BHI, North Carolina:
One of our favorite ‘local’ adventures is making a day trip to BHI for a tail-wagging good time! BHI is only a boat or ferry ride from Wilmington, NC – depending on how fast you want to get there to make the most of your time. We’ve done both but for my birthday this year we wanted to soak as much sunlight as possible since we had not visited in a while so we took the ferry. I’m a planner so naturally the first thing I did the night before was go online to look up the schedule and discovered everything is automated now – you can purchase your tickets right from the website and have them sent directly to your cell phone via text for easy access upon boarding. Next, was the golf cart rental (we’ve always used Cary Cart Co.) so we could get around the island. Again, had the reservation booked with a couple of clicks. Easy as pie!
The next morning we got going early, arrived at Deep Point Marina in Southport, and boarded the ferry on our way. Upon arrival at BHI, we walked over to get our golf cart, loaded Emma, buckled her up for safety, and like clockwork went straight to Maritime Market to pick up snacks and vino. The weather was perfect – partly sunny with a fresh breeze so we road around the island until we all got hungry for lunch. Once more, we were surprised to learn the island has expanded since our last visit with new construction that included added restaurants and shopping. Visit the latest guide here for BHI activities, dining, and more. It was challenging picking a spot to eat since all the menus looked delicious but we finally settled for Jailhouse Provisions and what a great choice – everything was yummy! There are two outdoor patios to dine with your pups – one screened enclosed and the other out in the elements. We enjoyed our lunch, buckled Emma back in the golf cart, and guess where we went next? You got it – SHOPPING!
There’s a new section with boutique shops. I went straight into Monkee’s of Bald Head and lucky for me it is located right next door to the cutest wine bar (Bald Head Island Bottle) with an outdoor patio so I told the hubs to get our tab started while Emma and I browsed the store. Browse? Who am I kidding? I was already in the dressing room when he peeked in to tell me our table was ready! Yup. The most beautiful Anna Cate summer linen dress came home with me. I snagged the last one in store but you can shop it here too. The boutique is chic, the staff was lovely, and of course, Emma received all the attention.
We finally made it to the wine bar where we sat al fresco to enjoy a bottle of our favorite Sancerre. Their wine selection was ‘finer than frog hair’ and I even got serenated for my birthday by the server with one of my favorite 80’s hit – “Don’t Dream It’s Over” by Crowded House – and now I am really dating myself!
We left from there to Bald Head Blues (a resort and island clothing store for men) so Emma could get a Pawther’s Day gift for her daddy. So many good choices and with a full bag, we were ready for a little sightseeing. Old Baldy Lighthouse and Smith Island Museum and Bald Head Island Chapel is always our go-to. We walked around the grounds making several stops along the way on the golf cart to let Emma sniff and stretch her legs. We ran into friends from home and before we realized it, had reached the end of our cart reservation with 30 minutes left to spare before boarding the ferry back home.
Our time on the island flew by! It was a full, easy, low key day and we made the absolute best of our time together. Exactly what I needed for my birthday and highly recommend it.