Ice Skating on the Carolina Beach Boardwalk? I Love This Town

Host: So, okay, there's an ice rink coming to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. Ice. At the beach. I had to read that twice. Welcome to Real Stories with Buddy Blake. Buddy, what do you make of this?

Buddy Blake: Yeah, it's a fun one, isn't it? Thanks for having me. So here's what I can tell you for sure. WECT reported that an ice rink is coming to the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. That's the part I know, and I'd rather give you that than guess at the rest.

Host: Okay, so what about the details? Opening date, ticket prices, how big it is? I feel like that's the first thing everybody's gonna ask.

Buddy Blake: Right, and I'm not gonna pass any of that along. Opening dates, hours, prices, the size of the rink, all of that belongs to the folks building it and the folks who reported on it. Go read the full story on WECT, and keep an eye on their coverage and the town's announcements as it gets closer. We'll put the details in the show notes.

Host: I respect that. Honestly, I'd rather hear 'I don't know' than get a bunch of made-up stuff. So what is it about Carolina Beach for you? Because you clearly have a soft spot.

Buddy Blake: Oh, big time. My family has had a place in Carolina Beach for years, and we still go down every chance we get. That hasn't changed, and I don't see it changing. I'm a Wilmington native, I've sold real estate here since 1998, so I've seen a lot of this coast. And when I think about where I actually wanna spend a free weekend with my family, Carolina Beach keeps winning.

Host: Keeps winning. I love that. But why, though? What's the thing that does it?

Buddy Blake: It's friendly. It's easy. You show up, you park, you walk, and you're having a good time. There's not a lot of fuss to it. That's a big part of why I love it.

Host: Now, you grew up going to Wrightsville Beach too, right? How do you compare the two?

Buddy Blake: Yeah, I have a lot of love for Wrightsville Beach. I grew up going there. But in my opinion, it's a different world now. Carolina Beach just feels approachable to me. And I'll say this, in my opinion there's more to do in Carolina Beach than at any other beach around here. I'm not gonna turn that into a list I can't back up. Between the Boardwalk, the water, and a town that keeps finding new things to try, you don't run out of options. An ice rink only adds to that.

Host: That's such a good point. The Boardwalk always seems like there's something new going on. And for anybody who wants to find it, it's at 1 Cape Fear Boulevard in Carolina Beach, right?

Buddy Blake: That's it, one Cape Fear Boulevard, Carolina Beach, North Carolina, two eight four two eight. And the town's putting money into itself too. I wrote an earlier post about a three and a half million dollar grant for an oceanfront park, so if you're curious how Carolina Beach is investing in itself, check the show notes for that one.

Host: Okay, so let me ask you this. If somebody's headed down there, do they have to read a whole blog post to get your take on where to eat and what to do?

Buddy Blake: No, and that's honestly the part I want people to take from this. Call or text me. I'm happy to share my favorite places to eat and what I think is worth doing while you're down there. I'd rather tell you in a conversation, because my answer depends on what you're in the mood for, who's coming with you, and how long you've got. It's also just fun to talk about.

Host: Ha, that's the best kind of recommendation, honestly. And I know you also wrote about how Carolina Beach stacks up against other spots nearby.

Buddy Blake: Yeah, it's called Wilmington, Carolina Beach or Leland: Which Fits Your Family? It's linked in the show notes if you wanna see how I think about the area compared with other places close by.

Host: So what about folks who go down for a weekend, fall in love, and start thinking, hey, maybe I should be here more often?

Buddy Blake: Oh, that happens all the time. Plenty of people fall for a place on a weekend trip and then start wondering what it would take to be there more. If that's you, you can browse homes for sale in Carolina Beach any time. My team's agents help buyers every day, and there's a buying page that shows how that works. It's linked in the show notes.

Host: And if somebody already owns down there? What's your role in that?

Buddy Blake: That's where I come in. I personally work with sellers. So if you own in Carolina Beach and you're wondering what your home would do on the market, start with the selling a home in Carolina Beach page, and take a look at the Carolina Beach market insights to see what really happens to homes that get listed. Both are in the show notes.

Host: Love it. Buddy, this was great. Any last thoughts before we wrap up?

Buddy Blake: Just that Carolina Beach has been good to my family, and I'm glad to see it keep getting more fun. If you want my favorite food spots, ideas for a day on the Boardwalk, or a straight answer about your home, call or text me at nine one zero, three nine five, one thousand. The full article is linked in the show notes.

Host: Perfect. Thanks so much for being here, Buddy. And now I kind of wanna go see this ice rink myself. Thanks for listening, everybody.