Front Street
The main downtown area is along Front Street, which features numerous shops, restaurants and historic buildings.
Aquaculture Dude Ranch
334 journey's end lane, +1-910-326-5106. offers ecology tours into the croatan national forest, and has a dock where you can dig for clams, dip for crabs, catch shrimp and oysters, and set fish traps. a shellfish hatchery, along with the attached four-bedroom bed-and-breakfast, was destroyed by fire in 2004.
marinas
If you want to bring your own boat for fishing or cruising, Swansboro has three marinas:
piers
There are two fishing piers in the area, a small city-maintained pier by the bridge and one pay pier.
Bicentennial Bicycle Trail
The 25-mile Bicentennial Bicycle Trail loops through downtown historic Swansboro and into the Croatan National Forest.
Festivals
Arts by the Sea
One Saturday in mid-June, downtown Swansboro hosts Arts by the Sea, where local artists display their arts and crafts amid lots of food booths. Admission and parking are free.
Mullet Festival
The Mullet Festival, held during the second weekend in October, began as a celebratory event when the bridge over the White Oak River was completed in 1954. Since that year, Swansboro has had an annual celebration with parades, a street carnival, arts and crafts, and lots of seafood, with an emphasis on mullet: grilled, fried, smoked and stewed!
Christmas flotilla
On Thanksgiving weekend, pull your car up to the riverfront early to watch the Christmas flotilla, as a parade of boats decorated in lights pulls into the harbor after dark.
Swansboro is a town that loves its festivals. Among the highlights:
Swansboro Rotary Oyster Roast
One Saturday in mid-March, the Rotary Civic Center puts on the Swansboro Rotary Oyster Roast (http://www.swansbororotar...) with all-you-can-eat steamed oysters, flounder, clam chowder, sides hush puppies and coleslaw and beverages, as well as a traditional North Carolina pig pickin'. Tickets are $35 in advance, $40 at the door.
King Mackerel Blue Water Tournament
At the end of May, Swansboro hosts the King Mackerel Blue Water Tournament (http://www.swansbororotar...) with prizes up to $25,000, and a barbecue cookout for participants. Advance entry fee is $300 per boat.
fireworks show
On July 4th, be sure to watch the fireworks show over the river at 9PM, with popcorn and funnel cakes to munch, and entertainment before dusk.
Friendly City Speckled Trout Tournament
The Friendly City Speckled Trout Tournament is held in early November at Casper's Marina; fishermen are encouraged to weigh their trout alive and release them back into the water.