Carolina Beach, New Hanover NC -

Carolina Beach has every vacation pleasure you could want. Located at the north end of Pleasure Island, NC this town of 5600 comes with a feeling of old-time charm yet it has all the modern conveniences. The white sands of the beach invite you to enjoy all that “fun in the sun” offers. Whether its surfing, kayaking, fishing from the pier, surf, or chartering a boat, swimming in the ocean or just soaking up the sun, the beach and all that it offers is sure to please. There are many restaurants to please your palate, some offering live music in the evenings. Carolina Beach is home to seafood, blues and jazz festivals. There are even free movies under the stars by the lake. Rent a bike to get to it all. It is a manmade island constructed when the Army Corp of Engineers connected the Intracoastal Waterway to the Cape Fear River and called the connection Snow's Cut. At the most northern tip of Carolina Beach is Freeman Park where you can drive your 4 wheel drive on the beach to camp and fish. Access is daily or a seasonal pass. A unique part of the Island is the Carolina Beach state park for camping via tent, RV or wood cabins. It also has a lot of hiking trails where one of them is called Trap Trail after the native venous fly traps seen along the way. There is also a boat launch, kayak rentals and a marina store. No trip to Carolina Beach is complete without visiting the Boardwalk. Nationally renowned Britt’s Donuts serves up some of the country’s best glazed delights. Enjoy food, live music, fireworks and the carnival rides. Visit the gift shops. A stroll along the small strip will take you back in time. There is always something to do at Carolina Beach. Pleasure Island also includes Kure Beach and Fort Fisher. Kure Beach offers more rental homes and famous Freddies Italian-American restaurant known for its marina sauce and pork chops. At the southern tip below Kure Beach is Fort Fisher. Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865. There is a museum dedicated to the fort and its history. A little further south is the North Carolina Aquarium. It has been recognized as one of the best in the US in 2016. There is also 4x4 beach access for day use. This drive on the beach is much more subdued and has much less traffic than Freeman Park. Continue south another 1/2 mile and there is a ferry for people, bikes, cars, and RVs that will take you across the Cape Fear River to the port city of Southport in Brunswick County. Just south of the ferry is a public boat launch. There are a wide variety of accommodations to choose from. Refurbished 1950’s era motel rooms, oceanfront Inns and hotels, cottages and luxury homes with ocean views are some of the ways to rest your head while visiting Carolina Beach. You are sure to fit your budget with so many lodging options.