Southern NC Coast Day Trip

This was an all day trip from Raleigh. We started by heading southeast towards Wilmington via I-40. Then US17 south to NC133 towards Southport. Before you get to Southport, off Plantation Road lies Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson NC Historic Site. Brunswick Town was a pre-revolutionary war port on the Cape Fear River that was destroyed by the British. It was never rebuilt as a town, but the same site was used to construct Fort Anderson during the Civil War. There is a walking trail around where the town used to lie, and some excavations have been done to show where buildings once stood. The most remarkable structure remaining is what is left of St. Philips Church.










After leaving Fort Anderson, we continue on towards Southport. Southport is a small coastal community. In the summer, I would imagine it to be much more crowded that what it was in the winter. We enjoyed lunch at Fishy Fishy Cafe before driving up the road to the NC Ferry Terminal to take the Ferry across the river to Fort Fisher.

The ferry ride across the river takes about 30 minutes or so, and when the weather is nice, its fun to get out of the cars, walk around, and enjoy the sights and smells. Many people bring food to feed the seagulls, but do it from the back of the ship. It does cost a few dollars, but you would spend that in gas driving around the river to use the bridge in Wilmington.

During the Summer, we love 4x4 driving on the beach at Fort Fisher, but on this trip we had the car, so we were here to see the Aquarium and to see the Fort Fisher Historic Site. The aquarium at Ft. Fisher isn't as nice as the one in Pine Knoll Shores, but it still is nice. AZA members get in free, so its really hard to complain.

 After leaving the Aquarium, we had planned on stopping at Fort Fisher, State Historic Site. But, as it was getting close to 5:00, we decided to skip it this trip and head back towards home.

Links:
Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson - NC Historic Site
Fishy Fishy Cafe
NC DOT Ferry Division
NC Aquarium - Fort Fisher
Fort Fisher - NC Historic Site