Welcome to Southport – Coastal Small Town Living at its Very Best
Southport is located where the Cape Fear River meets to the Atlantic Ocean. Southport is protected by Bald Head Island and Oak Island, both of which have nice lighthouses that are great tourist spots. Southport features a large ocean water bay, 2 marinas, two ferry take-off points (one to Bald Head and the other to Kure Beach/Fort Fisher), and direct access to the Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. The town of Southport is frequently ranked in national publications as one the most charming small coastal towns and best walkable communities (see links below). The town is small (population under 3000) and filled with boutique shops and great restaurants as visitors to the surrounding beaches all make Southport a must-see stop. There are no high rises or big hotels in Southport. The downtown waterfront area is mostly residential and has many historic homes. Southport’s historic charm continues to remain strong. Walking tours of the historic sites or picnicking and watching the boats and freighters come and go from the harbor are favorite activities of both the residents and Southport visitors. The large waterfront park in Southport is wonderful. In addition to boat watching, the nice pier is a popular fishing spot. Dolphins frequent the bay. The vista view of the sky, especially at sunrise, over the ocean and barrier islands is a spectacular site. The way the town sits on the water, it is facing to the south-southeast.
As you ponder your next vacation, or just a weekend get-away, Southport is a wonderful choice, not only for its attractive charm as a destination, but also because it is so centrally located to all the great beaches of Brunswick County, the many other coastal attractions of the area, and is a short drive (or Ferry Ride) to historic Wilmington.
The 205 E. Brown St. Heart of Southport Historic Cottage is perfectly centrally located to enjoy all Southport has to offer. Located on a side street in a quiet neighborhood and just 70 yards from N. Howe St., the 205 E Brown Cottage is also just a 5-minute walk (4 short blocks) to the E. Bay St. waterfront park. 205 E. Brown is just a few yards away from Franklin Square Park, the local museum, and public tennis courts.
Heart of Southport? Historic District? What does that mean? There is not a strict definition of this, but we consider the Historic District to be the area as you come in on the main Howe St to be the area beginning at Fodale and the Hospital over to where it intersects E. Moore/Hwy 211 to the waterfront, then over to the Southport Marina and back to where Fodale runs into N. Howe St. We would consider everything from Leonard and Howe to Atlantic St. down to the water, and over to Caswell to be the Heart of Southport. Atlantic and Lord Streets all the way to the hospital could also be considered Heart of Southport – not more than a 10 minute walk to the waterfront, and shops and restaurants within a 5 minute walk from quiet residential neighborhoods. For the most part, Southport turns 100% residential just one block off of the main Howe St, which is a big reason the town has been able to keep its historical charm over the years, along with the spectacular waterfront views and live oak-canopied streets.
