Things to do in Holden Beach, NC with Kids
The best things to do with kids in Holden Beach, NC – one of our very favorite places on earth.
Holden Beach is “the family beach.” Like it was literally on their signs at one point. Maybe it still is?
It’s also the beach that my family has gone to for generations. My mom went with her grandparents, we grew up going with my grandparents, and now my kids get to go with their grandparents. Our family beach.
It’s also the best NC beach for shelling, hands down. And shrimp burgers. But we’ll get to that.
Anyway, Holden is a quiet, family-friendly, beautiful beach on the NC coast. The quiet, relaxed vibes are why it’s amazing. If you’re a Myrtle Beach fan, Holden probably isn’t for you.
If you’re looking for a wide beach full of gorgeous shells*, great swimming, kid-friendly vibes, and a couple of places to get food you don’t make yourself, you’ll LOVE Holden Beach.
*Fun fact, Holden is one of last remaining spots in the world where you can find these sea biscuits, which are 30-55 million year old fossils! We also find sand dollars and whole conch shells on the west end, but sea biscuits feel especially lucky and incredible to find.
Read on for our favorite can’t miss spots at Holden.
Best Restaurants at Holden Beach
Honestly we spend a lot of time at Holden eating lunch and a million snacks that may as well be dinner all on the beach. There are several restaurant options at Holden, but only a couple that are must-stops for us.
Provision Company
You cannot beat their shrimp burger. Legendary. Also “thee special” is a crowd favorite over here. Peel & eat shrimp, a crabcake & corn? I’m in. You must have the conch fritters to start (unless you’re allergic – seen that happen & do not recommend).
Two of our kids love the grilled cheese or corndog instead, because kids are going to kid. But also it’s much cheaper than “thee special” that the other two prefer.
Call it PROCO, sit outside on the water, get a t-shirt to take home & be prepared to pick up a shrimp burger to go on your out of town.
Patronies Pizza
Honestly a delight. The shrimp parmesan pizza is the best of Italy & the coast in one pie. Their salads are fresh and their ranch is the perfect pizza place ranch (IYKYK).
I’m not usually one to waste time on pizza at the beach, but Patronies is delicious and it’s such an easy dinner when you’d rather be on the beach instead of in the kitchen.
Drive to Ocean Isle to go to Sugar Shack
Hear me out. We started going to Sugar Shack when I was a teenager and Holden had maybe one decent restaurant (before either of the two I mentioned above were there). What started as a fun evening out turned into life changing coconut shrimp & baby back ribs.
This is not a drill. These are the best coconut shrimp I’ve had in my life other than at one specific restaurant in Turks & Caicos. I don’t consider myself an expert at much, but coconut shrimp I know. Trust me on this.
The baby back ribs are my husband’s favorite. Like we give him a hard time because he literally cleans the bones dry, they’re that good. He lucked out with a July birthday & our July anniversary, so we often celebrate Sugar Shack style.
All of the food is delicious, but I never skip the crab fritters or the special milkshake-style drinks in addition to our entrees. Portion sizes are super generous (and it’s not cheap), so kids can easily share and if you have leftovers, you won’t regret it. We won’t even talk about how I didn’t even reheat the coconut shrimp last time…
Best Treats at Holden Beach
What Holden lacks in restaurants, they make up for in treats. Of all of our favorite beaches, Holden wins the dessert category by a landslide. It’s hard to choose where to stop and probably a good thing we’re eating lunch / dinner at home so that we can put our money towards dessert!
Beaches N Cream
Our longstanding favorite, no trip to Holden is complete without a stop at Beaches N Cream. They offer several flavors that are always available, plus a rotation of speciality flavors.
Banana pudding, cookies n cream, and coffee are always delicious, but their chocolate butterfinger may go down as my favorite (non peppermint) ice cream ever. I’m not even a chocolate ice cream girl, but their chocolate base is incredible. Chelsea & I discovered this with a chocolate cookies n cream that still lives in our dreams daily.
Saltwater Shanty
To be completely honest, we were so distracted by (and full and broke from) Beaches N Cream, it took us years to ever try Saltwater Shanty. What. A. Delight.
10/10 recommend a “surf and turf” which is a scoop of sea turtle + a scoop of holden beach sand. Get it in a waffle bowl. Trust me.
Raspberry truffle, banana pudding, coffee, birthday cake, mint chip, and Lockwood folly mud also all got rave reviews from our crew.
Sunset Slush
If you’re a frequent visitor of the North Carolina coast, you know & love Sunset Slush. Holden offers the same varities as our other favorite stops, and delivers via a beach cart, too! Many days the only reason my kids get out of the water is to run to tell me they see the Sunset Slush cart coming our way.
Ocean Blvd Coffee
A morning treat, if you will. Ocean Blvd Coffee is a great stop for lattes, coffee, smoothies, and pastries! We love to get coffee & smoothies and then walk over to Bridgeview Park to let the kids play while we sit by the water.
Other Favorite Stops
Ludlum’s Produce
The best local produce. And based on my step-dad, their t-shirts last forever. We love to stop here to get produce for dinners, lunches, and homemade treats (peach crisp or Nana’s peach daiquiris!).
Fantasy Isle
Putt-putt but around a cute little house + ice cream. What more could you want?!
Vincent Van-Go Pottery
If it’s nice out, my kids know there is no way they’re going to drag me off the beach. On a rainy day though, we love creating fun art & gifts at Vincent Van-Go. We’ve made gifts for family, jewelry boxes for the girls, and some of my favorite vases for our home.
At the end of the day, our favorite things to do at Holden center around being on the beach as long as possible. We love shelling, swimming, walking, watching the sunset, taking pictures, reading under the shibumi, and just soaking up all of the beautiful views.
If you’re looking for a slower pace and time away from the real world, visit Holden Beach. If you’re wondering what to bring, we’ve got you covered!
Other NC beach faves can be found here:
