“This is retirement,” Gina opens her arms to Gigi Marie Gourmet Foods and Wine. Gina and her husband, Santo, and daughter Marissa recently sold their popular restaurant, Santino’s, on Topsail Island. Gigi Marie Gourmet Foods and Wines is their idea of “retirement.” “I’m from New York,” chuckles Gina. “I don’t know how to slow down.” Located...
N.C. Visitor Spending Soars 15 Percent in 2022 Research shows a record $33.3 billion impact on state and local economies Raleigh, N.C. — Governor Roy Cooper announced today that the North Carolina tourism economy reached its highest level ever with travelers spending more than $33.3 billion on trips to and within the state. The previous record of $29.22 billion was set in pre-pandemic 2019. “Tourism...
Hike Holly Shelter Game Land May 16 HAMPSTEAD- Join Pender County Tourism and Naturalist Andy Wood on May 16, 9:30 a.m. for a one-mile hike into the Holly Shelter Game Land in celebration of the Year of the Trail. “The Holly Shelter Game Land is a treasure trove of plants unique to Southeastern North Carolina, as well as protected wildlife,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County Tourism Director. On...
Pender County Tourism Moves Travel Forward This National Travel and Tourism Week This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual industry celebration BURGAW — National Travel and Tourism Week, (NTTW) the annual celebration of the contributions of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight the essential role that travel will play in driving economic growth and innovation through the theme #TravelForward. ...
Sea Turtle Hospital News May is already shaping up to be a busy month for us, and the first turtle mama hasn’t even set flipper on Topsail yet. In case you’re visiting or are new to the area, May 1st was the official first day of turtle nesting season. We know there are moms out there just waiting for the right moment to literally start “digging in” to lay their nests. No nests or tracks have...
Sea Turtle Hospital News It’s been a very unusual late winter or early/spring at our hospital. Normally we spend our winter months dealing with an onslaught of cold stuns, and we have had our share this year. But by March things generally slow down until the crazy Kemp’s start heading north looking for easy pickin at our local piers. This year the Kemp’s started coming for lunch almost a month earlier...
The Public is Invited to Attend our Grain to Oven events atThe Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina in June 2023 The Gardens of Southeastern North Carolina is a non-profit botanical garden dedicated to improving lives, cultivating inspiration, offering a variety of experiences, and generating income for the community. Have you ever made pizza from scratch? At Grain to Oven, you will not only make a delicious...
SURF CITY- Pirates are returning to Topsail Island on April 29. As part of the Year of the Trail celebration, a band of pirates will lead the Pirate Treasure Hunt Hike in Soundside Park, 517 Roland Ave., Surf City. “Pirate legend and lore is a part of Pender County’s history,” said Tammy Proctor, Pender County Tourism director. “It’s only fitting that a troupe of pirates take us along...
Every customer who has passed through the doors of Sugar Island Bakery knows that quality ingredients make a quality-tasting product. The bakery, which features delicious cookies, cakes, pies, and snacks, now offers quality house-roasted coffee. “I had my first cup of coffee in my early 20s,” said Shawn Smith, the roaster and creator of flavorful blends. “I was in the Army, in the mountains of...
Sea Turtle Hospital News March 10, zero dark thirty. All of our turtles were rudely awakened at 4 a.m. when the lights went on and our volunteers arrived to pack up 18 lucky patients for a ride to the Gulf Stream. A mix of greens, Kemp’s, and loggerheads were waving their release papers in the air, anxious to get into their seats (tanks) in our van and head north towards Swansboro where their boat awaited. This...
Sea Turtle Hospital News We’re open for tours! After several months devoted to caring for cold-stuns plus the patients over-wintering with us we’re happy to be able to welcome visitors again. During the month of March we’ll be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. You will still need to purchase tour tickets in advance through our website www.seaturtlehospital.org. You can...
TOPSAIL BEACH- The Historical Society of Topsail Island, Missiles and More Museum, and Pender County Tourism will present the Topsail Beach Top Secret Hike on March 11, starting at 11 a.m. This hike is the third in a series of monthly family-friendly hikes in celebration of the Year of the Trail. Hikes will be offered every 30 minutes with the last hike stepping off from Missiles and More Museum at 2 p.m. “This...
BURGAW – Pender County Tourism will host the 2023 Pender County Business & Trade Show. The 2023 Pender County Business & Trade Show is scheduled for Thursday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will be held once again in the Gymnasium and Family Life Center of the Hampstead United Methodist Church located at 15395 US-17, Hampstead. “This one-day event will allow networking with area businesses...
Burgaw, NC – After a three-year hiatus, the North Carolina Blueberry Festival Association is happy to host its annual blueberry pancake breakfast fundraiser once again. The breakfast will take place at the Burgaw Fire Station, located at 109 N Walker St., on Saturday, Feb. 25. Blueberry pancakes, sausage, and a beverage of choice will be served from 8 – 11 a.m. for $8 per person – children under the...
Sea Turtle Hospital News There’s a famous Pete Seeger 1955 song titled “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” that was covered by many folk groups in the 60’s. Today a re-write of that song might be “Where Does All the Plastic Go?” At our hospital we see first-hand where some of it ends up. Right before Thanksgiving, we got a call that a turtle had been stranded in North Topsail Beach....
Currie, NC- The staff and volunteers of Moores Creek National Battlefield would like to thank the members of the Cape Fear Revolutionary War Round Table (CFRWRT) for their recent donation to the park. The Cape Fear Revolutionary Round Table is a group of people, men and women, united by a common interest in the Revolutionary War era with an emphasis on Southeastern North Carolina. The CFRWRT is donating funds to...
Currie, NC- On Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, Moores Creek National Battlefield will be commemorating the 247th Anniversary of the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge. Park staff, park partners, volunteers, and other living historians will be offering a variety of programs and demonstrations throughout the weekend. The event will begin with a Wreath Laying Ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 25th. Demonstrations...
Visitors are always welcome Today, Pender County Parks and Recreation announced the 2023 Hampstead Alive After Five concert series lineup. The concert series is open to residents and visitors. While you are here on vacation, we invite you to live like a local and enjoy the concerts. Bring a lawn chair and kick back. “We are pleased to offer this concert series again in 2023, “said Zachary White, Pender...
Sea Turtle Hospital News We often use the term “sweet” when we talk about our patients. Although some of them may have a bad day every once in a while, there are many times when our turtles are literally sweet. We’re always searching for ways to improve our rehabilitation protocols, especially when it comes to wound care. Years ago we started using honey on wounds that were resistant to the normal...
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.
Ring in the New Year in Burgaw! The Town of Burgaw, Pender County Tourism, Pender County Parks and Recreation, and the North Carolina Blueberry Festival will celebrate its 5th Annual New Year’s Eve Blueberry Drop powered by W. O. Grubb Crane Rental. “The annual Blueberry Drop has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in the last four years due to the hard work of our committee,” said Cody Suggs,...
