Dog Living A lifestyle magazine for dog lovers
Ollie and August insisted that I take them on a doggy adventure this past weekend, so how could I resist? Since I’m not exactly an early riser, I quickly ruled out any hardcore hikes to the west of our “base” in Wilmington. By the time we would have reached some of the really good places, the sun would have been going down!
So I decided we’d work with what we have right here in southeastern North Carolina. I packed our adventure kit (water, bowls, treats, leashes, poop bags) and headed south. Our first stop was at Carolina Beach State Park. We parked by the marina and took a short walk down the nature trail to the water and found a spot somewhat away from the trail. I unleashed them both (ssshhh, you’re not supposed to do that!) and they went wild running up the sand and splashing around in the water. After they were both fully soaked and August had rolled in something that obviously smelled incredibly good to her, we headed back to the car for our next stop.
After cruising down Lake Park Boulevard we discovered there were actually dogs at the Gurney Hood Barking Lot in Kure Beach, so we stopped to play. Of course, once Ollie and August got into the dog park, all they wanted to do was sniff and poop, so, at least they got that out.
After the dog park we continued south to Fort Fisher where we parked at the Battle Acre. We made the short walk along the paved path and headed down to the shoreline before turning around and heading back to the car. It was time to catch the ferry!
Ollie and August were especially excited to find out the man at the ferry terminal was waiting for them with two biscuits! We boarded the ferry and made a relaxing journey to Southport. Once we got to Southport we parked at the Visitor’s Center and walked. And walked. And walked. We explored the side streets, the old jail, the Old Smithville Burying Ground, the Riverwalk and more! After getting our exercise the sun was beginning to set, so we decided it was time to make our way back to the ferry to begin the journey home. But our doggy adventure was not over yet!
It was dinnertime and not only were the dogs hungry, I was hungry. We stopped by PT’s Grill near Monkey Junction where we all enjoyed a burger (and I enjoyed a beer!). And wouldn’t you know it, there was a group of children of various ages sitting next to us. While the two-legged children screamed and ran around, Ollie and August sat quietly by my side. It made me such a proud mama!
So, here’s a recap if you’ve got a few hours to spare and want to make your own doggy adventure in the Wilmington area:
-Carolina Beach State Park
-Gurney Hood Barking Lot (Kure Beach)
-Battle Acre (across from the Fort Fisher site)
-Southport/Fort Fisher Ferry
-Southport Walking Tour
-PT’s Grill (although there are many other dog-friendly places to eat/drink along this route!)
