Driving to a southern North Carolina beach? What to eat and enjoy along the way

If you leave right now you could be at the beach in two hours. Let that, like your toes in the surf, sink in.

The closest saltwater to the Triangle can be found in Wrightsville Beach, the perfect distance for daytrips, long weekends or week-long respites from all the non-beach activities further inland.

But the open road is often more of a slog than a super highway. There’s the creep of traffic, the consternation of construction and the insatiable pangs of a hungry tummy.

For those who believe beach trips are both the journey and the destination, we’ve scoured the bogs and byways heading towards North Carolina’s Southeastern beaches — Wrightsville, Carolina, Holden and Oak Island.

Here are the best detours and the best bites along the way.

Destination: Topsail and North Topsail beaches, Surf City, Wrightsville Beach, Carolina and Kure beaches, Bald Head Island, Caswell Beach, Oak Island, Holden Beach, Ocean Isle, Sunset Beach

Interstate 40 takes you most of the way to all these sandy spots, but you’ll need to take some breaks.

▪ Detour to Clinton: The town of Clinton is about 15 miles off I-40 via U.S. 701 and has the Sampson County History Museum, a collection of 11 buildings that spans 250 years of agriculture, sports, law enforcement and military history.

▪ Detour to Wallace: This Duplin County town is a good stop that doesn’t require you to veer too far from the interstate. At the intersection of I-40 and N.C. 41 is the Mad Boar Restaurant & Pub, a favorite among locals and a cozy place for lunch. Wallace also has Riverside Barn Antiques, a 12,000-square-foot shop at 3843 N.C. Highway 41.

▪ Detour to Wilmington: Wilmington is a river city, not a beach town, but you have to go through or near it to get to most southern North Carolina beaches. Embrace that. Dive in.

• Its walkable downtown is full of restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, antique stores and book shops. Saving your money for pier-fishing fees? Then just walk the riverfront for free and meander through the neighborhood of historic homes near downtown.

• You can easily spend two hours touring the Battleship North Carolina, permanently moored in the river, or visit the Cape Museum of History and Science, the Children’s Museum of Wilmington or the Museum of the Bizarre (motto: “Of course it’s real”).

• The Cargo District in Wilmington is a cool place to drink coffee or eat from a rehabbed shipping container.

• Outside of downtown, visit Airlie Gardens (tickets required) or traverse some or all of the 4.5-mile walking/biking trail at beautiful Greenfield Park, which is free for visitors and the alligators that live in the lake.

Where to eat along the way

▪ Southern Smoke BBQ

29 E. Warren St., Garland. 910-549-7484 or southernsmokebbqnc.com

If it’s not Thursday and it’s not Friday you’re sadly out of luck for that week, but keep Southern Smoke in mind if you’re wondering what’s new in Eastern North Carolina barbecue. Southern Smoke, a tiny takeaway barbecue joint with a funky back patio, makes you wonder what it must have been like in the early days of some of the legendary barbecue restaurants that dot the state. Did they know how good they were then? It’s possible Southern Smoke does know, and they should. At this young barbecue joint, you’ll find old traditions in new packaging. You’ll find garklicky mac and cheese and specials you won’t find anywhere else.

▪ Tienda Dona Mary Restaurant

15204 US-701 Hwy., Garland. 910-529-1864

If Southern Smoke isn’t open, keep going through Garland and you’ll find this Mexican market looking like a trading post at a crossroads. There are wagon wheels on the porch and inside a vibrant dining room with wagon wheel chandeliers, a rich wood-paneled ceiling and warm yellow walls. The menu features versions of authentic Mexican dishes, with tacos made from pillowy soft corn tortillas, satisfying tortas and vibrant plates of huaraches. You’ll probably want an agua fresca for the road, whether you’re heading to the beach or driving away.

▪ Melvins’ Hamburgers & Hot Dogs

133 W. Broad St., Elizabethtown. 910-862-2763 or facebook.com/melvins

If construction or the whims of travel have blown you well off your route and into Elizabethtown, Melvins’ will probably help you make up some time and feed you one of the state’s most revered burgers. When you hear or think about Carolina style — the alchemy of chili, mustard and onions on a burger or hot dog — many believe the best version is found at Melvins’, a diner stretching back almost 90 years. But at Melvins’ success is measured in how many seconds it takes to fling a burger at you, which is said to be about five ticks.

▪ Sid’s Catering

455 S. Railroad Ave., Beulaville. 910-298-3549

One of the most historic pits in Eastern North Carolina, this spot north of I-40 is only open on Saturdays, with cars lining up when it opens at 8 a.m. But if you’re already driving bright and early on a Saturday, it’s the perfect time to stop in at this bucket list barbecue joint, where the pork is cooked whole hog style. Be sure to ask for crispy pork skin if it hasn’t already sold out.

▪ Tortillas Carolina

411 Southeast Blvd., Clinton. 910-592-0102 or facebook.com/tortillascarolina

This 16-year-old taco shop in Clinton puts the tortillas front and center, making them fresh. But it’s also the stop if you need a chicharones fix, selling the salty, fatty, porky goodness by the pound.

▪ Eddie’s Cafe

502 Main St., Hwy 701, Newton Grove. 910-594-1144 or facebook.com/eddies-cafe

There’s nothing quite like driving through Newton Grove, where the entire downtown is one big roundabout, built up about a block in every direction. On the northern spire is one of the oldest restaurants in the area in Eddie’s Cafe, which serves compelling versions of the Eastern North Carolina canon of perfectly fried chicken, smoked pork and sides like greens and stewed okra.

▪ Taqueria Mi Lupita

307 W. Main St., Magnolia. 910-282-0955 or facebook.com/taqueria-mi-lupita

If you find yourself suddenly in the need of tacos, this bright orange walk-up taqueria is situated in the middle of Magnolia, just off of I-40. The outdoor dining space is an orange carport covering picnic tables and the menu is emblazoned along the wall. The tortillas are freshly made, stuffed with all the traditional fillings. Also look for gorditas and tortas and Mi Lupita’s food truck at local festivals.

▪ The Country Squire

748 NC Hwy 24 Bus., Warsaw. 910-296-1727 or countrysquirewinery.com

Reminiscent of a country tavern from centuries ago, this Duplin County inn and winery is one of the most distinctive stops in Eastern North Carolina. The restaurant is built like a cabin, with dark brick and wood, and the menu shows off the steakhouse classics. The lunch menu is a little more travel friendly, with popular steak sandwiches, a variety of burgers and salads.

▪ Dale’s Seafood Lakeside

100 Lake Shore Dr., Lake Waccamaw. 910-646-4466 or dalesseafood.com

There are three Dale’s locations in Southeast North Carolina, each one privately owned today. This is the one situated right next to the water, where the calmness of tiny Lake Waccamaw pairs nicely with platters of fried fish and broiled scallops.

▪ Butcher of Brunswick

5850 Ocean Hwy W., Unit 2 Ocean Isle Beach., 910-287-6999 or facebook.com/butcherofbrunswick

The Butcher is three things: an Italian market, a butcher counter and a sandwich shop. Depending on the day, you might find yourself in need of all three, but as far as the sandwiches are concerned, the menu is a mashup of Italian and Jewish classics: Reubens served on rye and freshly sliced Italians on hard or soft rolls. If you’re able to restrain yourself, you may achieve the bliss of devouring a leftover sandwich while sitting near the surf.

▪ Paul’s Place Famous Hot Dogs

11725 US-117, Rocky Point. 910-675-2345

At nearly a century old, this former Esso gas station has been a hot dog landmark for generations. The distinctive hot dogs are boiled and topped with a rich brown sweet relish that’s jarred and sold, and is perhaps one of the most famous condiments in North Carolina. The relish is so popular that the fact that Paul’s serve its hot dogs on a top-split bun has escaped any major controversy.