Last weekend, Derek and I celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary. We went to Wrightsville Beach for a few days. It was really relaxing.
Our Travel Style
We love to skip town on a relatively small budget.
Our vacation style is about as relaxing a pace as you can stand, which is exactly what we need every year. This was the spirit of our honeymoon in Asheville, N.C., and it’s something we’ve kept alive for each anniversary weekend since.
By driving to a nearby town, we can leave whenever we want and typically get there in a few hours from the Triangle. As a North Carolina native, I feel like it’s a real treat to continue exploring my home state. There’s so much to discover, even though I’ve been living here my entire life. It makes me really happy.
A relatively local destination means there’s no time or money lost on flights, hassling with TSA, or checked baggage. We can pack whatever we want/need in our luggage without worrying about it being overweight or getting lost. It also means we can bring back food or beverages from places we find along the way.
Our vacations usually center around food and drinks, too! We love to walk a lot, see the sights, and relax with every meal.
Wrightsville Beach
Walks on Wrightsville Beach
Derek and I got some exercise by walking on the beach.
The very end of Wrightsville Beach is pretty desolate. It feels like the end of the earth, which is really cool. The kind of place a filmmaker dreams about using as a location.
The sand was so different there, too. Every step felt like a massage, hitting different parts of your feet. There were warm little tidal pools along the way, which are so wonderful this time of the year because the ocean is too cold for me!
There are other areas of Wrightsville that get pretty crowded, especially on a weekend. The public beach access points were all parking jams. Thankfully, our end of the island was really peaceful. (We stayed at Shell Island Resort, for those who are curious.)
Our fitness trackers helped us measure how far we walked each time.
We covered a lot of ground!
Shopping at Redix
My mom reminded me to stop at Redix when we got into town. It’s a big store full of the things I love: beach stuff, clothes, and shoes. We spent about an hour milling about. I wanted to buy everything!
Treats at Loops
The donuts at Loops were amazing. We got three different flavors, and they were all delicious. I wanted to go back every day for more, but I’m trying to not eat too many sweets! (FYI, Loops is in the same space as Robert’s Grocery and there’s parking across the street.)
Breakfast at Causeway Café
We had eggs, bacon, and waffles at Causeway Café one morning. It wasn’t our first time there, and we were happy to be back.
The restaurant is on the right after you go over the bridge, and next door to Redix. Both have blue roofs, and they’re pretty easy to spot.
The restaurant smells so good as you walk in. It always seems filled with locals, catching up and having a good time. It’s an intimate place to have breakfast, which feels like home to me.
PS: That freshly squeezed OJ is amazing.
Lunch at Robert’s Grocery
My mom always buys Robert’s chicken salad.
Somehow, I totally missed the fact that Robert’s Grocery is right down town. I think most trips have been with friends to hang out and we’ve always missed it?
Anyway, this weekend, we made a special trip! I really wanted a Robert’s chicken salad sandwich. It did not disappoint!
That sandwich didn’t stand a chance. I’m embarrassed at how quickly I woofed down every single bite. It was so good.
Dinner at Oceanic
We had dinner at Oceanic two nights in a row.
We tried to sit outside on that awesome pier but, alas, I’m a pansy. It seems I’m always a little too chilly and never have a warm enough outfit on to make up for it. So we moved upstairs where it was a little warmer.
During dinner we watched the seagulls, surfers, and sunset from our table. It was so nice to relax by the ocean and eat seafood. The hush puppies and fried shrimp are some of the best I’ve had in a really long time.
Where should we go next year?
Derek and I are always on the hunt for a relaxing place to spend a weekend. Use the comments to share your recommendations! We might just spend our next anniversary there!