North Carolina is a vacation destination that envelops you in a peaceful, happy state of mind. A visit to the Outer Banks can be enjoyed with walks through town squares, sandy beach days, thrilling history, and slow-paced relaxation. I took my family to North Carolina and we split our time between Charleston and Southport. Now Southport is one of my favorite coastal towns! The trip was a relaxing and fun break we needed amid Covid-19. A visit to Southport, the gem of the Outer Banks, will leave you wishing you too lived in a small coastal city. You’ll wave goodbye with a feeling that all is right with the world.
Southport is Relaxing to a “T”
For those of you who don’t know, the Nicholas Sparks book and movie adaptation “Safe Haven” is based in Southport. The movie seems to romanticize the idea of the small-town lifestyle. However, after visiting Southport in person, I saw that it can be a beautiful thing to live a slow-paced life. Most locals walk everywhere. By 4:00 in the afternoon people are sitting on their front porch, sipping wine and taking in the moments of the day. The homes themselves are Southern classics, standing pristine throughout neighborhoods and add a fascinating historical context to the town.
Southport’s Southern Hospitality is Booming
The friendliness of the locals in Southport is highly celebrated. They are welcoming to just about everyone they meet and don’t treat you like an outsider. Rather, they seem to welcome you into their little corner of the world and help you where they can. One of our vacation days was spent fishing off the coast, afterward one of the local shops cooked up our catch! It was incredible to see the kindness of locals, learn their stories and make connections with them.
The History of the East Coast
One of the coolest parts about visiting Southport is learning about some of the important histories from America’s east coast. Southport’s past is full of stories about river chiefs, a dangerous job given to locals of the area. A river chief would go 10 miles into the ocean on a boat and instruct large ship captains how to navigate the waters and coastline, to safely bring the ships in. The knowledge of how to do this has been passed down from generation to generation. Today, there are still river chiefs in Southport doing this job! It was fascinating to learn how far back this history went, and how deeply it has affected Southport’s culture.
Southport Makes a Great Vacation
Southport, the gem of the Outer Banks, allows you to truly escape present-day struggles and relax. In addition, we discovered its charm, warmth, incredible history and friendly locals. Visiting small towns like Southport proves that when you meet new people and learn their history, you’ll come away with a deeper and more meaningful experience.
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