Holden Beach/Shallotte area Restaurants and Hangouts

 1. At the top of our list was The Cove Restaurant where we enjoyed the atmosphere, the food, and the bar area.  It's where I had my first Samuel Adams Octoberfest and Winterfest beer and enjoyed drinking it for quite a while until they were no longer seasonal.  When they changed the tap to Cold Snap they lost me because I just couldn't get my taste buds wrapped around it. Will have to wait until next year I guess to enjoy the Octoberfest and Winterfest flavors again.

2. Second place goes to the Wings & Fish Company in Shallotte, just a few miles up the road.  Great range of beer and also had great food.  Servers were also very friendly and communicative.

3. Third place goes to the Provision Company where you order your food at a counter on the way in and pick up your drinks. Really enjoyed their seafood and atmosphere.

4. Fourth place goes Jerome's Steak and Seafood. We had the buffet there which was really great with a wide assortment of food.

5. Fifth place goes to Mermaid's Island Grill. Another order at the counter on the way in and they will bring it to you.

Holden Beach RV Campground

We stayed at Holden Beach RV Campground when we first got to North Carolina because it was close to the next travel nursing job that Deb was supposed to work at Brunswick hospital.  About an hour before we got to the campground Deb was notified her contract was cancelled because they hired someone locally to fill the position.  We stayed at Holden Beach RV campground for about a month before we moved to the Wilmington KOA in Wilmington, NC where Deb was hired onto after finding out she didn't get the Brunswick hospital job.  Below are a few of the pics we had taken while staying there.

In the above pic Bella is watching squirrels run around

Above pic shows our "floating lights" on the temporary fence we put up

Motor home all lit up as dusk approaches

Pic above and pic below are of the first site we were placed on

While I don't have any pics of the ladies that handle the office check in desk I have to say they were all very friendly, understanding, and very helpful.  They were so helpful that we decided to give them all a Christmas tip in cash to divide amongst themselves.

We really enjoyed our stay there up to a point to where there was a miscommunication between the owners and the rules limiting the number of dogs one could have and whether or not a temporary fence could be set up.  Once that was brought to light we decided to move on to another campground which was closer to where Deb was working anyway.  It was an hour drive for her to drive to/from work from Holden Beach RV Campground.  Deb works 12 hour days and the drive to/from work made it a 14 hour day for her, so we had to move anyway.

I will add there are more campsites going into the back of the Holden Beach RV Campground but it is a field they are converting and they will need to make sure they add trees to shade the sites, otherwise the sun will bake the RVs and air conditioning will have a hard time keeping up.

There is another campground going into the Holden Beach area along the road on the way to Shallotte that was being built while we were staying at Holden Beach RV Campground.  This new campground will also have to plant trees in order to shade the RVs during the hotter months.  There was no name nor sign up for that campground but it is near the golf range practice area off to the left as you travel towards Shallotte from Holden Beach.

Various Campsites We Stayed On At Elkhart Campground

First camp site

Second camp site

Third camp site

Fourth camp site

We moved for the convenience of the campground due to already reserved sites we were on.  So, we ended up on 4 different campsites overall while at Elkhart.

Wind Damage to Elkhart Campground Trees

While at Elkhart campground we experienced firsthand the damage winds could do to the trees and near misses of having trees falling onto the RVs staying there.

The image below shows a canopy someone left out that was caught up in wind

 

Watering Holes and Restaurants in Elkhart, Indiana

Felt it should be a separate posting for the various watering holes and restaurants we frequented in Elkhart, Indiana so here we go.  Most of these were recommended by the locals but a couple we just happened to try out. Enjoy the venue.

Tradewinds Restaurant and The Galley Sports Pub has an excellent atmosphere whether you want to get something to eat in the restaurant or the pub.  They also have outdoor volleyball courts with sand and outdoor seating next to them. Like many sports pubs these days they offer various activities like Trivia, Queen of Hearts drawings, Bingo, and live music.  Thanks to Paul and Donna who recommended this one to us.

Flippin Cow was right next to the lake with tables overlooking Simonton Lake. This was another restaurant that Paul and Donna, longtime residents of Elkhart recommended, and it was just as good as they said it was. We tried The Stella Moo sandwich Paul and Donna recommended and it was as good as they said it was.

Iechyd Da Brewery was along the route we took to get my Wife to/from work so I stopped in there one day to try out their beers and pizza.  I thought it was good but I am not much into IPAs so I wasn't impressed much with the beer.  The pizza was good though.  They were only open Wednesday through Saturday which made it difficult to try to take my Wife in there since she works nights and the place opens at 3PM on Wednesday and Thursday, 11AM on Friday, and Noon on Saturday and Sunday.  They closed at 9PM except for Sunday when they closed at 8PM.

Re-Pete's Simonton Lake Tavern was another one of our favorite places to frequent.  Besides the wide variety of beer on tap they also had great food.  My favorite was the grilled shrimp skewers.

El Camino Real is a great Mexican restaurant we visited on a regular basis because the food was authentic and the atmosphere makes you feel like you are actually in Mexico. We enjoyed the Corona Margaritas they served there, but we could only handle one with our food since we had to drive back to the campground. My favorite dish was the Camarones Panzones which was shrimp with cheese wrapped in bacon. My Wife's favorite was the Fajitas.

Wings ETC was a watering hole/restaurant which I frequented because the staff was always very friendly and learned what I wanted to drink when I sat down at the bar. This place reminded me a lot of Fricker's back home in Ohio. Amber Boch, one of my favorite beers was still available at Wings ETC, plus they had the 33 ounce mugs that I always liked.

Unfortunately time was limited for us to do a lot of things with my Wife's work hours. Being a nurse is a rough life.  They work 12 hour days back to back for about 3 or 4 days and then get a couple of days off in between.  My Wife ends up sleeping most of her time off just to recover from the hours she just worked. Since I am retired, I normally drive her to/from work to let her rest as much as possible between shifts.

There are a lot more restaurants in the Elkhart, Indiana area.  If you are ever visiting Elkhart or the surrounding area just Google the restaurants.  You can also use Yelp or Trip Advisor to help you find a place to eat that you will enjoy.

Elkhart Indiana Pics & Captions

Below are pics of interest about Elkhart, Indiana, the RV capital of the World.  There is a RV museum and soon there will be a Mobile Home Museum right next to it. What we found fascinating about Elkhart was the statues of Elks, painted differently and in various locations as well as the hearts which were also different and placed in various locations throughout the region. They also painted their boxes for the traffic light controllers with images. If you wish to read more about Elkhart feel free to read the Wikipedia information which explains how Elkhart got its name and other pertinent details that may interest you.

Elkhart sign at the exit from the interstate toll road.

This Elk statue was in front of a bank

This Elk statue was in front of an Arts & Crafts store

This Elk statue was on the corner across from a Marathon and a Family Practice Clinic

A decorated heart in front of Elkhart General Hospital

Another heart in downtown Elkhart

The RV & MH Museum

Traffic light controller box

Elkhart Campground Pics