We almost stayed home this weekend. We were worried about flooded roads, setting up in pouring rain, and power outages. I’m so glad we went anyway.
Just a few days before we were supposed to leave, tropical storm Debby came through the area. She dumped about 7 inches of rain on the campground and almost 5 inches at our house. On top of that, there was still going to be rain in the area on Friday as we made the trip to the campground.
But the campground posted on their Facebook page that they were open. The sites looked nice and, more importantly, not flooded. It did rain some on the drive down, but not the whole time, and we did not have to set up in the rain.
Where We Stayed
The storm must have kept people away, because the campground is almost empty. Out of more than 100 sites, I’d guess less than a dozen have RVs in them. Of those, a few belong to employees and a few didn’t appear to have anyone staying in the RV. One employee was explaining that they offer a one-time opportunity to change your reservation dates and that many people did that because of the storm.
We are very curious about this campground’s history. We wondered if an older campgrouund was purchased and then things were expanded. It feels like there’s an original piece and a newer piece to it. Some of the roads are paved while others are gravel. Some of the sites are really short while others are not. There’s also an emergency exit that’s in an odd spot. It feels like maybe that was the old entrance and now is just for emergencies.
| Campground Name | Holden Beach RV Campground |
| Location | Supply, NC |
| Dates | August 9-11, 2024 |
| Site Number | Site 39 |
| Site Surface | Packed sand, mostly level |
| Hook-ups | Full hookups + 50-amp electric |
| Cost | $102 per night |
| Water Pressure | 50-60 psi |
| Voltage | 120-125 V |
| Verizon Speed Test | 75.0 Mbps down; 6.0 Mbps up |
| T-Mobile Speed Test | 256.0 Mbps down; 9.0 Mbps up |
| Campground WiFi | 28.0 Mbps down; 5.0 Mbps up |
We booked an end site when we made the reservation, but they changed it at some point.
Our new site is in between two other RVs. It feels narrow compared to other sites a little ways down the row.
I think this is the first time we’ve seen water hookups that weren’t above-ground.
If we ever stay there again, we’ll probbably look at sites 29, 30, and 36.
The campground has a decent pool. It was clean, with several misters on the fence. There were also several showers for rinsing off and a water bottle filling station.
There’s also a pond for fishing. Because of the recent rain, the water level was higher than normal, and the dogs appreciated the shallow entry points.
The camp store was cute. They have RV essentials, plus some snacks, key chains, etc.
The best part was that the dogs were allowed to go inside. We were taking them for a walk when we decided to stop by the store, but there was a sign that said they had stepped out, so we hung out for a few minutes. When an employee came back and unlocked the doors, she said the dogs could come in.
The campground does have a dog park. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to get a photo of it. It was a perfectly acceptable dog park. There was some shade, and it was a reasonable size. My only complaint is that the fence on the front side of it was short, not even four feet tall.
There are several trails at the campground. In my opinion, having a place to walk dogs other than the campground roads is like the cherry on top of a good RV park.
Unfortunately for us, there was still a good bit of water on the trails after tropical storm Debby a few days earlier, so we didn’t get very far.
What We Did
Went to a small park, walked on fishing pier
Friday evening we drove to the Holden Beach Pavilion and walked to Bridgeview Park. I am so proud of Aiken! He met sseveral adults and a couple of kids. He wagged and even gave kisses.
We walked to the beach for a little bit (more on that later) and then got ice cream at Beaches and Cream. I was impressed how quickly the line moved, so don’t be deterred if you stop by and see a long line. Everyone got a taste and gave it five stars!
Aiken and the Ocean
After exploring the park, we walked down to the beach. As far as we know, this was Aiken’s first time seeing the ocean. He was initially a little scared of the waves and would jump when one passed him.
After a few waves, he seemed to understand they were just water and not that scary.
Also, I have never seen so much sea foam!!
On Saturday evening, we came back to the beach, but this time we were prepared. We wore shorts so we could go further into the water without worrying abbout getting our jeans soaked. This time, Aiken seemed to understand that waves are just moving water. And now he wanted to chase them! He would wag his tail and run head-first at the waves with his mouth open. Sometimes he’d try to chase one wave all the way back to shore; other times he’s go after each new wave as it got close enough. He was completely soaked and very happy.
He was worn out when we got home.
Where We Ate
Duffer’s Bar and Grill is just about a 15-minute drive from the campground. With only a few open tables, they were surprisingly busy at 5:00. The atmosphere was nice. The tables weren’t on top of each other, and it wasn’t too noisy inside. Even better, the food was great! Our burgers were cooked well, and I think this may be the first place we’ve seen that knows how to cook steak fries. They were delicious and crispy, and we would definitely visit again if we’re in the area.
Photos
Happy travels!
