Pick a sunny day to set out for Emerald Isle and the ocean breeze will enhance a day on the water. Start off body surfing in the surprisingly warm Atlantic waves and graduate to surf or boogie board until you are pleasantly weary. Then lunch on take-out seafood or fast food on the way to Bogue Sound on the other side of the road. Sail boat, kayak and Jet Ski rental establishments are plentiful and there are miles of shoreline along Bogue Banks for hours of exploration.
If anyone has had too much sun, or if an afternoon shower drives the party indoors, a short drive down N.C. Highway 58 to the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores is a ticket to consider. At the aquarium, river otters play, a touch pool boasts a stingray and other critters and the sharks peer through glass at eye level in the Ocean Gallery exhibit. When the sun comes out again, the marsh boardwalk and trails behind the aquarium provide a great place for terrestrial exploration. End of day hunger pangs meet abundant dine-in options. Fresh seafood, any number of ethnic offerings and, of course, American fare can be found along N.C. Highway 58 in Emerald Isle.
