BURGAW – Pender County Tourism, Pender County Parks and Recreation, and Pender County Health Department are joining with a troupe of pirates, naturalists, and historians to host one family-friendly hike per month to celebrate the 2023 Year of the Trail. “Pender County is a trail county,” said Tammy Proctor, director of tourism. “We are crisscrossed by major trails such as the Mountains to Sea...

We celebrated the Year of the Trail in 2023! 2023 NC Year of the Trail celebrated North Carolina’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways which showcased our diverse landscapes – grand mountain vistas, quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the Piedmont. NC Year of the Trail was the largest statewide celebration of trails and outdoor recreation...

Sea Turtle Hospital News We’re always ready to talk turtle. And during 2022 we had plenty to talk about. Last year we admitted the highest number of turtles in our history – 119. That number doesn’t include the patients we had on-site at the beginning of the year – 140 patients in total. To say we were exceptionally busy would be an understatement. And although turtles are our focus there’s...

News from the Sea Turtle Hospital We haven’t seen a lot of activity with local cold-stuns, but any critter that hasn’t made tracks out of Dodge by now is living on the edge. The water and air temps have dropped way below sea turtle comfy. All it takes is a few consecutive days of exposure to cold air and water for these cold-blooded reptiles to get themselves in a heap of trouble. Turtles still hanging...

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the tourism staff of Pender County! We are a place to visit, vacation, live, work, and play. The Pender County Tourism Office is here to welcome you.