This summer we went to Surf City for a day trip. As always, the sunrise was beautiful and we arrived just after a passing shower so I was able to capture a lot of amazing photos of reflections on the beach!
Hello, Ocean!
I took a personal day off from work and went to Surf City beach with my family for a day on Topsail Island here in North Carolina. Check out our Virtual Surf City Beach Walk video!
We hadn’t been to the beach nor seen an ocean in over 2 years! It was a much needed break from work and all the chaos that came from the past year. This pandemic really put a damper on every travel inspiration I had. And I don’t know when we’ll finally be able to travel again like we used to.
Surf City Changes
Not much has changed as far as the beach itself, however there is a new parking rule. We found out there is now a parking fee for parking at their public beach access between 9a – 5p (it used to be free no matter the time of day. Another reason why we always went to Surf City beach.)
A local we met on our visit told us the fees were implemented in spring 2021. The locals have parking permits that void the fees (which makes sense since they live there.) Despite the new parking fees, it’s still such a pretty beach to visit!
As for the playground and bathrooms, they are back up and running. The playground has been fixed up, as well as the bathroom since it was damaged by Hurricane Florence in 2018. They both were closed when we went in 2019.
How to Get to Surf City
We like to use the public access to the beach located at the Nelva R. Albury Recreation Area which has a playground, public beach access, restrooms, and outdoor showers. Here is the address for your GPS:
213 Broadway St, Surf City, NC 28445
Tip: There is a convenience store called Friendly Mart which is a couple of minutes walk from the parking lot. They sell hot dogs, snacks and other convenience store items if you’re looking for a quick and easy place to grab something to eat for the beach. The address is 1707 N New River Dr, Surf City, NC 28445
Photo Dump (Sorry, Not Sorry!)
I just wanted to share all the fun photos we took that day. I took 430 photos and videos that day but only sharing a small percent of them on this post. It was the only “trip” we went on this summer as we are not going to be doing much (or any traveling) for awhile.
What advice do you have about self-care? Comment below and share this post with your friends!
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