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Published: September 10th 2018
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Whenever my husband and I get the opportunity, we enjoy taking long weekend trips together. Sometimes we go with the children and other times, if we have family members willing to help keep them, we will sneak away for some alone time. A few weeks ago, we were fortunate enough to travel to Myrtle Beach and nearby Wilmington, North Carolina for a long weekend to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary.
In the decade that we have been married, we have gone every February to this area of the Carolina coast. However, this past year we were not able to go on our annual beach vacation because my husband had just changed jobs and didn’t have the time off accrued yet. So, this was a little delayed but a much appreciated respite!
We stayed where we always do, at the Waikiki Village Motel on the south end of Myrtle Beach. Nestled between throwback hotels that have been in the same location for the past 60 years, this area of the famous street is both iconic and nostalgic. We love to cruise around in the evening and look at all the art deco and mid-century modern buildings, many of which have
thankfully maintained their original signage and decor, making them like veritable time capsules! We have always enjoyed our stay at Waikiki Village and this time around was no exception. The accommodations are bare bones and minimal, but we don’t spend too much time in the room, so we were willing to sacrifice frills for a great cost and ideal location. Plus, we had a grander stay planned for a few nights later, which I will get to soon!
After checking in, we immediately set out to explore the surroundings. Downtown Myrtle Beach is about two blocks away, so we had a blast exploring the sites. Our favorite must-see stops include the Dolphin gift shop, where we always find cute trinkets for the kids (the bicycle name tags are our favorite). This time around, we had fun finding them little outfits and books. We also love to get the french fries at the local shaved ice shop. The fries are known as “killer fries” and are topped with sour cream, barbecue, jalapenos and nacho cheese! Arguably not the most healthy way to pass an afternoon, but enjoying a basket of those fries on the boardwalk, overlooking the summertime ocean, is
the perfect way to commemorate the beginning of a beachside getaway!
Afterward, we walked around some more and then got ready in our hotel room to head out to dinner. While we are in this neck of the woods, we always love to visit the Seafood Hut in nearby Calabash, NC. It’s about a 45-minute drive in the other direction, but the food is so fresh and so unlike anything we’ve ever had that we don’t mind making the trek. With its light and crispy batter, delicious sweet tea and decadent hush puppies, the Seafood Hut is a great addition to our coastal vacation and one that we look forward to year after year. If you’re in the area, Sugar Shack at nearby Ocean Isle Beach is a great place to go for amazing jerk chicken served with Jamaican-style sides!
After two nights in Myrtle, we made our way back toward home, in the direction of Wilmington, NC. My husband actually considered going to college at the University of Wilmington to study filmmaking, as this is a major film hub and many movies and television series have been filmed here. Ultimately, however, we both decided to go to
North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC.
In Wilmington, we had reservations for two nights at the Rose Hill Inn Bed and Breakfast. This was our first time at an official coastal bed and breakfast and we enjoyed every minute! As you can see, our room was spacious and gorgeously decorated. The breakfasts were prepared from scratch each morning by the homeowner and we enjoyed getting to know the other guests staying there.
On our first night in Wilmington, we took a ride on a dinner cruise line known as the Henrietta III. It was a fun way to get glam and celebrate our wedding anniversary. The dinner consisted of surf and turf with a mixed vegetable dish for the side. While we ate, the tour guide took us around the harbor and pointed out various points of interest along the shore. It reminded us of a cruise ship that we had visited while taking a Galapagos Island tour years ago as newlyweds. That was one of our most memorable vacations to date, from the wildlife to the snorkeling, and we would love to go back there one day. You can
view here for more information on where we
went and what we saw.
On our second day in Wilmington, we visited a little local grocery store known as “Robert’s Market.” This is another favorite stop of ours, as my husband’s name is Robert and we enjoy finding food items around the store with his name on them! The store is actually pretty well-known around the state for its incredible chicken salad. We bought a tub and took it back to the bed and breakfast in a cooler to enjoy. After walking around a little more and even taking a short walk along the beach, we decided to head toward the nearby town of Southport. We took a ferry there in the afternoon and enjoyed dinner overlooking the ocean. On our way there, we passed a historical reenactment at Fort Anderson going on by a local community group, and took the time to visit and check it out. There was fry bread for sale and the remnants of an old church to visit and explore, which we thoroughly enjoyed.
The next morning, we packed up our bags and headed back to our home in Wallburg, NC. It was a short weekend away but much-needed and a great
time to reconnect. We can’t wait to return to this area with the kids for our annual trip in February!
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