Holden Beach: A great find
Review Submitted: May 20, 2008
Date of Stay: May 2008
Coming from Manhattan, I experienced such severe cultural shock on arrival in what had been described by the official Holden Beach web site as "paradise" that I was almost ready to go home. Whitecaps West is toward the end of a 10-minute drive along straight road separated from the mainland by the Intercoastal Waterway. The developers didn't believe in big sideyards, and have steadfastly kept out most business -- so the initial impression is of a terrifyingly barren residential suburb unrelieved even by minimalls.
The next morning, I took a walk on the deserted beach and drove over the causeway to The Cappuccino Lady, which I had spotted on the way out. The owner, Nancy, sat me down on a porch swing with a great cappuccino and introduced me to locals as they came in. They and Nancy regaled me with stories and tips on where to eat and what to see..
Turns out that Holden Beach's restaurants are hidden, but wonderful. I took meals at Pete's and the Provision Company, on opposite banks of the Intercoastal, and enjoyed some of the best fish I've ever encountered. Holden Beach was one of the centers of the shrimping industry for about 100 years, and a few boats are still operating. Many of the boats were built by a local family, without blueprints. I visited the local bookshop, The Book Worm, and found some great histories of the area.
When we got an itch to go somewhere, we chartered a boat for a little ride up Lockwood's Folly River, One day we drove to Southport to see art galleries, then headed over to Wilmington, a beautifully preserved colonial port town that has been restored and reborn as a hip place on the up and up.
I had a great time in my 10 days -- the air smelled wonderfully fresh, the sea was warm and quiet enough for my 2-year-old. Everybody had a bathroom, and we did laundry whenever we wanted -- a real luxury for us, as we're used to being at the mercy of hotels on our vacation. Compared to a visit to a Florida resort, it was pretty cheap.
Coastal Vacations, the manager of the property, keeps the place spotlessly clean. The house was in great shape. The beach was devoid of trash, and pre-Memorial Day, it was deserted. I had a moment of panic when a family showed up in the other half of the duplex, but we made friends, and they were quiet.
I hear rentals were down significantly in May -- but for the those of us who like quiet, that makes Holden Beach an even nicer choice.
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Helpful votes: 15/15
