Shimmering Waters under a 1860’s lighthouse with children playing in the background. That isn’t a novel, it is the Edenton Colonial Park. But it is still a page turner!
Water’s Edge at Eden….ton
Edenton Colonial Park can be found, unsurprisingly, at the downtown waterfront of Edenton NC. This happens to be the county seat for Chowan County and sits on the picturesque Albemarle sound. Along with Elizabeth City, Washington NC and New Bern, Edenton is one of the most recommended inner banks towns.
Most North Carolinians that come to visit will cross one of two bridges that make the beautiful crossing of the Albemarle. You man consider this as a fun stop on your way to the outer banks.
Parking is what you might expect from a small town’s down town. There is a fair amount of parking spots available right next to Edenton Colonial Park. If the main parking lot is full, you can easily find some street parking on Broad Street. The drive down Broad Street is exceedingly charming and truly surprised me.
A Centuries Old Town
I had heard people in some of the NC travel circles recommend Edenton Colonial Park before but never quite understood what they saw in it. We were on our way back from visiting Merchant Millponds State Park and decided to stop for Madilyn to have some fun. We got much more than I expected.
The playground is a key element that brings families to this park but it is set against an utterly breathtaking view of the the Albemarle Sound. We came on a bright sunny day with some clouds which gave us an breath taking view. The mature oaks, historic lighthouse and Victorian architecture reminded me that this is truly a relic of the colonial past. Growing up in the central part of the state, it is easy to forget the age of the old North State until you visit these older coastal towns.
Playgrounds Done Perfect
Madilyn was already tired from hiking at Merchant Millponds earlier that day but that did not stop her from charging full steam into the gated playground. The playground is less than 5 years old with some fun twists that temped me to climb a few things. Madilyn was not quite old enough at the time to really climb the big stuff but she tried. Nonetheless, we still spent the majority of the time at the swings. I appreciated that the playground was fully fenced and gated. These gates are something Town Common in Greenville sorely needs. For the size of the Edenton Colonial Park, I was pleasantly surprised by the full bathrooms right next to the playground.
I did not mind hanging out pushing the swing with Madilyn since I could just soak up all the great views while she was having a great time. We did eventually go for a short walk out onto the pier. The pier is only accessible from a walkway near some of the parking on the East side of the park. I was debating whether or not to do this since Madilyn was nearing the end of her energy and slowly turning into a pumpkin but I am glad we did.
Oh Ya THE WATER!
Madilyn put one foot on the pier and just started to RUN! I was right behind her trying to keep up while snaping a few pictures of everything. I had to stop a few time to just really enjoy the moment that I was getting to have with my daughter. If you want to see a fun clip of this, check out The Better Carolina Instagram Page Reels.
If you walk all the way out onto the end, you will get a striking view of the town, the lighthouse and the water that might make you consider buying a boat.
Now one thing to note is that nearly the entire water front in the park has a railing. The exception to this is a 30 yard stretch near where the boat mooring is. Though not ideal, this does allow for boat docking to co-exist with leisurely play with your small kids at this waterfront park which was one of my chief complaints in reviewing Washington’s Waterfront Park.
Trolly?
As I mentioned earlier there is an area to moor smaller boats at Edenton Colonial Park if you enjoy water access. I did notice quite a large flock of various bird hanging out when we visited so beware of the bird poop.
The Lighthouse itself has a wild history (as with so many other lighthouses in NC) and is the real focal point of the park. It was not long ago that this light house was falling apart farther far away from downtown. For over 50 years this beauty fell on hard times. Now it is the pride of the town and can be viewed during the local Trolley tour.
We did not get a chance to do the tour on our first visit but I really want to learn a little bit more about the lighthouse and the surrounding town history. The Trolley tour picks up in the Penelope Barker House Welcome Center that is next to the parking for the Waterfront Park.
Lighthouse View Bliss
Between the amenities, the unique lighthouse, top tier playground, and breathtaking views, there is nothing else I could ask for in a local waterfront park. Great little trips like Edenton Colonial Park do not come along often. When they do, you have to take a minute to soak it in. Madilyn may never remember this day but I will never forget it for the rest of my life. Stuff like this is what inspired me want to start writing this blog in the first place.
Overall
Edenton Colonial Park offers a simple arrangement of park amenities against the impressive back drop of inland water front views. Plus, you will find a historic lighthouse that makes your visit unforgettable. Prefect for short stops or long visits, add it to your next trip in Eastern NC.
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