Last Updated on December 1, 2023 by The Smetz Files
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One of the things G asked for on his Christmas list was a trip with just mom (swoon!). So we took advantage of a three day weekend to trek down to the beach, just the two of us.
Here’s a recap of our restful winter weekend that mostly included biking, brunching, and time on the beach!
G and I arrived late Thursday night after he finished baseball practice. We got up Friday morning to run some quick errands, stopped off at Town Hall for our new property owner tags and headed to the grocery store to gather some essentials.
Next to the Lowe’s foods on the mainland is OIB Surf & Java. Part coffee shop, part surf shop, we enjoyed a light breakfast (their monkey bread muffins are a must-have!). Fun fact: they will make a kid temperature hot chocolate, so kiddos can sip without scalding their mouths!
Biking Around the Island
One of our family’s favorite things about Ocean Isle Beach is how bikeable the island is. The town installed bike lanes on both sides of First Street, so you can easily bike along almost the entire stretch of seven, beachfront miles. By mid day G was asking ‘what’s for lunch?’, so we hopped on our bikes and pedaled our way to The Perch for a quick bite.
Pelican’s Perch is just over half a mile from our house, located just across the street from Town Center Park on East Second Street. We love the food and G loves they have TVs with sports on all the time, so it’s a win-win for us!
After lunch we scooted across the street to the park to enjoy the afternoon sun. It was chilly, but we had the park to ourselves so we hopped on the swings and even went down the slide! As a family we have spent countless hours at Town Center Park; the playground is great, the splash pad is delightful (in the warmer months!), and the open field is perfect for tossing a football or doing a few tumbling passes! The town hosts the summer concert series and movies in the park to round out the summer fun for vacationers.
Both days we spent time on the beach, walking to the pier, tossing a football, and watching the gulls. The beach was mostly deserted except for a few walkers and their canines, and a handful of families enjoying the leisurely off season like us, so we had room to roam.
It was great spending time with G individually, I listened a lot. He chatted away about his interests, we laughed at funny stories, shared recollections, and talked about what he’s looking forward to this spring. It was a great weekend to connect.
Saturday was much the same, except we hopped on our bikes and rode up to 59 Causeway for brunch. Located near the new marina, just off the bridge, 59 Causeway is a fun place to grab a breakfast sandwich and coffee or a light bite for lunch. They have great outdoor seating options overlooking the intracoastal waterway, so after we finished eating we spent time relaxing in the adirondack chairs. The mid winter sunshine felt soothing.
Most people don’t think of winter at the beach as ideal, but if you can take advantage of a few days of sunshine, it’s worth it. We got lucky with mild weather so we could bike to some of our favorite island locales, get some exercise, and enjoy leisurely meals.
New Tradition
G and I were both looking forward to this weekend getaway, just the two of us. And it lived up to our expectations! He suggested we make this an annual event; it’s a tradition I support.
Take the Time
We enjoyed a slower pace, staying up late and sleeping in; not following a set schedule was a nice deviation from the hecticness of our typical days. Plus, I am really enjoying this stage with the kids; I loved hearing his perspective, how he fluently moved between topics, and carried conversation easily. G is a fount of sports history, so he quizzed me on all sorts of facts as we strolled along the beach.
It was a simple weekend, but it was impactful. G thanked me several times and told me how much fun it was to just hang out, the two of us. What a gift to have this time with him, following his lead, sharing his interests, and listening to what came to his mind.
I look forward to sharing more adventures with him, but truly cherish the quiet moments of connection we had on our winter weekend getaway.
