Contact
Betsy Brown
Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail
919-518-1713
bbrown@mountainstoseatrail.org
Motels, Rentals and Camping Options
Hotel/Motels:
The Breezeway Motel
636 Channel Boulevard, Topsail Beach, NC 28445
910-328-7751
The hosts live on site and welcome us to their family-owned 47 room beach motel, situated right on the Intercoastal Waterway. The Breezeway is about 6 miles from the bridge crossing onto the island and features mostly double rooms, with a few king rooms. There is a dock out back with grills and picnic tables, and there is beach access right across from the motel. Each room has a mini-fridge, microwave and coffeemaker. 7 rooms are pet friendly. The rates for 2 people per room are $75 with all taxes and fees included, with each additional person $10, up to 4 per room. Pet fee is $50 per pet for the entire stay. Let them know you are with the MST Gathering.
The Jolly Roger Inn & Pier
803 Ocean Blvd, Topsail Beach, NC 28445
800-633-3196
The Jolly Roger boasts oceanfront and westward facing rooms and efficiencies, plus the fishing pier! The grill should be open by March, so you could in theory wander down the pier, catch your breakfast and cook it yourself. They haven’t posted 2019 rates yet, but MST guests can expect an oceanfront double room to run about $89 plus tax and fees, efficiency $95, a westward facing double room $75 and efficiency $79. The Jolly Roger is about 6.5 miles from the bridge crossing. All rooms have mini-fridge, microwave and coffeemaker. Unfortunately, they are not pet friendly.
6811, 202 Goldsboro Ave, Surf City, NC 28445
The Island Inn will open early just for MST Gathering attendees. Pet friendly. To book, call Barbara directly on her cell phone, 910-545-0297.
The Pink Palace (910-328-5114) and Main Street Inn (252-955-2227) are smaller inns with 5 and 4 rooms each. Both are lovely.
Campgrounds
Lanier’s Campground
1161 Spot Lane, Holly Ridge, NC 28445
910-328-9431
Lanier’s is walking distance to the Surf City Community Center and is one of the most scenic coastal campgrounds we’ve seen on the MST. It’s right on the waterway, offering both soundside and interior sites. Off-season rates per night for RV/Camper hook up with water, electric and sewer on the sound are $50, $45 on the interior; just water and electric are $45 on sound, $40 for interior. Tent camping on water is $40 per night, $35 on interior.
Blackbeard’s Treasure Family Campground
610 Roland Avenue, Surf City, NC 28445
910-328-1206
Blackbeard’s won’t have their bathhouse open in March, so they will only take self-contained campers, NO TENT CAMPING. 30 amps is $40 a night, $50 amps is $45 per night. They only take cash and checks, no credit cards. They will open up reservations for 2019 on January 1. Blackbeards is right on the sound, across the bridge from the community center.
Everett Creek Preserve
The Preserve, which provides camping to MST hikers, is about 20 minutes away just over the Onslow County line, will open camping sites for our attendees. There are a limited number of sites for tent camping with vault toilets, and no running water. These sites are available for free. For more information, contact Segment 15 volunteers Jim and Diane Hammock (Jim @ 802-258-0814 and Diane @ 910-520-2326.)
Vacation Rentals
Because of the wide variety of homes available, we don’t know rates. Please tell the agents that you are attending the MST Gathering of Friends, and ask for the best rate they can provide.
- Starfish Rentals 910-541-0872 (offers a variety of sizes and dates and pet friendly)
- Treasure Realty, 910-328-4444
- Ward Realty, 910-328-3221
- Island Real Estate by Cathy Medlin (many of you met Surf City Mayor Medlin and his wife Cathy in Elkin last year), 910-328-2323 or 800-622-6886
- Century 21 Action, Inc., 910-328-2511 or 888-823-2553
- Lewis Realty Associates, Inc. 910-328-5211
- Access Realty, 910-329-9800
- Intracoastal Realty, 910-328-3001
As we continue to access the housing situation in Surf City, we will add additional options if necessary. Even during this time of recovery, the beach is a wonderfully rejuvenating place to be, and we encourage you to stick around as long as you can. Perhaps bring the family for the week leading up to the Gathering, contribute to the local economy, and enjoy the beauty of the area before we gather.
The 2019 MST Gathering of Friends moves east to Surf City, NC, the weekend of March 22nd through the 24th, 2019. Surf City, right on the Topsail Island shore, is nestled amongst our trail communities in Pender and Onslow Counties. While these areas suffered significantly from Hurricanes Florence and Matthew, we’ve been assured that our presence in Surf City and Pender County will not hinder the recovery process, and that we are indeed very welcome.
The timing of this Gathering also presents us with a very special opportunity – one of being purposeful partners in the rebuilding of our trail communities. While this Gathering will include plenty of fun, fellowship and catching up on the latest trail happenings, we’re also going to expand our focus to include time for service.
The central events of the weekend include a reception at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, with dinner at the Surf City Community Center Friday night and the Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday followed by a group sunset hike of the new Surf City Bridge. For the rest of the weekend, from Friday through Sunday afternoon, we have organized a full-schedule of excursions and service opportunities to help you enjoy the outdoors, learn more about this special part of North Carolina and help the community as it continues to recover.
Friday's events will be centered around the Surf City Community Center. The Sea Turtle Rescue is on an adjoining property, and we will be able to walk between the two. There is plenty of parking and folks to assist you hike the short connecting trail.
- Thursday and Friday, before 5 pm - Excursions and service projects
- Friday, March 22 - 5:00 to 6:30 pm- Reception at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center - Meet director and Oceana's Ocean Hero, Jean Beasley, and learn about the center's work to conserve and protect turtles in the water and on the beach, to rescue and rehab sick and injured sea turtles, to inform and educate the public about the plight of sea turtles and meet some of their current turtle residents.
- Friday, March 22 - 6:30 to 8:00pm - Surf City and Pender County Tourism will be hosting a casual welcome dinner at the Surf City Community Center immediately after the reception.
- Friday, March 22 - 8:00 pm to ... Salty Turtle Beer Company If you've got the stamina, join us at the Salty Turtle at 8:00, a brewery just around the corner, for a beer before retiring for the evening.
- Saturday, March 23 - 10 am to 1:15 pm - The Annual Meeting - will include reports on progress to build, maintain and promote the MST; keynote address by Walker Golder, the Director of the National Audubon Society's Atlantic Flyway Coast Initiative; several workshops; and awards for hikers who have completed the trail and for outstanding volunteers. Doors open at 9 am, with coffee, light breakfast snacks and time to chat with other Friends. The meeting starts at 10. At 1:15, we'll shift to 5 workshops - see the excursion list for more details.
- Saturday, March 23 - 6:00 - Hike with all the Friends over the new bridge to Surf City at sunset. We're the first group being given permission to do this - the views should be amazing.
- Sunday, March 24 - 9:00 am - Guided trek in Holly Shelter with Andy Wood from the Coastal Plain Conservation Group.
Excursions are now open for registration too. For a full list, cick here. We know that through these excursions, hikes and service projects you will fall in love with the area, and by giving your time and labor, we expect the connection will be even deeper. Most of the excursions will require pregistration to help us plan accordingly and all are included in your registration fee, with the exception of paddling on the Intracoastal Waterway. A full list and registration for these will be available as soon as possible.
Accomodations: -- Because of the damage to our planned host hotel, we are now using several different locations. They are listed in the side bar. There are so many different types of lodging options in Surf City, from efficiencies to rental houses - we know you'll find something that works for you. Many trail friends are connecting and renting homes together, a great way to spend more time as a group.
Registration for the Gathering of Friends -- including the Friends' Dinner on Friday and the Annual Meeting on Saturday -- is $75. You may choose to register for each event individually, at a rate of $35 for Friday Reception and Dinner and all the excursions that don't require an additonal fee, or $45 for the Saturday Annual Meeting and all the excursions that don't require an additional fee. Up to 3 additional family members may attend for $50 for the entire event (with options of only attending one or the other event as well.)
The Gathering is a member-only event, and we welcome all members to attend. If you are not yet a member of Friends, you can join with a tax-deductible gift of $35 that can be added to your registration fee.
RSVPs are required by Wednesday, March 20th. Refunds will be given until the 16th if you register and cannot attend.
To check out more about the area, go to VisitPender.com.
Please click below to register now! See you in Surf City!