Go surf fishing on the beach in summer and reel in flounder, trout, spot and drum fish. Join a charter fishing expedition and you may catch tuna, cobia, mackerel and grouper.
Plan to visit the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. daily except Sunday and Wednesday. Visiting the center is free. This non-profit organization rescues, rehabilitates and releases endangered sea turtles. An on-site gift shop sells t-shirts and other items relating to turtles. A live web cam allows visitors to view turtles in the area. Contact the center for dates and times of the turtle talks given by the Topsail Turtle Project volunteers.
Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center
822 Carolina Blvd
Topsail Beach, NC 28445
(910) 328-1716
http://www.seaturtlehospital.org
Take your children to the Topsail Island Missiles and More Museum in the historical society Assembly building. Children will enjoy the seashell collection, and Osprey and Pirate exhibits, as well as the interactive geology and beach exhibits. The Camp Davis exhibit features relics and photos from the World War II soldiers stationed there. The Operation Bumblebee exhibit has one of the original top-secret missiles developed between 1946 and 1948. The museum is open from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. most days from April to Mid October, and does not charge admission.
Historical Society of Topsail Island Missiles and More Museum
720 Channel Boulevard
Topsail Beach, NC 28445
(800) 626-2780
http://www.topsailmissilesmuseum.org/missiles/default.aspx
Walk on the beach at night to look for huge loggerhead turtles laying their eggs or baby turtles hatching and making their way to the ocean. Only one in 1,000 baby turtles survive. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Raleigh, North Carolina, offers a weekend turtle-watching trip every August. Pre-registration is required. As of 2009, the price was $140 per person.
