Sailing, Sunsets and Seaside Gardens: Go Beyond the Beach at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort

The Blockade Runner’s location on Wrightsville Beach in southeastern NC is about as perfect as it gets: nestled between the energy of the ocean and the calm waters of the sound. But after a stay here, you’ll quickly realize it's more than just a place to sleep after a relaxing day at the beach. From opportunities to try new watersports to its coastal boho vibe, here are six ways to enjoy a coastal vacation without ever leaving the resort.

Head Outside for Adventures

Head Outside for Adventures

The Blockade Runner is the only property in North Carolina that has sandy beach accesses to both the ocean and the sound, making adventure just a few steps away. Head over to our Soundside to book an Island Hopper cruise aboard the Carolina Runner and explore a deserted island with legends of pirate gold. Get your blood flowing with a kayak or stand-up paddleboard rental. Or board a sailboat to Masonboro Island, the largest undisturbed barrier island along the southern NC coast, and spend the afternoon looking for the perfect shell.

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Stop and Smell the Flowers

Stop and Smell the Flowers

You don’t often find a beach resort that takes special pride in creating oceanfront gardens (the salt alone is enough to make any novice gardener give up). But the Blockade Runner has been maintaining seaside gardens – which now span more than 4 acres – for 50+ years. One of the coolest parts? The gardens also make their way onto your plate. Executive Chef Jessica Cabo and her team at the on-site EAST Oceanfront Dining utilize the Kitchen Garden for harvesting herbs, edible flowers and veggies seasonally.

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Take in a Soundside Sunset

Take in a Soundside Sunset

Cotton candy-colored sunsets over the sound are showstopping all year long for Instagram-worthy moments. Take it easy on an Adirondack chair and watch the sun go down, or soak in the views from the water with a Sunset Harbor Cruise. If you’d rather see the sunset from the comfort of your own room, harborfront rooms offer unobstructed views of the sound and sunset. And don’t forget sunrises! Check out the Atlantic side for the most colorful way to start the day.

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Find Your Zen

Find Your Zen

Grab a yoga mat and head out to the lawn to spend the morning in a guided yoga session on solid ground. But if you’re up for a more challenging flow, try stand-up paddleboard yoga on the sound. This hybrid of stand-up paddleboarding and yoga offers the opportunity to experience the beauty of NC’s coastal environment while working on balance and focus. Both yoga options are offered May through September.

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Learn to Sail

Learn to Sail

Soundside at the Blockade Runner is one of the few places in NC that offers American Sailing Association (ASA) certification. Taken over a full two-day period, sailors can start with ASA 101, which covers the basics such as preparation of the boat, hoisting sails, rules of the water and man overboard drills. If you have previous sailing knowledge, ASA 103 offers hands-on instruction that teaches maneuvering in and out of marina slips and along docks, plus basic navigation for inland and offshore ocean sailing techniques. After completing this course, sailors will receive ASA certification and be able to cruise conditionally in local and regional waters.

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Catch a Wave

Catch a Wave

Named one of the “World’s 20 Best Surf Towns” by National Geographic Magazine, there’s no better place to hang 10 than in Wrightsville Beach. Wake up to waves crashing in front of the Blockade Runner, and let one of the resort’s qualified surf instructors teach you the basics of surfing from paddling out and standing up to reading the water and catching the perfect wave. Both individualized lessons and surf camps are available.

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This article was produced in partnership with, and all photos are courtesy of, the Blockade Runner Beach Resort.