Instagram Travel Link-Up: Why you Should Indulge in Fried Shrimp, Hushpuppies and Ice Cream in Calabash, N.C.

We are back again this week with the second  Instagram Travel Thursday link-up.  We are here each week sharing the joy of travel through Instagram photos.  Today, I'm going to share why Calabash, North Carolina is a place I like to visit every year. 





































I have been on Instagram about a year. If you have followed me from the beginning then you probably have noticed a repeat photo pattern, such as Leigh and her family, are in Calabash, North Carolina AGAIN eating fried shrimp, hushpuppies, and ice cream.

Why is that? Well, it is because we know what we are getting when we go to Calabash, and everyone wants to experience a good thing again.



Calabash, North Carolina, is located off the Intracoastal Waterway at the North Carolina/South Carolina border in Brunswick County. It is a fishing village where restaurants started serving what the fishermen brought fresh off the boat in a very distinctive cooking style.  They fry it up, baby!  That's right.  The town's abundant seafood restaurants have put Calabash, N.C. on the map as "The Seafood Capital of the World" for its Calabash-style seafood.

I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that people line out the door of these restaurants as early at 4 p.m.  This is outside of Ella's of Calabash when we visited earlier this month. 



Years ago, dining in Calabash was pretty basic.  People only dined on fried seafood, slaw, fries, and hushpuppies, and alcohol was not served.  Many restaurants are changing that atmosphere today, and are offering a full-service bar for diners as well as broiled seafood dishes, steaks, and chicken entrees. The town attracts diners from the coast of North Carolina as well as the Myrtle Beach area. 

I have a confession to make. I was never a big fan of "Calabash-style" seafood until I was pregnant with my daughter four summers ago.  I would always eat deviled crab, boiled shrimp, and hushpuppies when I made the mandatory trip with my husband. He is a fried shrimp lover. On that one trip, I tasted Will's fried shrimp, and was hooked.  I started craving fried shrimp during the last few months of my pregnancy, and have eaten fried shrimp from that day forward.

We usually go to Ella's Seafood when we visit Calabash.

 And my mom goes across the street to The Seafood Hut.

The closer you get to the Calabash waterfront, the busier the restaurants become at dinnertime. The funny thing is that everyone has their own favorite dining spots in this town, and they are going to tell you that the one they frequent is best. No one can really agree on which restaurant in Calabash is the best. I polled my personal Facebook friends, and the Seafood Hut and Ella's were mentioned as the most popular among my friends. 

But, there is one thing that diners agree on when visiting this small town, filled with at least 10 restaurants, all serving the same type of food. The best ice cream in town is at the Calabash Creamery.




I usually the get the "Birthday cake" flavor at this local creamery, but I decided on "Coffee" ice cream time. I loved it, and will definitely get it again.

This little one orders pink ice cream on every summer visit.

Strawberry matches her outfit, of course.

For more on our Myrtle Beach vacation, visit this post on the Coconut Cloud Martini I discovered this year at Tommy Bahama, and the Myrtle Beach Marriott Resort and Spa. 


 And if you are a blogger, please join us in the link-up.  



Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle., but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.

Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.

The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.

On a side note, I am traveling today to Charlotte, N.C. to take the kids to Carowinds for a quick adventure.  I look forward to reading the posts in the link-up when I return tomorrow. In the meantime, you can find me on Instagram. 

Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.