach, is one of the most popular theaters in South Carolina. While you are in the Brunswick County area, you may want to take the 20-minute drive to Myrtle Beach to view a performance here. Elaborate musical productions are performed here, and a number of country music stars perform concerts in this venue as well. Alabama Theater also hosts a variety of special holiday performances. For more information or for a schedule of events, contact the Alabama Theater at (800) 342-2262.

Rent Beach Gear from Beach Fun Rentals

Beach Fun Rentals of Holden Beach is a full-service rental shop that offers a variety of items to assist you with your vacation needs. You can either pick up your items or choose to have it delivered to your rental home for FREE! Practical items like baby furniture and bed linens are available, but there are also kayaks, bikes, surfboards, Bocce Ball, boogie boards, beach chairs and umbrellas, and more are also available. If you want to have fun participating in beach activities during your stay in Brunswick County but don't want to bring everything from home, Beach Fun Rentals can help! For more information, contact Beach Fun Rentals at (888) 355-4446.

Learn More about the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association

The Long Bay Artificial Reef Association, based in Bolivia, was formed in 1984 and consists of members of the Brunswick, Oak Island and Ocean Isle Fishing Clubs. Their initial project was to build six artificial reefs in the area, which were all completed by 1992. One more reef was built in 1996, so today there are seven artificial reefs existing in the area. The Association has completed several projects to enhance the habitat of the artificial reefs, including adding tugboats, barges, concrete pipe and "Reef Balls," which act as homes for the fish who live in the reefs. The creation of these artificial reefs helps the fishing economy of Brunswick County, and plans to continue their enhancement projects as long as funds allow. The Association sponsors a King Mackerel and Flounder tournament each year. To learn more about the project, or for more information about how you can help the project, contact the Long Bay Artificial Reef Association at (910) 842-3136.

Learn about the Stars at Ingram Planetarium

The Ingram Planetarium, located in Sunset Beach, has a unique 40-foot dome theater and offers a variety of programs throughout the year. Programs include Ancient Horizons, Endless Horizon, The Sky Tonight, Search for Life in the Universe, and more. In the summer, hourly programs are held Tuesday through Saturday between 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. During the rest of the year (during fall, winter and spring), hourly program are held Thursday through Saturday between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. Also in the Planetarium is a Science Room with a variety of science, math, and navigational exhibits. For more information about the programs offered throughout the year, contact Ingram Planetarium at (910) 575-0033.

Attend the Annual a Day at the Docks Festival

A Day at the Docks is an annual event held on the waterfront of Holden Beach each April. Free charter boat rides, live entertainment, free Coast Guard boat inspections, crafts, a sunset boat parade, and a blessing of the boats are activities enjoyed by attendees of the event each year. This event was created to celebrate the area's heritage, as well as to welcome the spring. Admission is free to the event, which is welcome to those of all ages. For more information, contact A Day at the Docks at (910) 842-4820.