The region’s year-round mild weather means that outdoor activities run the show in Hampstead. Fishing, boating, sailing, kayaking, bird watching, or virtually any water activity the mind can muster can be accomplished in Hampstead's waters.

While Hampstead does not offer museums, water parks, nightlife or movie theaters, residents can quickly travel to Topsail Island or Wilmington to enjoy the amenities of the modern world, and then journey back home to Hampstead for the serenity and peacefulness of the low-key lifestyle that is represented here.

If you don’t know where to start your visit to this area, consider our  Day Trips section, which suggests the best way to spend a day in the Hampstead area.