Southport Magazine

Whether you are new to the area or have lived here all your life, a town as rich in history as Southport always has something new to learn. Luckily, Daniel Guetschow at Southport Fun Tours provides a service that is equally entertaining as it is educational.

Zipping around beautiful downtown Southport in his decorated, multi-row golf cart, Dan tells you everything one would need to know about our beautiful seaside town, from its original discovery by the Spanish in the 16th century to how the city has coped during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having lived in the area for just over a decade, Guetschow fills the entire 45-minute tour with facts about nearly every inch of the downtown area, including fascinating stories about individual trees like the famous Indian Trail Tree located in Keziah Park. Estimated to be anywhere between 800 to 1,000 years old, the Indian Trail Tree is believed to have gotten its unique shape when Native Americans living in the area marked the trail to their fishing hole by burying the tip of the sapling under the ground. Other famous trees highlighted on the tour include The Four Sisters and one located near local favorite restaurant Fishy Fishy that has a piece of ice house equipment from the 1960s embedded in its trunk. 

 A natural entertainer, Dan (a.k.a Rev) also is known to perform gigs around town with his bandmate, Donnie Weinstein. Together they’re known as Rev & Doc and could be seen playing at private parties and local bars back when live music was deemed a safe activity. They hope that with the relaxing of pandemic restrictions and increasing numbers of vaccinated people, they can see that missing piece of Southport nightlife return with gusto in time for the summer months. 

Guetschow makes a point to highlight local restaurants and small businesses for guests to check out and enjoy after the tour is over. Mainstays like The Christmas House are mentioned with his little quip about the Hanukkah house being out in the back — that one will be accompanied by one of the many chimes from his “Bad Joke Bell” during the tour. Keeping the humor friendly for families, jokes are tailored appropriately for the audience on board, taking special care to accommodate locals and first-time visitors with stories that hold the interest of everyone at once.

It’s no secret that Southport has spent some time in the spotlight on screens of all sizes, but on a Southport Fun Tour you learn just how much the entertainment industry has used our coastal town for the various films and TV shows including titles such as Matlock, Crimes of the Heart, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Secret Life Of Bees, Firestarter, and of course, Safe Haven. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll do any celebrity-spotting on the tour, but there have been encounters with some, such as Meg Ryan, who has been known to ride bikes around town when she is visiting. In addition to the bright lights of Hollywood, Southport is home to some literary history as well. Nicholas Sparks wasn’t the only author to find charm here. On the tour, you will stop by the childhood home of Robert Roark, novelist and drinking partner of Ernest Hemmingway. 

There truly is something new for everyone to discover on this tour, whether you call Southport ‘Home,’ or are just here for a weekend. In less than an hour, you will laugh and learn about everything from the architecture, the culture, the history, the  nature, and the charm that might otherwise go overlooked. Perfect for a sunny day, this tour will have you wanting to stay for more fun in Southport. 

To enjoy this fabulous tour for yourself, it operates (weather permitting) every Tuesday through Sunday, starting at 11:30 am with the last tour departing at 3:30 pm. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 910-713-3373. More information, as well as a photo gallery featuring some of the sights seen on the tour, can be found at: www.southportfuntours.com