Lily Pad Pottery — Attraction in Elizabeth City

This was my first visit at Lily Pad Pottery, & we had a wonderful time! The owner & the employee that was there at that time were incredibly friendly, outgoing, helpful, & enthusiastic. I was surprised at the amount of space they actually had as it appears to be very small from the storefront view. The decor was nothing fancy nor elaborate, but tastefully done, even providing a calm, peaceful environment...lol, at least while we were there. It was getting busier & louder when we left. They have a large aquarium against one wall that is home to several frogs that stirs curiosity & excitement for all who enter, especially children. They apparently have music playing on a typical day, but at the time of our visit they said the downtown area was having wifi issues. They had an assortment of ornaments, figurines, holiday decor, and various other items to choose from & add your own special touches to; prices are marked on the unfinished pottery items. They also have color samples displayed so you know what the colors will look like on your finished piece. Each color has a number. You find the matching bottle of paint & take it to your table. Everything is provided for you; all you need is imagination to create something special & uniquely your own. And when you finish, you just leave a completed form with your project at the table. They pick it up, put all the paints back on the shelves, & clean up everything. If you don't finish your piece that day, they keep it for you until you come back to finish it. I had selected a very detailed holiday cookie jar, & after 4 hours, still hadn't even gotten it halfway finished. But they don't rush you nor limit your time there, even if you're there for an entire day. They apply the final top coat of clear glaze before firing the pottery in the kiln, & call you when it's ready to be picked up. This is a good place to satisfy your creative urges & have a relaxing experience at the same place, especially if you enjoy handmade type items for yourself & gift giving. Children are welcome, & it's a good way to stimulate their creativity as well, but they cannot be left unsupervised. They do have a large restroom with a changing table as well. This would also be a fun group activity. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience, & I look forward to going back again to finish my special...

This place is a must if you're looking for something to do downtown or just visiting Elizabeth city for the day! It's just blocks from the Pasquotank riverfront nestled among many other small business storefronts, boutiques, and breweries. Our family enjoyed this wonderful experience together. We each picked a piece of pottery and went to work! There were endless possibilities of creativity. There are so many colors and variations of paint to choose from. There's an abundance of tools, i.e., brushes, stencils, crayons, tape, stamps, sponges, and so much more. The seating was comfortable, and the space was well lit and organized nicely. We weren't given directions when we arrived. However, it was a simple process that we accomplished. We did need more than the one water that was provided to each table. To be fair, that could have been avoided if we had noticed the multiple signs suggesting to use a different brush for each color for the best results. There were many signs and tip sheets posted throughout the establishment granting great advice for the best experience. I suggest reading them! Most questions we had along the way were right there in black and white! Everyone enjoyed the experience, and we will...

I have been to a few paint your own pottery places, and this has been one of my favorites! It’s a very relaxed environment, and the staff is so helpful and friendly. You’re encouraged to bring your own snacks or drinks, and there’s no time limit on how long you can paint for. They also have an pinterest board of inspiration linked on their website which I thought was so cute. All of these are major pros in my book.

I haven’t gotten my piece back yet so I can’t speak to the quality of the glaze/firing, but I’m sure it’ll turn out! My only real con is that some of the small pieces cost way more than I expected. Great experience...