They say persistence pays off, and after three visits to Catch, I'm finally ready to believe the…read morehype. While our first two experiences left us wondering what all the fuss was about, this latest dinner proved that sometimes good things really do come to those who wait (and keep making reservations). Our party of four settled in with high hopes and rumbling stomachs. Three of us couldn't resist the siren call of the crab cakes, while our fourth companion went rogue with the shrimp and grits. The crab cakes delivered everything you want from this coastal classic--generously packed with sweet crab meat and impossibly light, paired with creamy mashed potatoes that provided the perfect canvas. The shrimp and grits, while delicious, couldn't quite dethrone our reigning champion (Cape Fear Seafood still holds that crown), but they put up an admirable fight. The real showstoppers, however, were the appetizers. My half-dozen Sneads Ferry oysters arrived like little ocean jewels--impeccably fresh, properly briny, with just enough natural sweetness to make you close your eyes and sigh. The mussels swam in a sauce so good I considered asking for a straw, and the calamari managed that rare feat of being both smoky and completely free of any "low tide" funk that plagues lesser versions. Our Sauvignon Blanc proved the ideal supporting actor, crisp and bright enough to complement without competing. The service struck that sweet spot between professional and personable--attentive without hovering, knowledgeable without being pretentious. The atmosphere isn't quite my cup of tea, but word on the street is they're relocating, so here's hoping the new digs will match the elevated kitchen performance. Sometimes the third time really is the charm. Catch has finally caught up to its reputation.

This review is based off my most recent experience here and I don't think it's too reflective of…read morehow the restaurant is typically as it's super popular in Wilmington. We had a large group and the server was very attentive to us. My soda cup was super super dirty which was gross. We ordered the Brussels and shrimp for the appetizer and those were PHENOMENAL. Shrimp were so flavorful and the Brussels were some of the best I've had. I got the swordfish as my main and it really wasn't hot. Kind of warm but not really as hot as it should have been. I thought the flavor was good but the portion was a little disappointing for the price. We got some coconut cake for dessert which was super tasty and moist. Mixed feelings but I'd give them another shot!

We have rented properties from Ocracoke Island Realty for five years now and they have always…read moreprovided excellent service. The staff are extremely helpful and have been able to answer questions and provide good advice. Any concerns we've had with the properties we rented have been addressed right away.

Having been to Ocracoke many times, this was the first time we had a significant problem with both…read morethe house and the realty group. We had numerous problems with the house, one of which was a non-working toilet that they said they knew about and just assumed it had been fixed. A part was ordered but had not arrived by our departure. Another serious issue was that the house had roaches. They said that is common on the island. I've never seen one during our 6 other stays on the island. I asked the manager if she had roaches at her house and she stuttered and said no. They also said they would call me back and 4 hours later I called them again. They said they tried to call me but I had no missed calls. Then they said the emailed me and there was nothing. They said they spelled my name wrong which makes no sense when I am in their database. So then they emailed me again saying there was an attachment and of course it wasn't there. They tried to give me a gift card for a future stay and I told them no way. They returned a small amount of money which didn't even come close to how much we spent on taxes alone. They have since not returned my emails or texts. I would like to review the house and there is nowhere on the website to do so although they post reviews for each property.

I recently took the Beaufort Cart Tour with Rich. I had a great time and got to see more of…read moreBeaufort than expected as we took a detour to the Beaufort Hotel to pick up others then made some stops along the way. Rich was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the town. We went to Hammock House that is one of the oldest houses in the state. It was used by the Union Army in the Civil War. It is thought to be the "White House" that was used to help those at sea navigate the shoals and harbor entrance. I am interested in architecture so the tour was tailored to that somewhat. Beaufort houses tend to have a white fence with sharp tops so that the chicken and pigs didn't get loose. Neighbors were allowed to kill the animal to eat as long as half was donated to the church. The three sided roof is another Beaufort style to cover the front porches as a form of air conditioning. Some houses are a story and a jump which is a one story house with a sleeping space for children The Old Burying Ground was interesting learning about. Captain Otway Burns is buried with a cannon on his grave. I got attraction and restaurant recommendations too. This was a fun and educational tour that I highly recommend.

My sister and I toured historical Beaufort with Rich. We had such a good time. Our tour was…read moresupposed to be 90 minutes, but we went almost 45 minutes over because we were so engrossed in conversation. I highly recommend this tour.

This last Spring, as I was on a stroll downtown with my wife, I witnessed this bizarre contraption…read moreride by. I froze. "Wait! What the heck? Is that a giant bike with a group of friends laughing and drinking beer? OMG! How is that even legal?!" ...was my knee-jerk reaction to seeing the Trolley Pub for first time. After wiping the shock from my face, I declared, "If that 's legal, I gotta do it! And if it's not legal, I still wanna do it!" Fast forward six months, and I just dismounted from my first trip on the Trolley Pub... This, my friends, is something you all have to experience! If you're visiting or a resident of Wilmington and like to have FUN, ditch the ho-hum Aquarium and do something you'll be talking about tor days! I noticed there's a lot reviews here that talk about Jeff, and what a great Trolley Pub guide he is. Well, there's a reason he's mentioned in reviews often. He set the stage for the great time we all had, and pulled a command performance as tour guide for beer drinkers. "You are going to have fun, and there's no going back now," says Jeff when boarding the Trolley Pub. And was that the truth!

We were visiting extended family in NC recently and were looking for a fun activity for everyone…read more My sister in law suggested this trolley and I have to admit I was a bit skeptical. It turned out WAY better than I expected. The experience was loud, fun and a bit crazy. Our driver Angela was awesome!!

Awesome fishing trip with Captain Rob. Caught several red and black drum. He knows fish and he…read moreknows the area. Laid back, fun and extremely knowledgeable! You can't go wrong by booking this charter. The best around so look no further!!!

Captain Rob took my family of 5 with three boys, 8,6,and 3 out for what turned into the best half…read moreday of our Emerald Isle vacation. He catered to the needs and dreams of young boys at ever turn, and it was evident he knows the water and channels of the area like the back of his hand. We saw dolphin, hunted shark teeth on a sandbar island, did a little fishing, dropped crb traps, and he taught he kids about all the animal life we encountered including a massive manta ray, and hundreds of fiddler crabs we scooped up for bait. Thanks for filling our day with adventure and delight!!

This was an afternoon filled with tons of fun!…read more We were in the area for vacation and OIB has the usually beachy entertainment options. This one was a refreshing break from mini golf and arcades and fun for both kids and adults. We had a pretty large group and some did the zip line course and some braved the adventure park (aka ropes course). We had lots and lots of fun, overcame some anxiety, and had a few sore muscles to show off our achievements. I also owe a big shout out to George, who was amazingly patient with my crew and helped coordinate the outing so that we all started/finished around the same times. I also heard from the kids that their guides were fantastic. They were especially impressed that they remembered every single person's name for an event that lasts only a few hours.

My family's experience with The Swamp Park Zipline tour was great! All of us did the Zipline and…read moretwo of us did the Free Fall add-on. For the Zipline tour, we had Jesse, Margaret, and Lacey as our guides and all of them were great! Jesse is very fun and funny, Margaret is super sweet, and Lacey had amazing knowledge on fun facts throughout the tour! The zip lines were very fun, and all three guides took every measure to ensure our safety, creating a good sense of trust. We all felt like a group of friends by the end of our tour. They also take photos at the beginning, middle, and end of the tour with specific spots for photo ops which I truly appreciate! (You do have to pay for the photos.) I will absolutely recommend The Swamp Park to friends and family! We plan to come back and try the ATV tour next!

This bike tour was AWESOME! My husband & I went on a date…read moreon the Hidden Beaufort tour & really enjoyed ourselves. Liz is fun & very informative. Can't wait to go back for another ride!

We had a fantastically delicious tour with Betsy in Beaufort! If you want to know more about this…read morequaint and beautiful town, while sampling foods at the locals' favorite spots--- the culinary walking tour is a must. It was wonderful spending over 3+ hours, walking through a progressive food experience. Appetizers first at Finz (fresh- catch tacos)...then Front Street Grill for lunch...Clawson's for huge desserts....and all with the best tour guide providing us the rich history and folklore of Beaufort. We will definitely come back for a few more of her tours--so much fun, learning and eating all rolled into one!

Exceptional Service with a Captain that is flexible with your recreational needs. He was able to…read morebring us fishing and to a sandbar to relax with our family. Definitely worth it!

From the owner: Provides charter fishing opportunities both inshore and offshore. Scenic tours and sandbar services…read morecan also be provided by a Coastguard Certified Captain. Service for Swansboro, Emerald Isle and Jacksonville area.

My friend and I did a BTP class and Nitrox certification through Rum Runner. Carolyn was fantastic…read morein her flexibility of scheduling and during the class allowed each of us to choose what we wanted to work on and gave individual pointers and tasks to improve our neutral buoyancy, trim, and frog kick techniques. Pete taught the Nitrox course and was extremely knowledgeable of the material and made the information taught enjoyable to learn and gave some interesting history behind it all. I highly recommend Rum Runner if you're in the Greenville area and are looking for scuba classes or searching for dive gear.

I wasn't interested in diving and only took the class because my daughter wanted to. I've never…read moreeven had swimming lessons. However due to the dive instructors and dive masters I am excited for the new opportunities I will have now that I have completed the basic dive course. Carolyn and Jacob worked with me and provided me digital copies of all the materials we covered in class. They have also worked with my daughter and her school to start a SCUBA club that will help more kids have the opportunity to learn to dive.

Captain Spike and Pirate Fettuccine do a wonderful job keeping everyone entertained including the…read moreparents!! I really appreciate all the humor that flies over our kids heads but makes it hilarious for the parents. We were lucky enough to see a pony on the shore so keep your eyes peeled! Kids received special treats, that was definitely a fun bonus the girls did not expect! I certainly appreciate the attention to detail from the mask wearing of the pirates to the cleaning of the cannons. Everything is very well done. Perfect for good clean family fun and even manages to take your mind off of the current state of the world. Thank you Pirates

The Beaufort's Pirates Revenge Ghost Float was not what I expected. I thought I was booking…read moresomething similar to a ghost walk but on the water. There wasn't much history or many ghost stories but mostly cheesy jokes. It seemed geared for children rather than adults. I would have liked more tales of the haunted history. We did see dolphins and a beautiful sunset. Make sure to arrive early for the better seating.