North Carolina Kid Zone

Kid Zone

Sun, Surf and Sand

Imagine a giant sandbox that goes on for miles and miles, located right next to the world's largest swimming hole, with nothing but blue waves and white crystal sand as far as the eye can see. No, you are not dreaming - this is a description of the sunny beaches located off the North Carolina coast, and kids just like you have been coming to vacation on these beaches for generations. After all, who doesn't love the cool combination of waves and surf, sandy feet and sun? But, before you pack up the sunscreen and the surf boards, you might start to wonder what's out there to discover on the shore, and what to do both on and off the sand. Well, believe it or not, there are tons of answers, and the fun starts the second you step onto the beach.

A shovel, a bucket, and nothing but sand can certainly make the perfect start to a great day at the beach. Use a piece of driftwood to etch out shapes along the shore, or write your name in letters so large that every passing helicopter or airplane will pause to see your message.

If your parents will oblige, you can even turn mom and dad into a veritable work of art by burying them up to their elbows in sand and then sculpting sand shapes around them. You might want to ask them first, of course, as not all moms and dads like to be buried in sand (and this goes for little brother and sisters too!)

Once you have them buried, break out the sand tools, like buckets, shells, and pebbles, and start decorating! A few stone scales and a fin, and dad will make the perfect mermaid, or you can design a new "sand bathing suit" for mom with colorful seashells. Whatever you do, just make sure you have a camera so you can take pictures.

Head down to the shoreline, right at the edge of where the waves are washing in, and start digging. Chances are that sooner or later, you will notice small pink crabs digging next to you. Don't be scared - these little critters are called "sand diggers," or mole crabs, and they are perfectly harmless. With a hard, sandy gray shell and pink sides and belly, these guys don't look like an everyday crab, but with their 8 small legs that are almost always moving, they can burrow into the sand with the best of them as they look for food or a temporary shelter from the crashing waves.

Look underneath, and you will spot next to their legs their small antenna, and on some mole crabs, a bright orange spot. Believe it or not, this orange clump is an egg sack carried by the female mole crabs in the summer. It's fine to pick them up and put them back down to watch them furiously dig into the beach, but be careful - these little guys are fast, but their shell is very delicate.

Watching the mole crabs digging away might inspire you to grab your own shovel and start creating a masterpiece of your own, and what better way to get your hands dirty than by building a sandcastle?

Of course, you don't need many supplies to build a perfectly good sandcastle. A bucket and a shovel can make a castle anyone would be proud of, but if you want to try something a little different, take a couple utensils with you when you trek out to the beach, like a butter knife, spoon and fork. You can use the spoon and knife to cut out tiny windows and doors, and the fork can make squiggly decorations all around the castle walls.

The dirtiest and the most delicate castles are "mud castles." These are created by taking a big gob of watery sand, and letting the little drops of water slip through your fingers into the sand. You'll find as the water and sand mixture drips onto the beach, it will create unique little castles in just a matter of seconds. There's no wrong way to make a mud castle, so this kind of castle is perfect for all ages.

For the masters of the castle craft, there are many sandcastle building contests held along the North Carolina Coast each year. In Wrightsville Beach, early September offers the annual "Castles & Scoops" sandcastle building contest, which happily combines sandcastle building and ice cream sundaes, sponsored by the Children's Museum of Wilmington. On the Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk Kites hosts an annual sandcastle building contest in August in Kill Devil Hills, and Ocracoke Island kicks off their 4th of July celebration with a castle building contest as well. Visit local visitors' bureaus for more information and other castle contests that coincide with your beach vacation.

Of course, the fun doesn't stop on the sand, and a hot day at the beach gets a lot cooler with a dip in the ocean. An inflatable raft can go a long way with keeping you afloat, and of course, there's nothing like water Frisbee or volleyball to get everyone involved in the fun.

Board Sports

One of the best ways to enjoy the North Carolina beaches is by board, and the best way to introduce yourself to the board sports is by buying or renting a body board or skim board. A flat body board, usually made of styrofoam with a plastic base, will let you ride the waves into shore, while a skinny wooden skim board lets you skid along the waves just as they crash into the surf.

Once you've got the wave riding technique down, you might want to try surfing or even kiteboarding, one of the newest water sports to hit the East Coast. The waves off of North Carolina's coast are legendary to the surfer set, and many local shops offer surf board rentals and lessons. For kiteboarding beginners, the easy going sounds off the Outer Banks, like the Pamlico Sound and the Albemarle Sound, are the perfect playground for learning how to ride the wind. Many local shops offer lessons and rentals as well, although it's best to call ahead as lessons for this popular sport often book fast.

Whether you're paddling out a long board or simply splashing around, it's important to be careful in the water. Never go swimming without an adult nearby, and look for beaches that have "sandbars," shallow sandy bottoms that gradually get deeper. You should also make sure you keep an eye on the weather for rip current warnings. A rip current can appear during windy days and is a current that can pull you away from shore. If you get caught in a rip current, the most important thing is not to panic, and don't try to swim against the current back towards the shore. Instead, swim parallel to the beach until you are out of the current and can get back to the sand safely. Of course, to play it extra safe, many of North Carolina's beaches have lifeguards, and you can find a list of area lifeguarded beaches through local visitors' bureaus or the National Park Service.

In or out of the water, sun safety is also important to ensure a great time at the beach, as the sun reflects off the clear blue water, making the chances of a sunburn at the beach more likely than at home. Be sure you bring along sunscreen and apply it every few hours, or after every dip in the ocean. A hat, t-shirt and a beach umbrella are also easy ways to protect yourself from the sun's rays while staying cool on the shore.

Fishing

Once you have applied your sunscreen, it might be time to try fishing. Anglers come from all over the world to fish the waters off the North Carolina coast, and it doesn't matter if you are big, small, young or old - around here, everyone has a chance at catchin' the big one.

There are tons of different places to cast your line. Local piers can be a great place to fish, and often charge just a couple dollars for a whole day's worth of fishing. You can also take a boat out to the inlets and sound waters, or simply go surf fishing and cast from the beach.

If you don't have a fishing pole handy, there are plenty of local beach and tackle shops that can provide you with the perfect pole for your fishing adventure. These shops can even tell you what's biting and where, and if you do land a big one, they can issue you a "Citation," which is a special certificate issued by the state of North Carolina for folks who catch the big fish.

A Citation is different for every type of fish. For example, you can get a Citation certificate if you reel in a Sheepshead over 8 pounds, but you can also get a Citation for a Sea Mullet that is over 2 pounds. A Citation is the perfect souvenir to frame on your wall, letting everyone know that you reeled in a beauty. For a complete list of how big a fish needs to be to get a Citation certificate, visit the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries website.

A few simple supplies will help you on your quest to land that perfect fish. Bring along pole holders to stick in the sand and hold your pole when you need a break, and whatever you do, don't forget the bait! You can pick up bait at the local tackle store, or catch your own from a soundside dock or a saltwater lake with a cast net. If you're taking a boat to go fishing, be sure you bring a hat to protect yourself from the sun, insect repellent, a first aid kit (just in case) and a life jacket. No matter what, don't forget to be patient. Sometimes it takes a long time for even the best anglers to land a fish, but when it happens, it is a feeling you will never forget.

Sometimes it can get a little boring sitting around and waiting for the fish to bite, but a little planning and imagination can go a long way. Set the poles in the pole holders, and keep an eye on them in case they move like crazy, indicating that you have a bite. As long as the poles are in the holders, you can enjoy a beach picnic, play a game of ball, read a book or just unwind on the sand. Make sure you keep your eye on the pole though, because if a large enough fish bites your hook, it could actually take off with it and pull the rod out of the holder!

If you want to try something new, your family can book a fishing cruise on a local fishing boat, like Dorothy's Harbor Tours on Topsail Island, a 2.5-hour educational fishing excursion that offers the opportunity to catch pinfish, pigfish and various other species, while learning about the various types of underwater marine life. On the Outer Banks, charter boats and fishing boats leave Hatteras Island daily, and for a fun fishing excursion, climb aboard the Miss Hatteras and take an afternoon or evening cruise in the Pamlico Sound.

Feeling competitive? There are all sorts of fishing tournaments along North Carolina's beaches designed just for kids. Captain Charlie's Kids Fishing Tournament, a catch and release tournament, is held every year at the Southport City Pier in the Waterfront Park in Southport and welcomes all kids under the age of 16. Bring your rod and reel, and the tournament provides free hot dogs, soft drinks and t-Shirts for the first 100 kids who enter. There are also many prizes donated by local merchants.

In Boiling Spring Lakes, you can try the Small Fry Fishing tournament, which has 3 age categories and $100 first prizes for each age group, and toys for everyone who participates. During the first week of October, the North Carolina Seafood Festival All Kids' Pier Fishing Classic tournament welcomes young anglers with big prizes awarded for the largest of any kind of fish caught, though every angler goes home with some kind of prize.

No matter which tournament you join, be sure you bring along your fishing rod, a little bait, and a little luck, and you will be sure sure to have a wonderful time.

Learning Can Be Fun

Need a break from the sand and surf? Believe it or not, learning can be a lot of fun, especially in the North Carolina museums that are cluttered with shipwreck artifacts, rare shells, pirate lore, and all sorts of treasures gathered from the Atlantic Ocean.

There are all sorts of museums along the coast of North Carolina, perfect for an array of fun and educational adventures.

On the Outer Banks, learn about the first flight at the Wright Brothers National Memorial or learn about sea creatures at the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island. Next, you can explore the world of the Native Americans who first walked the beaches of Hatteras Island at the Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center, or discover hundreds of shipwrecks at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras Village.

Farther South in the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, head to Beaufort and the NC Maritime Museum, where you can see an amazing display of rare shells from all over the world, and Beaufort's own beach backyard. There are also special seasonal programs, like sessions on Blackbeard the Pirate, venomous snakes in North Carolina, and even "Cinema by the Sea," featuring outdoor movies.

On Harkers Island, have an outdoor adventure at a the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and take an in-depth tour of the decoys and wildlife that makes this area of the Carolina coast so special. Spend time with local carvers on Thursdays through Sundays to learn more about their trade.

While you are in the area, you can also take a trip to Pine Knoll Shores to visit the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

In Wilmington, the Children's Museum is a perfect place to spend a fun-filled afternoon. This hands-on "learning through play" center for children and their families with interactive play stations including a science room, dress-up room, sand room, art room, grocery store, "gravity wall," and pirate ship. Also in the < A HREF="New Hanover Beaches, you can take a trip to Kure Beach to visit the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to learn more about the creatures of the sea.

Along the Brunswick Beaches, the Museum of Coastal Carolina and Bald Head Island Lighthouse and Smith Island Museum offer plenty of opportunities to learn and explore on a cloudy beach day.

Holidays on the Beach

After a few summer vacations along the North Carolina shoreline, you might think you have seen everything the beaches have to offer, but for a new twist on a typical beach vacation, there is nothing like exploring the beaches during a holiday.

Halloween can be a spooky and fun place along the coast, and many local museums and communities offer fun events to celebrate. On the Outer Banks, the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island offers Trick or Treat Under the Sea for spooky candy collecting, creepy crafts and even a dive with the sharks show. On the Crystal Coast, the Halloween Carnival offers fun for the whole family including creating a glow in the dark mural, face painting, liver toss, hanging donut eating contest and more. Visitors to Wilmington and the Cape Fear Coast can enjoy a good scare aboard the Battleship North Carolina with a special ghostly tour through the bowels of the ship. For a slightly less scary Halloween, head down to Brunswick County and enjoy the NC Festival by the Sea, or simply relax and indulge in the Holden Brothers Farm Market for fresh fall veggies.

The winter holidays of Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanza might seem like a strange time to visit the beach, but if you like uncrowded quiet towns, and the feeling that you have the beach all to yourself, it's the perfect time to go. Don't think that the local communities close up shop just because it's the off-season, as the winter holidays are actually a fun and exciting time in the coastal towns of North Carolina.

On the Outer Banks, head to Corolla for an old-fashioned tree lighting ceremony at the Whalehead Club, or enjoy an Elizabethan Christmas at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo as interpreters recreate a holiday in the American wilderness. On the Crystal Coast, you can enjoy some great off-season deals with a holiday open house at the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores, or at the Friday Free Flicks, featuring cozy outdoor movies- just don't forget the hot chocolate.

There's lots to celebrate along the Cape Fear Coast, including the Holiday Lighting of the Battle Ship, the Island of Lights Holiday Flotilla which features fishing boats decorated with thousands of lights, and of course, the Island of Lights parade with an astounding evening light display. For a quieter coastal celebration, head to Shallotte in the Brunswick Beaches and enjoy the Bluefin Tuna Blitz and the Christmas By The Sea Shallotte Christmas Parade.

Once Spring arrives, the beaches truly come to life, and local communities start celebrating the opening weekend of the summer season. Easter Egg hunts are available all along the coast, from Nags Head to Wilmington, and many local churches offer spectacular sunrise services right on the beach. No matter what time of year you come, chances are there's a festival or a celebration waiting, and you should check your local Visitor Bureau's calendar of events before you start your vacation.

Sweet Treats and Fun Shops

With all this activity, a kid is bound to work up an appetite, and there are plenty of places to indulge a sweet tooth along the beach. On the Outer Banks, there's no better place than the Orange Blossom Cafe in Buxton for hot out-of-the-oven treats. Try a warm apple ugly - a gooey combination of donut and warm apple filling that might be a little messy, but well worth it for the taste! On Ocracoke Island, head over to Sweet Tooth for a wonderful display of all sorts of candies, as well as outdoor porch swings and hammocks to relax and enjoy your sugary snack.

Continue your candy tour with a stop at Artisan Coastal Confections along the Crystal Coast as you head down to the Cape Fear area and some of the best beach treats around. With an amazing array of restaurants and bakeries, it's hard to figure out where to start first. After all, there are over 30 ice cream shops in the area alone! For a standard treat, you can head to the local Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery, or try something new at Boombalati's Homemade Ice Cream in Wilmington, well known as one of the best ice cream shops in town. Chocolate lovers will adore a trip to The Fudgeboat in Carolina Beach, which offers a variety of unique and fun fudge flavors, like Almond Joy or Rocky Road.

Head a little further south to the Brunswick Beaches and let the fudge eating continue at Callahan's Fudge Co., which offers homemade confections as well as a gift shop for inedible souvenirs to take back home.

Speaking of shopping, be sure you save up your allowance before heading off on vacation as there are tons of stores, gift shops and just-for-kids toy shops with all sorts of goodies for you and your friends back home. On rainy days, touring the stores along the beach is a must, and there are plenty of places to find a great bargain, or just indulge in a little window shopping.

On the Outer Banks, no vacation is complete without a trip to Kitty Hawk Kites. With store locations from Corolla to Ocracoke Island, the world's biggest kite store not only offers unique toys and kites of all sizes, but all kinds of fun activities, like a rock climbing wall in Nags Head, or sunset kayak tours in Avon. Along the Crystal Coast, you can update your wardrobe with a trip to one of the many surf shops along Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach. Whether you are shopping for a surfboard or just want to look the part, stores like Emerald Island Surf Shop and Tony's Surf Shop and Ice Cream are great places to get into a beachy state of mind from the inside out.

In Wilmington, a cloudy afternoon is a perfect time to explore the variety of stores downtown. A quirky blend of shops and cafes, but with a neighborhood feel, the downtown area is home to a number of cool stores, like the Blowing in the Wind kite store. Have fun exploring, and if you visit on a summer weekend, be sure to stop by the downtown Farmer's Market for fresh fruit and veggies, or fun and impromptu outdoor concerts.

In Southport, the Bullfrog Corner shop is a must for younger and older kids alike, with a wide variety of gift items and collectibles including stuffed animals, artwork and more. While you are in the Brunswick Beaches, you may also want to stop by Madeline's Playhouse in Ocean Isle Beach for a selection of unique toys, gifts and clothes designed with kids in mind.

Summer Camps

During a beach vacation you might need a break from Mom and Dad, and at the same time, you might want to learn something new or try an adventure on your own. For curious kids who want to try something different, the North Carolina Coast offers a variety of day camps. These camps are a great way to explore the coast, make new friends, and have a "mini vacation" from the folks.

The Crystal Coast and the Cape Lookout National Seashore offer a variety of outdoor sessions sponsored by the National Park Service. You can try your hand at crabbing, learn about the sea turtles that flop onto the beaches to lay their eggs, or simply go on a shelling adventure along the coast. The programs are seasonal, and a complete list can be found on the National Park Service website. In the New Hanover area, you can take the reins and a guided tour by horseback at Peterson Stables, which offers two-hour tours through wooded trails, or in the Brunswick Beaches area, you can take the helm and shape up you ship skills at a local sailing academy, like Cape Fear Sailing Academy. No matter where you start your adventure, you'll have a wonderful vacation story to share with your family at the end of the day.

Favorite Places

Everyone has their own personal favorite spots, whether it's a private strip of beach or a local ice cream shop, but no matter where your personal favorite stretch of North Carolina shoreline lies, there are a few awesome stops that every kid, (and grown-up too) should see on their vacation. For the seasoned Carolina Coast adventurer, there are also a few weird, wacky and unique stops that are just off the beaten path of a typical beach vacation.

Imagine being able to tell your friends back home that you climbed the tallest lighthouse in the world. Well, on the Outer Banks, you can make the trek to the very top of the black and white candy cane striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse any day during the summer season. Bring a camera because the bird's eye views of the island are out of this world. If you're in the mood for exploring one of the biggest sand dunes on the East Coast, head north to Jockey's Ridge State Park in Nags Head. This giant sand pile towers above the beach and lets you discover first hand why the Wright Brothers chose this part of the world to try test their flying experience. If you're into birds, bugs, and all critters big and small, a walk through the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge just north of Rodanthe is a must, especially in the cool fall and spring months. Be sure to bring plenty of bug spray and binoculars with you as you explore over 300 species of birds and other animals.

On warm summer afternoons, head down to the marina docks in Hatteras Village at about 4:00 and be prepared for quite a show. Every afternoon, the charter boats arrive from a long day of fishing in the Gulf Stream, and hoist their catch onto the docks to be weighed. You'll see some of the largest fish in the ocean, from marlins to blue fish, stripers to sharks, right there on the docks.

Want to try something a little crazy? Then check out the Hermit Crab Races at Scotch Bonnet Marina and Gifts in Frisco. You can pick out a hermit crab (and of course a matching hermit crab hat), and watch them scatter towards the finish line every Friday afternoon. You can bring your own crab or rent one from the store, and soft drinks and prizes are provided for all participants.

On Ocracoke Island, where pirates once patrolled off the tiny island's beaches, you can get a taste of history by learning about the most famous pirate of all, Blackbeard! At Teach's Hole Pirate Shop and Blackbeard Exhibit, the old pirates of Ocracoke still rule with displays, original art, and thousands of pirate items for sale.

True adventures can be found on the Crystal Coast with a small ferry to the deserted island beaches that lay just off the coast. Take a passenger boat to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, or take a private vehicle ferry to neighboring Portsmouth Island to explore abandoned and historical Portsmouth Village, and indulge in some of the best shelling in North Carolina. For a really wild day, search for the Wild Banker Ponies that roam the beaches. Descendents of shipwrecked Spanish mustang, these wild horses can be spotted up and down the shore. In Atlantic Beach, you can catch up on your Civil War history by visiting Fort Macon State Park, where you can see explore a real Civil War Fort and maybe even catch a reenactment battle. For something a little different, head inland to New Bern, the home of Pepsi-Cola, and celebrate soft drinks with a tour of the Birthplace of Pepsi Store, filled with all things soda.

In the New Hanover area, the Children's Museum is a must-stop, as is the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher, where you can be eye to eye with the hammerhead sharks and sting rays. Another must-see is the USS North Carolina, a battleship docked in Wilmington that's visible from the downtown area and can be toured and discovered. In the warm spring and summer evenings, you can even catch a movie right on the ship, and under the stars, as the USS North Carolina hosts Friday evening movies on a giant screen.

For something different, there's nothing like a Southern celebration, and none can top the annual Azalea Festival in Wilmington the Spring. During the Azalea Festival, visitors enjoy parades, food, fun and nightly fireworks as the downtown area comes to life in a flurry of activity.

Along the Brunswick Beaches, surf and fun combine perfectly at the Ocean Isle Beach Fishing Pier and Arcade. Try your hand at Ski Ball, or simply explore the pier and look out onto miles and miles of crystal clear blue water. For an easy summer stroll, explore the historic town of Southport and take a self-guided tour of old fashioned homes with white picket fences and blossoming gardens. In the mood for a little shell hunting? The Brunswick Beaches area is a perfect spot to search for sand dollars. These fragile white gems can be found all along the beaches, though the best place to find them in early in the morning with a long oceanside walk. Having trouble? Bring a bucket and shovel and try digging gently in the intertidal waters.

If you are looking for something a little wild and crazy, nothing beats the Children's Crab Derby in Southport. All kids under 16 are welcome to join in the fun. Just bring your own small submergible basket or crab line and bait in early September and hope the tide is at its best for good crabbing! (But don't worry, a local commercial crabber usually stocks the area so you're sure to catch a crab.)

No matter where your adventures lead you, from sand to ocean, lighthouses to wild horses, and ice cream to crab racing events, the Coast of Carolina is simply miles and miles of kid paradise. Ready for fun? Then grab your parents, your sand pail and plenty of sunscreen, and be on your way to the best beach vacation North Carolina has to offer.