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Read MoreSpend the Holidays at Wrightsville Beach
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- November 11, 2021
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The holidays. For some people, visions of laughter and group photos spring to mind. For others, it’s a different picture filled with Christmas lights and delicious food. But no matter how you like to celebrate, there’s no place better for the holidays than at Wrightsville Beach – or Carolina Beach, or Topsail Island!
If you’re looking for something new and fresh for your holiday this year, think about an escape to the shore. Thanksgiving or Christmas or Hanukkah or New Year’s are all fabulous in a Wrightsville Beach vacation rental. Think of all the great fun that can be had. And – we still have a few homes available.
If you’re looking for something new and fresh for your holiday this year, think about an escape to the shore. Thanksgiving or Christmas or Hanukkah or New Year’s are all fabulous in a Wrightsville Beach vacation rental. Think of all the great fun that can be had. And – we still have a few homes available.
Thanksgiving at the Beach
You can let your imagination run wild with what your beach Thanksgiving might look like. Obviously, there’s football. Duh. But other than that, consider some of the following:- Beach design competition: You know all those gourds and pumpkins you have decorating your Thanksgiving table (and every other surface in the house)? Gather them together, break into two groups, and design something on the beach. Then see who really wins the extra points!
- Thanksgiving picnic: The nice thing about the North Carolina beaches near Wilmington is that the weather in November is often really quite lovely. So, whomever is not doing the cooking could be put on table set up duty. If you’ve chosen a beach front vacation rental, just hand everyone a dish to carry and create a parade out to your beach picnic.
- Flotilla parade: The Saturday after Thanksgiving, this year it’s Nov 27, 2021, there is a boat parade down the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) near Carolina Beach. Fishing boats and pleasure crafts are decorated with thousands of lights and people line up along the hull to spread cheer. It’s a spectacular display which this year will cruise from Snows Cut to Carolina Beach Boat Basin and back. It’s our coastal tradition!
December: Hanukkah, Christmas, New Years at the Beach
Gather your family. Gather your friends. Get a house or two at the beach. And suddenly, who needs Santa?Just kidding, of course. We all need Santa. (Dear Sir – please remember the new surfboard 🙂
We remember the Christmas of 2010 when we woke up on the day after Christmas to SNOW! Not a lot, but snow at the beach is a real treat. It doesn’t happen often but when it does, white sand covered with white snow, what a sight to behold!
Some, however, are happy without the snow. Luckily for them, average highs around Thanksgiving and Christmas range from 54°F to 64°F. If that sounds enjoyable, Christmas at Carolina Beach or Wrightsville Beach cold be your cup of tea. Come live the spirit of the season while escaping to paradise!
If you are planning for multiple families, look into a vacation rental home that has five or even six bedrooms and multiple baths like Flock of Sea Girls. Of course, it’s always fun to have a comfier cottage for one or two (check out Jellyfish Hideaway), and it sure makes the holiday more special. Especially if it comes with a hot tub like Sparrows Beach Nest!
If you are looking for something more, besides walking the beach or enjoying an ocean breeze from the porch, check out these holiday inspired outings. They’re just a tiny sample of ideas:
Fun things to do, November and December
From late November through early January, there are so many wonderful activities in store, all within a 20 – 30-minute drive from your beach rental.
Christmas Lights: You can pick from holiday decorations all over town, from the highly professional displays to the neighborhoods-gone-wild! Check these out:
- Woodberry Lights is a home that regularly is called out as the must-see house. It’s in the oft-decorated Woodberry Forest neighborhood, on Kirby Smith Drive. Every year they have great lights, with syncopated music to play from your car radio on FM 101.1
- Enchanted Airlie. Get your tickets early because this always sells out. It’s one of Wilmington’s premier holiday shows and runs November 26 through December 22. Walk through stunning Airlie Gardens with guests from around the world. Sparkling sights and festive sounds of the holiday season are everywhere on this self-guided walk through holiday lights & music.
- Cape Fear Festival of Trees is at the North Carolina Aquarium. It’s a very different way to get in the spirit, but a whole lot of fun. They’re just south of Carolina Beach.
Thalian Hall: This is North Carolina’s oldest theatre, and dates back to the 1850s when Wilmington was the largest city in the state. Every year they offer a different line up of film, dance, concerts and live theatre. This year, you can pick from any of the following and marvel at the amazing architecture while you’re thoroughly entertained:
- Music:
Celtic Angels Christmas, December 1
Raleigh Ringers, December 4
- Live Theatre:
Every Christmas Story Ever Told, December 9 – 19
Elf, The Musical, December 10 – 19
Footloose, December 30 – Jan 15
- Film:
It’s a Wonderful Life, December 23
- Ballet for Young Audiences:
Snow White, December 2
The Nutcracker, December 3 – 4
Holidays in History: The Bellamy Mansion Museum (503 Market St) is always a great experience. Each season they decorate the historic home with traditional Christmas décor. Come see what Christmas was like for the residents in the 1800s. And just two blocks away is the Burgwin Wright House. Their holiday open house lets you experience how people decorated in the colonial era, with décor from the 1700s. You might even get to take a candlelit tour!
Front Street Brewery (9 N Front St) is Wilmington’s oldest brewery. In a beer-lovers town, that experience has brough some expertise. And they’ve put that expertise to work in a special holiday beer named for Tiny Tim. Who could resist this little bit of holiday spirit?
Christmas Shopping can be so much fun when you’re in a new place. Both Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach have great neighborhood shops. I really enjoy the boutique stores like Meadowlark that you’ll find in The Forum.
More traditional shopping is found at Mayfaire. In fact, they’ll host their annual Holiday Market Extravaganza on Saturday, December 11 with a day full of holiday shopping with local vendors, giveaways, and more (maybe Santa?).
Or head over to the reimagined Independence Mall and see Santa from Fri. Nov 26 – Fri. Dec 24.
Horse Drawn Carriage rides are available downtown Wilmington. As a matter of fact, if you book early enough you can get on the Christmas Carol tour. They even provide the blankets! Then jump off and do some shopping before heading out to dinner at one of Wilmington’s renowned downtown restaurants. If you need help choosing one, we can help point you in the right direction!
Cooking in your Holiday Rental
Sometimes you need a change-up to get into a new cooking spirit. A different kitchen – one that’s maybe even more fun to cook in than your own – is waiting for you to get creative with a holiday menu!Take Thanksgiving, for instance. You might usually roast a turkey – but maybe at the beach you’ll grill it or fry it. And add oysters to the dressing.
What’s your Christmas Eve food tradition? There are so many great places to pick up platters or casseroles to go. Maybe your Christmas Eve includes seafood.
Prepping your own feast with fresh-from-the-sea oysters, shrimp, stuffed flounder, or even striped bass would make an ideal prelude to opening a single gift as you gather with friends and family.
No matter the holiday or the food you choose, your beach rental from Sea Scape Properties will come with everything you need. Feel free to check with us ahead of your arrival to see what’s available in the home you have chosen.
Simply the Best!
For a lot of people, November and December are the best months to get a vacation home on one of our North Carolina beaches. That’s because they absolutely love the weather! You can enjoy reasonably warm sunny days and then cool – maybe even a little crisp – nights.Some of our properties have fire pits for use so you can cuddle up next to a fire and listen to the waves crash – check out A Shore Thing if that sounds like the perfect getaway. No matter which holiday it is, you’ll want to have the makings for smores handy! Be sure to add your favorite chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers to your shopping list.
Frankly, it doesn’t matter which month you decide to visit us at the beach. We know you’ll have a great time and create new memories, both in your vacation rental and by enjoying all our area beaches have to offer.
Come join us. You can browse our properties here. But don’t wait too long to book, availability goes quickly! Need help finding the perfect holiday home? We’d love to hear from you! You can email us or give us a call at 910-332-7284.
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