1. For breakfast, check out Calabash Deli. It’s a place locals try to keep secret. Pancakes, bagels, omelets, home fries, grits, egg sandwiches, and even a three-egg breakfast sub — all served with coffee and juice — are on the menu every day. Don’t rule out the deli and homemade salad for lunch; it also has an impressive sandwich board.
2. Next, Hurricane Fleet will get you out on the water for a day of fishing, dolphin watching, or just cruising. With a fleet that accommodates 10 to 150 passengers, there’s room for your party to come aboard.
3. If you’re back on land after lunch, watch the catch come in. Go for a stroll on the docks along the river after lunch, and watch the fishing fleet return from a day at sea. Most days they’re back in port by 2 p.m.
4. Check out Callahan’s of Calabash Nautical Gifts and the St. Nick Nacks Christmas Shop. This 35,000-square-foot shopping extravaganza that has everything from homemade fudge and Calabash T-shirts to jewelry and shells, plus other nautical gifts. St. Nick Nacks is a Christmas shop that’s been a center of Calabash shopping for nearly three decades.
5. After working up an appetite, it’s time to enjoy Calabash’s famous seafood. While Ella’s and Beck’s and Coleman’s may have the local historical significance, other places to grab Calabash-style seafood include Captain Nance’s Seafood, and Calabash Seafood Hut. All it takes is one turn onto River Road, and you’ll be in the middle of the Seafood Capital of the World.
See more of our day trip recommendations for other NC towns.
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