Destination Spring Break 2019

colorful flip flops on the beach

Are you ready for Spring Break 2019? The sun is shining, the weather is warming up and best of all, spring break is approaching! The Crystal Coast is the perfect destination for your week away from home where you can make unforgettable memories and spend your days on the beach soaking up plenty of Vitamin D. Vacation rental rates are still less expensive than summer and the beaches are still pretty empty. Shake your winter blues away while visiting and be sure to check out the cool happening on the coast this Spring.

Four events that you won’t want to miss in Spring 2019!

Four places that you will want to visit this Spring Break 2019!


St. Patrick’s Day Festival | 3.16.19 | 9AM-6PM | Emerald Plantation Shopping Center

The perfect Spring Break 2019 event! Proudly presented by Transportation Impact, this year’s festival will feature over 75 arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, amusement rides, face painters, and many other fun, family-oriented activities. No pets on festival grounds. The main tent is open to 21 years and up, no strollers allowed in the beer tent. Admission to the festival and parking is free.



Emerald Isle Marathon | 3.30.19 | 7AM

The 6th Annual Emerald Isle Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K is a great event that has attracted approximately 1,500 runners each year and has raised more than $200,000 for bicycle path improvements and health-related charities over the past 5 years. This year’s event will benefit the Emerald Isle bicycle path and SECU Family House, at UNC Hospitals, an organization that provides lodging and support services to patients receiving medical treatment far from their home communities.



Easter Eggstreme | 4.13.19 | 10AM | Emerald Isle Parks & Recreation

Join the EI Bunny for festivities including a bounce house, Easter Basket raffle, Cake Walk, Egg and spoon races, and more! Children should bring an Easter basket to collect prize. Photos with the EI Bunny! (Please note that no official egg hunt will take place but everyone will leave with Easter treats!) Everyone is invited!  No registration is required.



Beaufort Wine and Food Festival | 4.23-28.19 | Beaufort Wine and Food

Beaufort Wine and Food’s signature event will feature an exciting five days of tastings, seminars, dinners, live and silent auctions, and more. Talent from around the world descends on Beaufort to be paired up with some of the Crystal Coast’s best restaurants for an unforgettable experience – All in the name of charity! The festival combines the public’s appreciation for wine and food with its drive to support worthy local organizations and has positioned itself as one of the area’s premier tourism events. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age to attend any Beaufort Wine and Food events. Tickets are non-refundable as these events are for charity.


Cape Lookout Lighthouse

Cape Lookout National Seashore preserves a 56-mile long section of the Southern Outer Banks, running from Ocracoke Inlet on the northeast to Beaufort Inlet on the southeast. Three undeveloped barrier islands make up the seashore – North and South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks. The seashore includes two historic villages on Core Banks, Shackleford’s wild horses, and the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, which has a black-and-white diamond pattern, is known as the Diamond Lady.



Ft. Macon State Park

Fort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936. Fort Macon State Park is the second most visited state park in North Carolina, with an annual visitation of 1.3 million, despite being one of the smallest state parks in North Carolina with 424 acres. Fort Macon was built as part of the Third System of US fortifications.



North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores

Enjoy 50 exhibits and more than 4,000 animals as the NC Aquarium takes you on an aquatic journey from the mountains to the sea. Watch river otters play, touch a stingray and talk to divers as they swim among giant sharks and other marine life. Animal feedings, animal encounters, and other activities are included with admission.



Bogue Inlet Pier

The Bogue Island Fishing Pier is a legendary landmark for long-time Emerald Isle vacationers. Built in the late 1950s, and operated by the same family for well over 40 years, the fishing pier is a paradise for anglers who want to take advantage of the fantastic fishing conditions that have lured in fishermen to this small coastal town for decades.