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Calabash NC Seafood & Day Trip Guide

Calabash, North Carolina is one of the most delightful day trip destinations from WillowTree RV Resort & Campground, and it sits just a short drive north across the South Carolina–North Carolina state line. Famous worldwide as the “Seafood Capital of the World,” this tiny fishing village has been serving its signature Calabash-style fried seafood since the 1940s, drawing food lovers from across the country. But Calabash is about more than seafood — the nearby beaches of Sunset Beach and Bird Island offer some of the most pristine, uncrowded coastal experiences on the entire Eastern Seaboard. From WillowTree’s location in Longs, SC, Calabash is approximately 15 miles north, about a 20-minute drive.

Getting to Calabash from WillowTree RV Resort

The drive from WillowTree RV Resort & Campground to Calabash, NC is one of the easiest day trips you can make from the resort. Head north on US-17 from Longs toward the North Carolina border. Calabash is located just across the state line, making it approximately 15 miles and 20 minutes from WillowTree. The main restaurant district is clustered along Beach Drive SW (also called Calabash Road) and River Road, right along the Calabash River waterfront. Parking is available at each restaurant, and the compact layout makes it easy to walk between establishments.

Calabash-Style Seafood — A Culinary Tradition

Calabash-style seafood is a distinctive Southern culinary tradition that originated in this small fishing village. The hallmark of Calabash-style preparation is a light, cornmeal-based breading on lightly seasoned, incredibly fresh seafood that’s deep-fried to golden perfection. The result is a crisp, non-greasy coating that lets the natural flavor of the fish and shellfish shine through. The style became so famous that restaurants across the Southeast adopted the “Calabash-style” label, though purists insist the authentic experience can only be found in Calabash itself.

The village is home to over 25 seafood restaurants packed into a remarkably small area, most of them family-owned and operating for generations. Ella’s of Calabash is one of the most beloved establishments, known for its enormous seafood platters and family-friendly atmosphere. Beck’s Restaurant has been a Calabash institution since 1940 and is widely regarded as one of the originators of the Calabash-style cooking tradition. Captain Nance’s Seafood offers waterfront dining directly on the Calabash River with fresh catches brought in daily from local boats.

Coleman’s Original Calabash Seafood Restaurant is another longstanding favorite, serving generous portions of fried shrimp, oysters, flounder, and deviled crab in a classic Southern dining room. The Boundary House Restaurant offers a more upscale take on Calabash seafood with craft cocktails and a refined atmosphere. For those who want to take the Calabash experience home, Calabash Seafood Hut and several other establishments sell fresh, uncooked seafood by the pound for guests to prepare at their campsite grill back at WillowTree.

Sunset Beach — One of America's Best Beaches

Sunset Beach, NC is located approximately 10 miles north of Calabash and about 25 miles (30 minutes) from WillowTree RV Resort. Consistently ranked among the best beaches in North Carolina and the entire East Coast, Sunset Beach offers a peaceful, unspoiled beach experience with wide sandy shores, gentle waves, and minimal commercial development. The beach has no high-rise hotels or boardwalk attractions — just natural coastal beauty, sea oats, and the sound of the waves.

Public beach access points are available along Main Street and at several designated parking areas. The beach is ideal for swimming, shelling, and long walks along the shoreline. During low tide, the expansive sandy flats reveal tide pools teeming with small crabs, sea stars, and shells. Sunset Beach is also an important nesting area for loggerhead sea turtles during the summer months, and the Sunset Beach Turtle Watch program organizes volunteer nest monitoring from May through October.

Bird Island & the Kindred Spirit Mailbox

One of the most unique and memorable experiences near WillowTree RV Resort is a visit to Bird Island and its legendary Kindred Spirit Mailbox. Bird Island is an undeveloped barrier island accessible only by foot from the western end of Sunset Beach. At low tide, walk along the shoreline past the last houses on Sunset Beach and continue approximately 1.5 miles along the pristine, uninhabited coast until you reach the Kindred Spirit Mailbox — a simple wooden mailbox standing alone on the beach.

Inside the mailbox, you’ll find notebooks and pens left for visitors to write messages, reflections, poems, and thoughts. This beloved tradition has been maintained since the 1970s, and thousands of people make the pilgrimage each year to add their words to the collection. The notebooks are periodically collected and archived by local volunteers. The walk to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox is one of those rare experiences that stays with visitors long after they leave — a perfect complement to the nature-immersive atmosphere of WillowTree RV Resort’s own 650-acre lakeside setting.

Golf Near Calabash

One of the most unique and memorable experiences near WillowTree RV Resort is a visit to Bird Island and its legendary Kindred Spirit Mailbox. Bird Island is an undeveloped barrier island accessible only by foot

The Calabash and Sunset Beach area is home to some of the finest golf courses on the Carolina coast. Twin Lakes Golf Course in Sunset Beach offers a challenging 18-hole layout with stunning views of the Intracoastal Waterway and salt marshes. Sandpiper Bay Golf & Country Club in Calabash provides a well-maintained course with reasonable green fees. Thistle Golf Club in Sunset Beach is a 27-hole facility ranked among the best public courses in North Carolina, featuring Scottish-links-style holes and lush Lowcountry landscapes.

The greater Brunswick County area surrounding Calabash boasts over 30 golf courses within a 30-minute drive, making it a golfer’s paradise. Many courses offer discounted twilight rates during shoulder seasons, which pairs perfectly with an extended stay at WillowTree. After 18 holes, return to the resort to relax at the heated pool, soak in the jacuzzi, or enjoy a sunset at the freshwater lake.

Shopping & Local Attractions

Calabash and the surrounding area offer charming shopping opportunities that reflect the coastal Carolina lifestyle. The village of Calabash itself has a selection of gift shops, antique stores, and nautical-themed boutiques along Beach Drive. Callahan’s of Calabash is a popular stop for gifts, local honey, sauces, and Calabash-themed souvenirs. The nearby town of Shallotte offers additional shopping at Shallotte Crossing shopping center with grocery stores, pharmacies, and national chain retailers.

For a unique cultural experience, the Ingram Planetarium in Sunset Beach offers astronomy shows and educational exhibits about the night sky — a great rainy-day activity for families. The Museum of Coastal Carolina in Ocean Isle Beach (about 15 minutes from Calabash) features exhibits on local maritime history, marine life, and Native American heritage.

Why WillowTree Is the Perfect Base for Calabash Day Trips

WillowTree RV Resort & Campground is ideally positioned for exploring Calabash, Sunset Beach, and the beautiful Brunswick County coast of North Carolina. At just 15 miles (20 minutes) from Calabash, you can enjoy a long seafood lunch, walk the beach at Sunset Beach, hike to the Kindred Spirit Mailbox, and still be back at WillowTree in time to catch the sunset over the freshwater lake. Our 100-foot paved sites, fiber-optic WiFi, heated pool, and 7+ miles of nature trails on 650 acres ensure your home base is just as memorable as the day trip.

Plan your Calabash adventure from WillowTree. Book your stay today or call (843) 756-7334. More area guides: Cherry Grove Beach | North Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach

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Terms & Conditions

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Terms & Conditions
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.
Sponsor: The Sponsor of The WillowTree RV Resort & Campground Photo Contest is WillowTree RV Resort & Campground.

1. Eligibility:
The WillowTree RV Resort & Campground Photo Contest (hereinafter referred to as the “Contest”) is open to all campers who are legal residents of the United States and are 18 years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees, affiliates, and immediate family members of the Sponsor are not eligible to participate. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited.

2. Agreement to Rules:
By entering the Contest, the contestant (“You”) agree to comply with and abide by these Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and you represent and warrant that you meet the eligibility requirements. In addition, you agree to accept the Sponsor’s decisions as final and binding as it relates to the content of this Contest. Entrants should look solely to the Sponsor with any questions, comments or issues related to the Contest.

3. Contest Period:
All entries must be submitted within the time frame of the Contest as stated by the Sponsor. Entries submitted before or after the time frame as stated by the Sponsor will not be eligible.

4. How to Enter:
To enter the Contest, participants must upload a photo taken during their stay at WillowTree RV Resort & Campground through the designated entry form on the official contest webpage https://willowtreervr.com/photo-contest/. All entries must be original and taken by the participant. The entry must fulfil all requirements of the Contest, as specified, to be eligible to win. Entries that are incomplete or do not adhere to the rules or specifications of the Contest may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. You must provide the information requested. You may not enter more times than indicated by using multiple email addresses, identities, or devices in an attempt to circumvent the rules. If you use fraudulent methods or otherwise attempt to circumvent the rules of the Contest, your submission may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Submissions should not contain any offensive, inappropriate, or copyrighted content. By entering, participants affirm that they have obtained any necessary permissions from individuals featured in the photo.

5. Ownership of Imagery:
By participating in the Contest and submitting photos, participants agree to grant the Sponsor a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license to use, reproduce, distribute, and display the submitted photos for promotional and marketing purposes related to the Contest and the resort, including but not limited to website, social media, and print materials. Participants will retain the copyright to their photos.

6. Judging:
Photos will be judged based on creativity, originality, composition, and relevance to the WillowTree RV Resort & Campground experience. The Sponsor will review all eligible entries and select the winner(s).

7. Prizes:
Prizes will be awarded to the top entry or entries (the “Winner(s)”) as determined by the Sponsor. The prizes and number of winners will be announced by the Sponsor. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or any other alternatives. The specifics of the prize shall be solely determined by the Sponsor. No cash or other prize substitution shall be permitted except for at the Sponsor’s discretion. Any and all prize related expenses, including without limitation any and all federal, state, and/or local taxes shall be the sole responsibility of the Winner(s). Acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for the Sponsor to use the Winner’s name, likeness, and entry for purposes of advertising and trade without further compensation, unless prohibited by law.

8. Winner Notification:
Winners will be notified via the contact information provided during entry. If a winner does not respond within 7 days of the initial notification, or if the provided contact information is incorrect, another winner will be selected. The Sponsor shall have no liability for a Winner’s failure to receive notices due to spam, junk e-mail or other security settings or for a Winner’s provision of incorrect or otherwise non-functioning contact information. If the Winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim the prize within 7 days from the time award notification was sent, or fails to timely return a completed and executed declaration and release as required, the prize may be forfeited and an alternate Winner selected.

9. Publicity:
By entering the Contest, participants consent to the Sponsor’s use of their name, likeness, and submitted photos for promotional and marketing purposes without further compensation.

10. Release and Limitations of Liability:
Participants agree to release and hold harmless the Sponsor, its affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising from or in connection with the Contest or the use of the awarded prizes.

11. General Conditions:
WillowTree RV Resort & Campground reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Contest in the event of any unauthorized intervention or any other causes beyond its control that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the Contest. The Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual who tampers or attempts to tamper with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or website or violates these Terms & Conditions. The Sponsor has the right, in its sole discretion, to maintain the integrity of the Contest, to void entries for any reason, including, but not limited to: multiple entries from the same user from different IP addresses; multiple entries from the same computer in excess of that allowed by the Contest rules; or the use of bots, macros, scripts, or other technical means for entering. Any attempt by an entrant to deliberately damage any website or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil laws. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law.

12. Governing Law:
The Contest is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with the laws of South Carolina without regard to its conflict of law principles.

By participating in the WillowTree RV Resort & Campground Photo Contest, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agreed to these Terms and Conditions. This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with any social media platform used for promotion.

For any questions or inquiries regarding the Contest, please contact abeirne@sitetechsystems.com

Last updated: August 21, 2023

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