13 Things to Do in Southport, NC
Southport is a regular stop for us — my parents lived in Carolina Beach for a decade and are now over in Oak Island, so every visit home means a swing through Southport too. It’s a genuinely charming little seaside town: quaint, Southern, unhurried, with waterfront porches everywhere that make it very tempting to just sit and do nothing.
That said, it’s a small town, and a lot of “Southport” guides online pad their lists with attractions 30-40 minutes away in Oak Island or Ocean Isle Beach. We’re keeping this one honest — Southport itself, plus one clearly-marked detour if you’ve got extra time.
Things to Do in Southport, NC
Eat at Provision Company
This is the spot. Every visit to see my family, we end up at Provision Company at least once — laid-back, dockside, overlooking the Southport Yacht Basin and the mouth of the Cape Fear River.
It’s not going to blow anyone’s mind food-wise, this is still coastal NC, not some culinary capital, but it’s honest, unpretentious seafood in a great setting, and everyone from tourists to lifelong locals loves it. Grab a beer and watch the sun go down over the water.
Fort Johnston Museum
Fort Johnston was the first fort ever commissioned in North Carolina, built in 1754. Free admission, and genuinely worth the stop if you like history — permanent and rotating exhibits with real artifacts, documents, and photographs, plus a preserved old grocery storefront that’s a fun little time capsule.
Go Paddling
Southport sits at the mouth of a whole network of inland creeks and rivers, which makes it a great put-in spot for kayaking. A few outfitters in town rent by the hour, day, or week, and guided trips are available too if you want a local to point out what you’re looking at.
Browse the Galleries and Antique Shops
Southport has a small but genuine gallery and antiquing scene worth a wander if that’s your thing — a handful of local galleries downtown — like Artshak Studio, Rick Evans Gallery, and Lantana’s Gallery — plus antique shops like Timeless Treasures along Moore Street. We don’t have a specific favorite to point you to, but it’s an easy, pleasant way to spend an hour between meals.
Ride the Ferry to Fort Fisher
The Southport Ferry runs across to Fort Fisher regularly, costs around $7 a vehicle, and doubles as one of the better ways to see Price Creek Lighthouse — a crumbling 20-foot brick lighthouse from the pre-Civil War era, only viewable from the water at this point. It’s a scenic ride on its own, not just a means to an end.
Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
On the other side of that ferry ride: six undeveloped miles of shoreline, salt marsh, and beach. Good for shelling, swimming, and a bit of surf if conditions cooperate. There’s a nature trail and observation deck if you want to get off the sand for a while.
Visit the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Right next to the recreation area is the NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher — a real research center, not a tourist trap, with sea turtles, otters, sharks, and an albino alligator. Easy to combine with the ferry ride and the beach for a full day out.
Shop the Farmers’ Market
Runs through the summer in Franklin Square Park downtown — local produce, flowers, and baked goods from the surrounding farms. A nice way to spend a slow morning and support the town directly.
Walk the Southport Pier and Riverwalk
Start at Waterfront Park downtown and walk out along the Cape Fear River — miles of view in every direction, good for birdwatching, fishing, or just sitting on a bench at sunset. Simple, but one of the better free things to do here.
Hire a Fishing Charter
Several outfits in town run inshore and offshore trips, including Reelin Pelican Fishing Charters — most trips include everything you need, with room to bring your own food and drinks aboard.
Sip Something (Carefully) at Silvercoast Winery
Full disclosure: we’re not really NC wine people. Between time spent in Europe and South America, we’ve gotten spoiled by good, affordable wine, and most North Carolina wineries lean hard into sweet moscato-style stuff that isn’t really our thing. Silvercoast has a downtown tasting room if you want to judge for yourself, and they pour local craft beer too if wine’s not your thing either.
Spot a Filming Location
Southport has quietly hosted over 40 film and TV productions — A Walk to Remember, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Safe Haven, The Secret Life of Bees, and more. A few local tour companies run walking tours pointing out the specific spots, which is a genuinely fun way to see the town if you’re into that kind of thing.
Detour to Oak Island
If you’ve got extra time (and especially if, like us, you’ve got family out there), Oak Island is worth the short drive over — but treat it as its own separate outing, not a Southport add-on.
Highlights include the Oak Island Lighthouse (the last one built in NC, in 1958), Caswell Beach, and the Oak Island Nature Center.
Further out toward Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach you’ll also find the Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ingram Planetarium, and The Swamp Park zipline/ATV adventure park — all legitimately fun, just genuinely a different day trip, not a quick Southport stop.
Where to Eat in Southport
- Provision Company — see above. The default, and for good reason.
- Fishy Fishy Cafe — casual dockside seafood, boat-accessible, live music on weekends.
- Oliver’s on the Cape Fear — the dressier option if you want a proper sit-down dinner, New American menu.
Where to Stay
There isn’t much lodging in Southport itself, so most people base out of Wilmington instead.
- Budget: Comfort Suites Southport – Oak Island
- Mid-Range: Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Southport
- Luxury: River Hotel of Southport
