Explore Pumpkin Center

For a stay in Pumpkin Center, you can choose from trails and green spaces, water activities, a spring festival and beach destinations. Some points of interest are in the surrounding area, while others are in Jacksonville. The location details help distinguish different interests when planning your trip.

Getting Around and Recreation Nearby

Wolf Swamp Road crosses the Pumpkin Center neighborhood, connecting U.S. Route 17 to the north with Piney Green Road to the south. Nearby, Northeast Creek Park offers opportunities for fishing in the New River and kayaking on the water. At the Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex near Pumpkin Center, recreational options include baseball and softball, basketball, and bike trails.

Water Activities at Northeast Creek

In Jacksonville, Northeast Creek Park has a boat and kayak launch, a fishing area, a disc golf course, a splash area, an inclusive playground and picnic shelters. In addition to water activities, the park also offers play and sports options.

The public boat ramp has two launch points and provides access to Northeast Creek. The creek flows into the New River south of Wilson Bay. This gives you specific locations to put the park’s connection to the water in context: the creek is accessible via the ramp, while the New River lies south of Wilson Bay.

Trails, Green Spaces and a Memorial Site in Jacksonville

Within Jacksonville city limits, there are more than 23 miles of trails and greenways open to pedestrians and cyclists. The trail network offers a different focus from the individual recreational areas in the parks. Trails and greenways pass through Lejeune Memorial Gardens and connect military bases with city trails.

Lejeune Memorial Gardens includes the Beirut Memorial. Within the city limits, Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex is the largest green space among the parks and recreation facilities. The complex also offers baseball and softball, basketball, and bike trails. Jacksonville thus brings together city trails and green spaces with specific sports activities, without all of them being located in one place.

Spring Festival and Beach Days

In May, Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex hosts the Jacksonville Jamboree. Jacksonville’s annual spring festival features sporting competitions, a car show, live music, carnival rides, food and games for the whole family. As event details may change, check the specific dates before making plans.

Driving to beaches north or south of Jacksonville takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. This approximate travel time is based on Jacksonville as the starting point. Emerald Isle is also identified as a beach-day destination for civilians. Beach days are therefore a distinct focus alongside trails, green spaces and water activities in the Jacksonville area.

Your trip can therefore include a range of interests: trails and a memorial site, water-based recreation, a seasonal festival or a beach day. When looking for a hotel in Pumpkin Center, you can first decide which of these is important for your stay; check the Jacksonville Jamboree dates separately.

Discover more destinations: North Topsail Beach, Swansboro, Sneads Ferry.

See the broader travel overview: Onslow County.