Top 31 things to do and attractions in Kure Beach

Have visited Fort Fisher since I was a child, and while I was a wee disappointed (initially) to learn they were renovating and updating the historic site, the updates proved me wrong. A very clean and well laid out new museum/historic area with a good bit of historic artifacts that are now clearly labeled and provide great detail. Also a great walking trail around the site. It was a tad busy when we went, as I jokingly told my Dad that we encountered a "blockade" in one area with multiple people stopped to read and you couldn't move around them, but otherwise a well put together site.

What a phenomenal couple of hours at Fort Fisher! I was blown away by the new museum facility, the numerous artifacts from the battle, and the amazing views of the remains of the fort. I could spend half a day here on this hallowed ground and still want more. Highly recommend for a reflective and powerful experience, and the chance to walk in the footsteps of soldiers who have their lives for their beliefs.

Fort Fisher State Park is one of those places that just makes you slow down and appreciate where you are. The beach is clean, the views are gorgeous, and it never feels overly crowded like some of the bigger tourist spots. The walking trails through the live oaks are beautiful, and the history of the fort itself adds a layer of meaning that makes the visit more than just a beach day. Parking was easy, facilities were well kept, and it’s the kind of place where you can spend the whole day — walking, swimming, exploring, or just relaxing with a cooler and a good book. Whether you’re into history, nature, or just want a calm place by the water, Fort Fisher really delivers. I’ll definitely be coming back.

Kure Beach is our go to vacation spot whenever we go to the beach. Fort Fisher Museum is pretty interesting, the tour is a self guided tour and it’s free. They also have a souvenir shop with some pretty cool items. They have redone a lot of things on the grounds and the building itself so it’s much nicer than it used to be. It’s worth going to at least once! We hadn’t been since everything was remodeled and it is extremely nice!

We decide to stop by here on our way back to our hotel after the visit to the aquarium at Fort Fisher. Admission was free and there was plenty to look at. The site is beautiful to walk around and there were exhibits on the upper floor of the museum building. There was also a nice gift shop on the bottom floor. When we visited the elevator was out of service.

Great job with the transformation and new museum, and exhibits!! Beautiful!! The reconstruction of the north facing battery mounds is excellent and gives a great perspective.

Fort Fisher State Historic Site has a self-guided tour trail. It's a quarter-mile long, winding through the remaining earthworks of the fort. Along the trail, you'll find exhibit panels with information and images that explain the history of the site. The trail also features a restored gun emplacement and a reconstructed palisade fence. The trail is handicapped accessible.

Kure Pier is absolutely beautiful. The water has this stunning blue color that almost reminds me of Maine. It's clear they're actively working to improve the beach area, which is great to see. The main thing to be aware of is that the beach here is quite steep and the currents can be very strong, so be cautious in the water. It looks like they're working on remediation efforts to address this. Overall, it's a gorgeous place to visit and enjoy the scenery. Just respect the ocean conditions.

We really enjoyed our visit to Carolina and Kure beaches. The pier was nice and the staff were very friendly and helpful. We visited twice, the first day was cool but gorgeous out with big waves due to the approaching storm. We visited the next day during the storm and went to the end of the pier to feel it away and the 35 to 40 mph winds. It was fun and we made the best of the weather.

I am a resident here. After all of the tourists go away , or even when they are here, the pier is great for kids as well as families and strollers , and it's beautiful and you get to see the sting rays and sharks and fish that the guys are reeling in. I think you can rent the pole for a day for like $10. There's all kinds of bait in anything you may need to throw a/your pole in the water! There's even a place to cut up your catches and fillet them!

Very nice pier! Also has seating, an area to clean/wash fish, a small covered sitting area, and a store that sells everything you need attached. Steps away are restaurants. So buy a whole or half day pass you will have a good time.

Went to grab a coffee at Happy Hippes Java Hut, walk out the beach watching all the fishermen. Have been on the pier several times. Love tge laid back vibe of Kure Beach.

Very beautiful and serene. We also visited the aquarium while we were there. We really had a great time.

Love this pier! Such a great walk! We enjoy watching all the people fishing, the birds, the ocean, the gift shop and really great ice cream!

Really nice beach. Public restroom close. Parking is really expensive. 25$ a day or 5$ an hour. The water is green and it is very rocky area. It hurts your feet. Also, it is very deep at the beginning it is very strong downhill. If you walk 10 feet into the water, you won't touch the bottom.

Gorgeous venue with tons of family-friendly programs hosted by the Recreation Department!

Great venue for anything! Beautiful enough to host a wedding or celebration, casual enough for a concert. We stopped by Sunday for church right on the lawn. Great sound from the Pavillion. Restrooms, playground, shade, recycling (yay), and a very nice set up with swings along the boardwalk facing the ocean. Well done Kure Beach!

Be careful if you park on the street near the park. To pay for parking you have to input a code that is written on the street. Most of the codes are so faded that you can't read them. Most of the directions on how to pay are also faded out. I parked and was looking for a street sign with directions on how to pay and in the short time I was away I got a $65 ticket. A very underhanded way to raise money.

I shouldn't say this, but this is the best little beach. It is possibly (probably is more like it) the best little beach on the east coast. Shh, don't tell anyone. We love a day trip to this place. Since my wife has become severely limited in her mobility she can still enjoy the ocean front on this little gem of a beach. Yep, age happens.

Some great views here. Lots of great shots for you photography buffs, or just take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere. On the right day, this place is very worth a visit.

Beautiful sunrise. Saw 2 dolphins playing in the water and was greated by a super nice kitty. Always a favorite place to come.

Awesome place with much history and historical value. So many cool artifacts and museum pieces. Staff were friendly and well trained. They even had a lottle theater you could watch a historical documentary. They have AC, elevators, and public restrooms.

I have been here at least four times now - three times outdoors only (they are usually out of season when I visit) and this last time, finally the indoors portion. What a great museum! Despite its small size, the interior is chock full of stories about North Carolinians in the military and much thought has obviously been put into the displays. I was pleasantly surprised to see the Coast Guard and lifesaving stations acknowledged in the naval section. There are a variety of uncommon artifacts and a great mix of signs, photos, artwork, figurines, and primary artifacts to tell the story of North Carolina servicemen. Also neat is that it is in the old post bowling alley - evident when one looks at the building's shape on Google Maps. The displays are down what once was the bowling lanes. Reception and the office are where the shoes were kept and ticketing done. Neat! Of note - these guys went out of their way to accommodate my visit, and really showed my wife & I great southern hospitality that was very much appreciated. I only wish the weather was kinder to the macro artifacts outside, and that this place was more well-known - they could use more visitors! Two thumbs up and five stars, if you can align your trip with their hours, definitely do.

5 stars all the way, small and tucked away but it’s a very cool place with amazing history behind it. It has lots of cool artifacts including real tanks and a helicopter and many more!! The gentleman that volunteers there is so nice and we literally talked to him for an hour and did I mention that they still let us walk around even tho they were technically closed? So nice of them and if your in the Carolina beach/kure beach area I totally recommend to stop by!!

Great little museum, if you like military gear and equipment from the eras definitely the place to go. Friendly staff, free admission, so make a donation to keep this place up and running!

This place is really a gem, with lots of artifacts for it's small size, and lots of history too. Admission is free for everyone, and the main attractions are quite lovely to look at, i would recommend if you are into military history and nearby

Come see authentic tanks and cannons. It amazed me men sat next to all that noise and jolting recoil. Even with cotton and head mufflers, the vibrations had to be bad for a human. Our soldiers have sacrificed so much for us. I wish I could thank each one personally for their service. I won't ever pass by a war memorial without stopping. Respect.

Absolutely awesome place to go to they have a lot of cool stuff and the gent there was a very nice guy very knowledgeable about all the history Will definitely be going back and spending a lot more time checking out the stuff

We ordered 2 flounder burgers, a hotdog, cheese fries, and two ice vanilla creams. We paid about $30 something. First, I want to start by saying they have excellent customer service. Hands down the absolute best customer service I’ve experienced in a while. That holds high bc nowadays it’s hard to find. Flounder burgers: my son said it was a 9/10. He loved it! I thought it was good. I personally prefer freshly breaded seafood. Maybe it was freshly breaded with flour. I think they use a bread crumb breading. This fish tasted fresh for sure but the type of breading wasn’t my desired choice. Cheese fries: I’m sorry but it wasn’t good. It tastes like they slapped cheese on plain fries. I recommend using a different cheese and seasoning the fries with salt or old bay. Hotdogs: my daughter loved it. Can’t go wrong with the simple stuff. Vanilla ice cream: they didn’t have vanilla. My kids love vanilla and aren’t a big fan of chocolate. I told them that we can accept one chocolate since the machine wasn’t ready but they gave us both chocolate. Maybe it was a miscommunication. They didn’t like it. I tried it and if you like chocolate ice cream it tastes like chocolate. It wasn’t bad. My picky kids just have their preference. Thank you for the good food! I would recommend it to a friend! Definitely a great price too!

I went to enjoy the day for Father’s Day yesterday with my family, I understand it is a busy and chaotic week for many businesses there but we did not AT ALL feel welcomed. The lady up front taking our order which only consisted of ice cream was rude and it felt like she did not want to serve us. A business can refuse anyone service if that was the case she should have. After paying we noticed the business political views on the front window which I’m not opposed to and it seemed because of our skin tone she was not interested in taking our order. I’m very disappointed in the manner we were treated especially as tourist.

This place will be BUSY for dinner so just be prepared to wait. It’s a walk up order window where you also pick up your food. The guy in front of us ordered literally 10 burgers and we were starving and didn’t want to wait the 20 minutes so we got the chicken nuggets instead. They were extra crispy and came out pretty quick. They had honey mustard, BBQ, and ketchup for dipping.

It was amazing food. You could tell they cooked everything fresh. The person who took our order was incredibly nice and polite and funny.

I’ve been coming here for years. Before it was Beach Burgers it was a house my family rented when I was a kid. The food is great. Loved the Sundrop/Cheerwine Freeze wish they served it every day.

We are at the burger shack last night and it’s cute, it was good. My son brought a guest to the beach and didn’t want to eat our seafood boil and wanted to get hotdog and fries again instead. We are a few houses down and I told my son to walk and take my card and get his friend food. The friend joined. When they got there, BurgerShack called out for Chris (my husbands name) and his friend assumed it was his food as we’ve picked up or ordered everything thus far on the trip (not from here specifically). It was our son and his friends misunderstanding/fault for being confused. They are big for their age but only 12/13. They took someone else’s order. They walked back home and said they picked up the order for “Chris” and I immediately said “nope, you took someone’s food”. I drove them back immediately. My daughter hopped out bc they were embarrassed and I had her return it and order his meal. She was met with a rude lady who said something to the effect of, “so your brother is the one who stole the food? I was about to call the cops!” I fully understand the inconvenience of this situation. The bother it causes an unassuming customer, the need to remake food, etc. I get it. I am very sorry for the misunderstanding and accident that occurred. But I think the lady working needs to work on her people skills/professionalism and not threaten children with the police. That’s a bit much. My daughter is 12, she made her feel uncomfortable. The lady was rude. My daughter didn’t take the food. We didn’t steal, we returned it. It was an accident and things happen. When the food was done, I went to the window to be met with a smirky woman. I said we sent the children to get the food and they made a mistake. To accuse them of stealing is wild.” And she shut the window.

Very simple menu but plenty to satisfy. Prices are not outrageous and the food was very tasty. Right within walking distance of the pier so it is very convenient as well. The staff working today when I visited was very courteous and got the food out quickly. With the majority of everything else in the area being closed I see this as the only place I would visit…. Most lowly every day during my stay!

The food was alright, nothing special. The prices were appropriate for the quality of food served. The service was a bit underwhelming. They were friendly but not overly optimistic or engaging like other establishments. I think the lunch specials are worth the price, I got the Swordfish bites and homemade chips. The chips were pretty good.

First time my family has eaten here and we’ve made Kure Beach/Fort Fisher our vacation spot for the last 6 years! I can’t believe we didn’t eat here sooner!! We went around 6:00/6:30pm on a Friday night and were seated immediately. Plenty of seating for 6 at a booth. I got Jacks Ultimate Club with Old Bay chips and it was AMAZING!! No exaggeration. The chips were so flavorful and crispy and the chicken club was so tasty! My husband and my daughter’s boyfriend got the Flounder Platters and they cleaned their plates and told us many times how good it was while they were eating. My oldest daughter got the Cheshire Pork Belly and it was so tender she could tear it apart with just her fork! My youngest daughter and son got the Snow Crab Cluster and loved it!! Our waitress was the sweetest lady and kept us served up good on everything. The atmosphere has dim lighting and is so relaxing. I just can’t express enough how awesome this place is. It’ll be a go-to EVERY time we vacation at Kure. If you haven’t tried it….what are you waiting for!!?

We did not have the best experience. Service was pretty slow. Polite, but very slow. The food was ok. I got the catch of the day. Mahi Mahi. Blackened. The flavor was faint and the fish was dry. My daughter's shrimp was fine. The seafood dip was ok. We were a bit disappointed. Looked good. But taste was meh.

Our server Ryan was phenomenal. Attentive and friendly. I had the snow crab legs and clams for an appetizer. These were some of the best I've had. Tasty and cooked just right. My sister had the pork chops that were tender and tasty. Everyone was really friendly. We had a great time. Highly recommend.

Great food, loved the ambiance, polite curteous and helpful wait staff, restrooms, wheelchair access, rooftop bar, nicely decorated, next to the ocean, bar seating, tv's, and regular outside seating.

This place is GREAT! I come multipke times a week when we come down for our yearly vacation. This time I had the swordfish bites and the next day had the flounder which is in the picture. I can honestly say this is the BEST flounder I have ever eaten. Soft, tender, flakey, doesn't taste fishy at all. The drinks are amazing and the staff is wonderful. I HIGHLY recommend this place and I'll continue to come every time I'm this way. Please don't miss out on this wonderful experience. You can thank me later ☺️👏❤️

The food was delicious, the steak was cooked exactly as I asked, the swordfish was melting in mouth. I recommend the restaurant.

This place is highly gate-kept meaning the people who go here do not tell everyone how awesome this place is. It’s basically a much smaller and much safer version of Myrtle Beach. It’s like going back in time… Nowhere near as large as Myrtle but certainly more family friendly. Clean. No one begging for money. No strong marijuana smell wafting throughout every street you go to. I did not see a lot of seafood restaurants…But plenty of local shops and restaurants and cafes. This boardwalk has a fair amount of carnival style rides and attractions for your family or for anyone for that matter. It’s vibrant but peaceful. There are huge swings along the boardwalk you can sit in and enjoy the ocean breeze. There is live music in the Spring and Summer which are an added bonus. You must try the donut shop Britts Donuts but beware they only take cash. I did not bring cash and there is an ATM nearby but I only had Apple Pay on me. The woman in front of me in line gave me enough cash to buy donuts for my family. The people here are so sweet.

Not over-crowded, fun & clean. Take cash if you plan to the fair on the boardwalk. There is a $3 fee evety time you use your card at games or concessions. Parking fees are over at 8pm so no need to worry about adding $$ to a meter. The employees at the arcade were EXTREMELY kind, smiled and patient with people. I have to say, I'm EXTREMELY impressed.

We walked around 2 different nights. Fun little place to walk around with your family during the week. Friday night way to many people for me. Young teens running around bumping into everyone. If you wait until 8pm parking is FREE, during the summer. Any other time is $5 an hour minimum 2 hours.

It was a nice laid-back atmosphere. The rides were beginning to crank up. We found a nice barbecue restaurant that had some really good food. The mac and cheese was smoked, unbelievable. The brisket was chopped but very tasty. The ribs were actually pretty good too and very tender. It was pricey but there was too much food to eat so we both had to take some home.

Regarding this location, I am hesitant to disclose its details. It is, in my estimation, the most aesthetically pleasing destination I have encountered along the Eastern Seaboard. The town offers a tranquil and serene atmosphere, with welcoming locals and a variety of excellent dining establishments. Wilmington is conveniently accessible, approximately a thirty-minute drive, providing access to shopping, entertainment, and culinary options. Furthermore, Southport is easily reached via ferry, an excursion that is highly recommended. Having frequented Carolina Beach for several years, we have ceased considering destinations further north for our beach vacations. Please maintain discretion, as this information is intended for our exclusive knowledge.

So much fun. Great beach to hang out and enjoy, day or night.

Fantastic family fun! Bring plenty of money for rides and games, and paying cash will save you on the cost of ride wristbands. Also, they put on a fireworks show every Thursday night, 9 pm I think. The beach is just a short walk from the carnival, which goes all summer. 4 stars for expense only. Ride wristbands are $30 each, individual tickets are more.

This is such a cute little coffee shop! I appreciated that they had a lot of non-coffee/caffeine options as well. We stopped in mid day to cool off from the beach, my partner got the Riptide and I got the Blueberry Lavender lemonade. Both were so good, the riptide was a nice cold brew option for him as the mermaid was good but he wanted a bit less of the flavorings. My lemonade was divine in the heat, a perfect balance of the lavender and blueberry/lemonade flavors without being overly sweet. The staff were friendly, helpful and kind. The shop itself is quirky, cute and clean!

I came to try a coffee while visiting the beach. First I was greeted with the lack of parking and exorbitant fee to park. Next I was greeted by a sign that read only 6 customers are allowed in at a time "to protect the vibes". The menu does have a wide selection to choose from. We tried the Blackbeard's Booty and Viva La Mocha. The drinks were good and I wouldn't mind having the same order again but I would rather not visit the store again. The environment was very loud and overwhelming. It was very bright and there was a lot of different noises going on. There was a massive cat behind the counter laying in the floor. I would have liked to pet him but also curious about state rules regarding having an in-store pet at a location selling food. Staff was not rude but also not very friendly- they could benefit from being a bit less consumed in the work and place some focus on customer service. This business is also very driven by THC (and such) as they have a whole wall of offerings and related tee shirts. They also have some other knick nacks for sale. I feel that some of this was over priced. I spent $20 for 1 frozen large and one iced small drink which I feel is also a bit over priced (especially considering the other $20 expected by the town to park). If youre nearby and this sounds like your vibe, give it a try but I wouldn't recommend this place to most coffee connoisseurs. There is another more select coffee option about 1 block away that I did find much more pleasant.

As a fellow business owner, I can say without hesitation that Happy Hippies Java Hut is the real deal! For the past seven years, they’ve been serving up the most flavorful, perfectly crafted coffee you’ll find anywhere on the beach—nothing else comes close. But what truly sets them apart is the heart behind the business. It’s not just a local coffee shop—it’s a family owned, warm, welcoming space built on consistency, care, and community. In a town with unpredictable seasonal rushes, staying open year-round takes serious dedication. Meeting every expectation every single day isn’t always possible and of course, no place can please everyone every day, but the team here shows up with real positivity and consistency, even when it’s tough. That kind of commitment deserves recognition.. If you're visiting or lucky enough to live here, skip the chains—Happy Hippies Java Hut is everything a local coffee shop should be.

Happy Hippies Java Hut is definitely a must for a delicious cup of coffee! We tried the Mermaid Magic and it did not disappoint!! We have been back a couple times. I did take off one star because both times the woman at the counter has been snippy. She's very particular about her shop and it does get quite busy so I'm hoping it's all it was. Remember it is card only and if it looks somewhat busy inside, stand outside. Take it from me. 😉🤣

Absolutely obsessed!! I kept seeing TikToks about this adorable little local coffee shop right on the beach in Kure, so of course I had to check it out—and let me just say, it completely lived up to the hype and more. Hands down, the BEST coffee I’ve ever had. The menu was massive and full of so many unique and delicious options that I honestly struggled to pick just one! The baristas were so kind, patient, and genuinely passionate about what they do. I had about a million questions, and they answered every single one with a smile and helped me narrow down my choices based on what I liked. They made me feel so welcome, like I was chatting with old friends. I could’ve stayed there all day just soaking in the vibes and good conversation.

my first time stopping in after admiring the exterior for years and i absolutely loved it! i am not a huge coffee person but i am a huge hippie so i got the frozen hot chocolate and it was DELICIOUS! my boyfriend got mermaid magic and loved it 🧜🏼‍♀️ we of course had to get a cute sticker to rep on my car as well! we will be back for sure when we we come back to kure beach 💗🫶🏻

Great coffee (not burnt!!!) with a wide selection of flavors. Atmosphere was nice with artists' works being sold as well as various bags of teas and coffees. I also like their 6 people at a time policy, since small coffee places get crowded fast

Playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, baseball field, fenced-in dog play area, 18-hole disc golf course. If you like to be outside, you should be able to find something to do here!

On vacation at Carolina Beach caught a quick round in Kure Beach 10 mins away. Had the course to myself. Great layout and good signage. I suggest walking the course before playing though, some baskets you can't see from tee box. Would definitely play again.

It's a good park. Sad thing is my baby girl got stuck and hurt from playing around. Suggestions: they need to update equipment for my safety. Although kids are pretty clumsy. That is just some recommendations and suggestions for improvement. Also would be nice if they have restrooms.

Upkeep has been amazing this summer. Keep it up guys. Lovin it!!

Marvelous Disc Golf course by the sea. 18 holes with many alternate pads and/or baskets. Wind is often a big factor here. Practice basket + drop box for found discs (Sandy takes them to her nearby home and notifies those that have ID on them - then you go pick up)

Great park to walk to from the Kure pier! Not lots of shade though! Plenty of parking is available here.

- Used the public tennis courts on vacation, and they were in good shape (and had wind screens) UPDATE 10/2020: When I started Googling for disc golf I was surprised to see the same park where I played tennis also had disc golf. We've now played the course twice on subsequent days. This is a fun course with about 0 elevation change. As others have noted, it's pretty well marked, but we definitely struggled a bit on the first pass. The maps in the UDisc app helped out a lot, esp. moving from #2 to #3. If you don't have that, you can take a picture of the map at the pavillion to reference. A walkthrough prior to play is smart. I didn't do that and finished +7 on the main tees. The next day my son and I both shaved 9 strokes off our scores simply by understanding pin positions and keeping our throws low with a focus on fairways. Other notes: - you are basically playing in sand - prepare to slide - hole length is widely varied (some under 200 ft and one almost 500 ft) - trees are numerous but unless you're way off target it's difficult to actually lose a disc - there is not much chance to improve position once you're off the fairway as the vegetation is thick (unless you have dependable rollers) - only 1 concrete pad; the rest are iffy for run-ups - recommend closed-toed shoes to prevent burrs - beware of drainage pools/ditches - descriptions at each hole are pretty detailed (nice job)

Fun throwback and a hit with the kiddos. Great thing to do on a very rainy day or a brutally hot day (if beach alternative is needed). A dollar per play essentially. Everything worked smoothly!

Great little arcade place. Clean and nice. Fun games. My girls had fun here

We love visiting Hi Tech Arcade but unfortunately this year my kids saved all their tickets (after we spent several hundred dollars) to turn in on Friday, only to find out without any signage or warning they’re closed all weekend.

Fun mix of old and newer games. Token machines only take cash - there is an ATM inside, but there's a $4 fee for withdrawals. $10 = 44 tokens. It's a small-ish arcade, but this kept 2 adults busy for maybe 45 mins. Most games require 4 tokens, though there are a few that are 1 or 2. For a little while we were the only ones there, and the place never got too busy on a weeknight in early May. We had a great time being kids again and would recommend visiting!

Many games were broken. They weigh your tickets which decreases the amount you actually get. The prizes weren’t very good either, very expensive for what you get. The worst part was the owner working at the counter was very rude to my 8 year old daughter. We won’t go back even though we live down the street. Go to the Carolina Beach one instead.

Great family arcade in Kure Beach. Looks like newish ownership and some new games. Great spot in the small town.

Walked in and there was a strange stench in the building. Not to mention at least 25% of the games appeared off or out of order.

Bright atmosphere, cute and cozy. Staff is super nice! The owner Josh makes incredible food and turned this place into a must visit location of Kure Beach! Ashley was our server and has a great personality, Abuela was the host and was so nice!! Love coming here, can't wait for our next visit! We had an egg sandwich on gluten free toast, Carolina Fried French Toast, Blue Crab Bisque, and mini key lime pie. All was delicious! Kitchen staff did amazing!

Such a cute little place right by the pier in kure beach. Friendly staff, knowledgeable, and excellent food. It is a smaller venue so you may have to wait for a table, but it’s absolutely well worth it. The warmed cinnamon bun was delicious as was the BLEAT, and the pork belly burger. Highly recommend.

Ocean View is a small cafe that specializes in breakfast and lunch. Visited for breakfast. A short wait time can be expected due to size of dinning room and popularity. Wife and I ordered A sausage gravy biscuit and a omelet with grits. Omelet was with button mushroom and country ham with cheddar. Omg... what a great breakfast!! Food and service is fantastic. Need to stop in Kure Beach Pier and see these fine folks who know how to fo breakfast.

A GEM hidden in plain sight. No seaside greasy spoon this. Their brunch menu is original and everything homemade. The beignets delicious. And had to take home a slice of their homemade key line pie, made with S. Florida key limes.

Such a cute little restaurant for breakfast. We had the pork belly grits, traditional breakfast, and beignets with the reduction on the side. My goodness, the beignets were heavenly!! The pork belly grits needed some seasoning, but overall good one salt/pepper/hot sauce was added. The traditional breakfast was good, although I did not care for the home fries. Our waitress was super nice and friendly. Got there around 7:45 and there were plenty of tables. There was a line at 9:15.

We brunched here before our aquarium visit. Each of us had a different plate, from chicken & waffles to eggs Benedict, Nutella waffles & custom omelet, the food was tasty. Service was efficient and within 45 min, we were on our way to the aquarium.

This place should be rated higher. It is good quality. Best beignets I’ve had including in New Orleans. I think the sauce is incredible. If you eat chicken, just get a side of fried chicken with whatever it’s so good. Also the hollandaise sauce. I would be surprised if there is a better chef than whomever works here on the island.

Great place to relax and enjoy the sunset.

Cool place!

Freddie's has been around for 29 years. The food is from an Italian family's recipes that have been handed down. There is a great selection of Italian appetizers, meals, and desserts and the bar offers a variety of good drinks and beverages. Service was excellent. Ashley was attentive during our entire meal.

Freddie’s was amazing! Service was top notch and the food was better than that! I highly recommend reservations. We needed them, even after the Labor Day crowd was gone. The salad is amazing! It may have been my favorite thing! Don’t miss this amazing little Italian place!

Actually ate here on “accident”. I was looking at seafood restaurants and I got this one mixed up with another place close by. 🙄 This is in fact NOT a seafood restaurant, but Italian 🤦🏻‍♀️. They do have a few seafood dishes but not many. My family, party of 6, all got the same dish, chicken alfredo. It would have been fabulous if it would have had more flavor but it was extremely bland. The garlic butter they give to dip your bread into is very salty, somewhat overpowering. My youngest daughter got the fried mozzarella appetizer and they were pretty decent. Overall, I don’t think I would eat there again. The price for 6 people was insane!!

Arguably the best restaurant on the Coast of North Carolina! Got here 10 minutes before our reservations and our host kindly said it would be just a few more minutes. Outside there were ugly acting woman (two separate groups) who have clearly never touched foot in the service industry and after looking at any of the lower reviews on this restaurant it was all people like that. People who didn’t get reservations and expect the busiest restaurant in a 50 mile radius to kiss the ground beneath their feet. And believe it or not Freddie’s did, they sat that party 10 minutes before close. Everything about this place was incredible the food speaks for itself however the hard work from the staff is really what wowed me. Every server was busy in there section talking to there tables getting refills and even helping each other pre buss tables. I got the pork chops with the apple walnut topping 10/10 Mozz sticks 10/10 and the bread and salad service is the best around the reviews speak for themselves Freddie’s is where it’s at! Too our server Christian, you were fantastic boss one of the friendliness helpful patient servers I’ve had wish servers were like you in every restaurant.

The pork chop was exceptional. The salad was really good, but unfortunately, I ended up finding a long hair in it, which prevented me from finishing. The service was a bit decent although I didn’t get a refill on my soda or water the entire dinner. With that said, I will definitely be back for that pork chop

Freddie’s is a must eat location in Kure Beach. Wonderful and tasty Italian food. I come here every trip to the beach. The Freddie’s spaghetti is a great family recipe (try it with angel hair pasta). Enjoy!

We had a group of eight and unfortunately couldn’t get a table inside, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying Freddie’s! We decided to order our meals to go, and the food was fantastic. Everything was fresh, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Even though we weren’t dining in, the service was friendly and accommodating, and our order was packed perfectly. Can’t wait to come back and hopefully enjoy the full dine-in experience next time!

Got yelled at by an old lady and two teenagers for using a parking space to turn around and to go back out the Main Street. Tried to explain that we weren’t parking and they just continued to yell. With attitudes like that I don’t know how they keep customers.

Sonia was working the night we came in and she is AMAZING! This was my first time going into a bar and it couldn't have been a better experience! It is super laid back and everyone we met that night was super nice. I'm normally not a social butterfly but I felt very comfortable nd had some good laughs! Thank you Sonia for everything!

Great small little bar. Staff and locals ate great, Diggler out.

Fun place with great mix of young and old, local and visitors! A KB must-do!

No food (other than popcorn), just cheap beer right next to the coast. This is the local's hangout and I love it. Always super nice, great people, and cheap beer. No frills at all. It's the kind of place where "top shelf" means Smirnoff instead of aristocrat.

Little hole in the wall, dive bar. Bottled beer, no draft available and the strongest jello shots I've ever had for $2. Internet jukebox, pool table and locals to hand with. Worth the visit.

Great staff. I love the Atmosphere.

This spot has a gorgeous setting right on the pier with amazing ocean views — truly hard to beat for atmosphere. The pier is still undergoing some repairs, but it's now functional and definitely adds to the charm. The decor is cute, the live music brings great energy, and the drinks were top-notch. We really enjoyed just hanging out and soaking in the beachy vibe. The DJ was super fun and played some great music. The food was good but the portions were small, and for the price, it didn’t feel like the best value. Our bartender came off a bit gruff too, which took away from the experience a little. That said, it’s a great place for drinks and snacks, not necessarily a full meal. Perfect for catching the sunset with a cocktail in hand! also a great spot to watch CB fireworks on Thursdays!

Rickety pier. Bare bones tiki bar. Perfect. Staff was friendly and accommodating. View was great. And parking was free. The end of the pier is in disrepair, but there is still plenty to hang out on. Nice stop. Well worth the trip.

The restaurant at the pier, it seemed very nice. We only had a drink there.No food. I will say, most of the pier itself is actually closed down and dilapidated. This was disappointing as our son wanted to stay very close to the pier so he could fish.

Did not eat. Went to see the Phantom Playboys on the beach concert. It was great. Really enjoy their music. And the beach area at the pier was great for the event. Always enjoy hearing the Phantom Playboys. Great group.

I wish they had more seafood options on the menu, but what they have is great and the drinks are good. The view is the best part!

We did not eat only had /have 1 or 2 cocktails when we visit. This time was end of season and very windy at the beach. Only 8 customers there this time, and 3 came and left due to high wind at outside tiki. Ordered Rum runners and the bartender made us a bar -rum runner and was weak and tasteless. So didn’t reorder. Ambiance with the seasonal sitting area with pumpkin patch and tables in a lighted courtyard by the jetty is great.

We eat here all the time with family, amazing food and people! The view is great too!

Beautiful lake with gazebos and Bridges. Great place to walk or rides bikes. Saturday mornings they have a farmer's market and Sunday is movie night. 😁🙌👏🍿

Amazing park to run, ride bike, walk your dawg at, hangout at. Love this place. Has festival type stuff from time to time and farmers markets too. 1000/10

Love to go to the lake it is so peaceful

Eleven acre lake, once noted as the freshwater lake closest to salt water, offers a paved walking/running path around the lake, picnic pavilion, four gazebos, bathrooms, playground and the Veterans Memorial island. One can also find seashells embedded along the lake edge and the local fowl roaming the grounds. Grounds are clean, well maintained and even offer the likes of a water bowl and outdoor faucet for your four legged friend.

Great park with a fun playground. Its nice to walk around the lake. There was a baby alligator swimming on the northwest side of the lake, that was fun to see.

The Saturday market had a lot of cute finds. We also had some amazing popcorn! We enjoyed a movie in the park on Sunday night and the kids loved it. The lake and surrounding area was kind of gross looking with mud and trash, but looked like maybe they were about to renovate? The “playground” has two swings. Overall nice place to walk around.

Loved the beach. Water temperature was about 82 degrees and air was HOT. Good combination. Enjoyed the board walk, too. Lots of places to eat or just sit in a swing or on a bench and enjoy the ocean view. Everyone was having a lot of fun.

A great spot to catch a beautiful sun set or full moon rising

History joyride curiousity kills the cat. See the pictures for yourself before you venture. Got a "4 wheel drive" truck or jeep? You will use this road network to access the permit required off road location. Good luck...you will need it and all the God given and military developed skills you possess. How many unknown soldier monuments are there? State level memorial.

Absolutely beautiful! Free parking, plenty of walking paths and private, peaceful vibe unlike the local beaches.

Very calm and quiet... Great site to relax and take in some history. I just pray that this monument won't be a victim of trying to erase history by getting rid of the monument. Many people were out walking the trails, pet friendly, kid friendly. A reminder of what we were and now are not. Area is very clean and well kept!

If there is a place of the most Beautiful sunrises in the world this is it

Always a wonderful place to simply park right at the water and watch waves crash into the rocks. Lovely walking path that leads to a great gazebo. Keep in mind the rocks there are dangerous and you need to stay off of them. If nothing else, it’ll make it hard to help you if you fall and get hurt. Overall my favorite spot on Pleasure Island.

This is a great place to watch a sunset/sunrise. You can park and walk to the left down a trail, or right, to a beach area. I went during TS Ophelia, so it was cloudy but nice (windy and chilly). Plenty of parking.

We had a wonderful time on our adventure to Shark’s Tooth Island. Julian was very knowledgeable and helpful in finding fossils and shark’s teeth. The quick lesson before was helpful and made it so we could easily and quickly get across the water. We can’t wait to come back to visit again.

We had a fantastic time on our Shark Tooth Island Tour! Our guide Zach was friendly and knowledgeable. We had never kayaked before, but we will definitely be booking again soon!

An enjoyable day of kayaking out to Zeke's island. Matt our guide was great. He was informative and friendly. Easy to book online. All equipment was safe and in good working condition. I would highly recommend them and we'll be going again in the future.

Went to shark tooth island. Our guide Erin was passionate about the local environment and animal life. Family friendly and found some really interesting fossils. I felt like a kid again. The organization communication was good too and safety is priority. Originally we were going to Masonboro Island but the winds were too high, so we went to a more protected location. It was a great experience!

Kayak Carolina at Sharktooth and Kegg Island was an awesome experience for our whole family! Highly recommend for novice kayakers or those with young children. The guides were knowledgeable and experienced. And we found over 20 shark teeth and other fossils!

At the last minute, I discovered I couldn't take my kayak to Wilmington for a day-long paddle with a friend. She had reserved hers through Kayak Carolina, so I rang them at 6:30am on the morning of our drive down from Raleigh. I thought I would get a voice mail that early in the morning, but Angela answered the phone. She said it would be not problem to bring a kayak for me as well. When we arrived at River Rd Park, Angela was waiting with our boats, and gear all ready to go. She gave us all the info we needed to do a safe self-guided paddle. We were told to text or call her if we had any issues, and when we were finished our tour. The kayaks and all the gear were in great shape. We had a blast kayaking Shark's Tooth and Keg Islands. I can't recommend it enough for abundance of wildlife and the gorgeous coastal grasses which cover both islands. We texted Angela when we finished, and she arrived within 15 minutes. Angela is very personable and goes out of her way to provide great service and paddling equipment. We will definitely call her again for our next kayaking adventure in the Wilmington area.

Excellent experience! I booked a Zeke's Island tour online, the week of our time in Wilmington. Online booking was very clear and easy. I got a detailed emailed after it was booked to explain everything I needed to know. The morning of our tour, I received a phone call and then text explaining that the weather wasn't conducive to seeing Zeke's Island that morning. And they would like to switch the tour we would go on OR we could reschedule. Since, that was our last day in Wilmington, we opted to switch to the Shark's Tooth Island Tour. Our tour guide, Ally, did an awesome job! She was very knowledgeable but also didn't talk a ton! There were 5 people in our tour and several wanted to stick pretty close to the tour guide, others wanted to hold back and Ally let that happen organically. Loved seeing Shark's Tooth Island....it was definitely a beginner or easy adventure, even though it was a little windy which made paddling more work, but still a lot of fun. Would totally kayak with them again!

Angela was super helpful, and worked my last minute reservation in to her already busy day. I have rented kayaks from other companies around town, but Kayak Carolina is by far my favorite. I drive a Malibu which is how I had to transport two kayaks, but with the help of Angela's husband we were able to load them with ease. 10/10 I will be back and I definitely recommend Kayak Carolina to everyone! *photo taken at the Fort Fisher boat launch

We had a great experience on our Kayak tour with Matt! We did have trouble finding where to meet at since the address did not take us very close to it so I definitely recommend reading the instructions on their website on where to meet them before going. Other than that it really was an awesome experience. Thank you Matt!

4x4 only If you don't know what you are doing AIR DOWN Its a quarter of the size it used to be, you can barely go down before its shut off (dont know if thats seasonal or temporary but makes the already exuberant prices extra not worth it)

I love the concept of being able to take your vehicle out on the beach! 4x4 ONLY!!!!! The pricing for parking is kind of outrageous. If you want to find a nice spot, get there early.

It was fun camping here for our first beach camping trip. Kids had lots of fun, beach was warm, and we caught a few fish and a baby shark.. will definitely camp again

Used to be able to go here and have a great time. Small fire. A few friends and family. Even the parties in the next tent were respectful. Just enjoy the beach as it was intended. Now.. rules fees more rules... more fees... can't do this can't do that.... May as well be poolside in a hotel.

Make sure you got 4 wheel drive!!

If heaven had a snack stand, it would be Britt’s Donuts in Carolina Beach. I don’t know what kind of wizardry is going on behind that counter, but these folks have taken a basic donut and elevated it to something just shy of a religious experience. I bit into that warm, golden, glazed circle of joy and forgot my own name for a full 45 seconds. Let me be clear: these are not just donuts. These are the Beyoncé of baked goods. One bite and suddenly I was weeping softly and re-evaluating my life choices. Why have I wasted so many years on other, lesser pastries? Now, fair warning—there’s usually a line, but that’s just the universe’s way of building character. And trust me, the moment that sweet, sticky halo of fried perfection hits your lips, you’ll realize every second was worth it. I would gladly wait in line behind a marching band of tourists and a small herd of sunburned beach dads in flip flops for these things. Pro tip: don’t just buy one. You’ll take a bite, look down, and it’ll already be gone. Get a dozen. Then tell your friends you only bought six. Protect your stash. Thank you, Britt’s, for reminding us that in this crazy world, there is still good, there is still magic, and it is fried and glazed and served in a little white bag.

I actually live about 20 minutes from Britt’s donuts, but I never seem to get over there lol. It’s been years since I’ve had Britt’s, so we decided to go get some today. There’s always a line to get them but if you go early you don’t have such a long line to wait in. But, they were so good! Shows you that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it! They have been doing the same donuts the same way for decades now, but the minute you take your first bite, you realize why they haven’t changed it lol. It’s crispy but chewy and soft. If you’re not drooling from the pictures yet, you need to look closer lol. How about you just stop drooling and go get one! Seriously stop reading and go!!!!!

BUSY!!!!But the line moves fast. 🍩 Donuts are warm, crispy very simple. I recommend you try this place

i’m going to give it a 5-star for the experience. the donuts aren’t really the best but it was worth a try if you are visiting the Carolina Beach. better to eat them while they are still hot or else you may have to throw them in the garbage.

Every time I visit Carolina Beach, I make sure to stop by Britt’s Donuts. It’s been around since 1939 and is home to the best donuts I have ever tasted. They only serve on type of donuts, freshly made glazed but that’s all they need. As a NC native I have tasted fresh Krispy Kreme donuts of all varieties but nothing comes close to whatever goes on in the back of that Britt’s bakery. My personal record is seven donuts in one sitting but be careful because they come out burning hot! I’d wager these are the best glazed donuts in all of America.

Always our go to donuts when in town. Love how they are mad fresh as you order. Does have a long line when they first open but to be expected with how popular they are. They are cash only.

Donuts on demand and in demand. Simple glazed donuts that are flavorful and warm when you get them. Be wary of long lines but the wait is worth it. They’ve been in business a long time for good reason. Photo has the shortest line I saw there.

Stopped here for lunch during our family vacation in May 2024. It's a pretty small dining room so we decided to sit outside. I ordered the lobster roll and it was SO GOOD! There were large chunks of lobster meat and the dressing was evenly mixed - perfect lobster to bread ratio. Our server was attentive and friendly. My dad, husband and I also tried the oyster shooters which were a little spicier than I'm used to but overall very tasty. I'll definitely come back whenever I'm in Kure/Carolina Beach.

Great experience, great food just GREAT! Had the best seafood lunch ever! If you haven't been here yet I totally recommend y'all do!

Truly enjoyed this place! Food was hot and delicious made when ordered. We did not wait long to sit. You have a choice to sit inside or outside. All staff was friendly with great customer service.

Nice little restaurant and bar in the middle of Carolina beach. Decent menu, I tried the fish and chips and it was delicious. $14.99 plus $2.99 for an ice tea.

My raw oysters were delicious! And my husband enjoyed his fish & chips. The service was friendly & the drinks were cold. The only thing that would have made it better would be a view of the water. But free parking this time of year was a plus.

Great service and atmosphere. Food and oyster shooters were on point. We stayed at lunch for 2 hours and that's unlike our standard. We loved it! 7/31/25 had another awesome visit! Long live the Carolina Beach Shuckin Shack!

Solid 4 out of 5 stars. We enjoyed the lobster roll which was $20.99 and it was worth the money. Friendly staff, and definitely a locals place for sure. Had to pay for parking but overall quite happy with my decision to eat here. On a funny note, there is a sign that says “friends don’t let friends eat imported seafood” and on the chalkboard it said the crab was from Canada. (See pics) haha! Would return

These were the best crab legs I had while at Kure beach!!! Try the bacon mac n cheese bites. They are surprisingly really good. All of the food was delicious and service was amazing. The chocolate cake with peanut butter whip was delicious also. I wish we had just went here every nite for dinner while on vacation.

First time here! Stephany was our waitress. She was fantastic. I asked her what she recommended and ordered it. It was delicious. The hush puppies are the best ive ever had!

Went here on family vaca, we had 9 people in our party. No waiting for a table we got to go right in! our waiter Tyler was fun and very polite and keep up with anything that we needed . I ordered the shrimp seafood plater and a bowl of clam chowder. The soup was the best ive had. Got onion rings and slaw and a tea. (The pic is my daughters plate thats why its fries and not onion rings) The food was ready within 20 minutes. And ALL THE FOOD WAS CORRECT THE FIRST TIME! Tyler made sure we were taken care of and our drinks were full. He also played around with our toddler! Great atmosphere inside. Food was delicious and a huge portion. Liked the little store inside also!

Quaint seafood restaurant with a souvenir shop in the center of Kure Beach. Hard to miss. Ample parking. Great burgers and fries. Awesome in house desserts. Wing appetizer was adequate with good ranch dressing.

DEAR BIG DADDY, Had The Greatest Time At Your Establishment!!!! Fried Oysters Were Amazing With Our Cocktail!!!! Bridget Was Amazing, Very Welcoming & Friendly Service!!!! Last but not least Your Ladies Room & Men's Room Was the Most Clean Bathrooms we have been in!! Smelled and Looked so Nice!!!! Was Very Comfortable to go in to!!!! Thank you So much They Riccardelli's From Wilmington North Carolina!!!!! ❤️❤️👍🙌👏

I had the blackened flounder and it was so tasty! But as good as the food was, Stephany, my server, was my favorite part about my time here! She was so fun to talk to. I hope I get to see her again next time I come back! 🫶🏾

The experience at Big Daddy’s was mediocre. My burger was bland and lacked flavor. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, as the restaurant felt humid and even had a dehumidifier running in the dining area. Service was fair overall, but our server seemed overly jittery and distracted. Despite the restaurant not being crowded, we still waited about 30 minutes for our food, which was disappointing.

Went here on a random Monday after saying we should stop here for years. The views off the back toward the river are amazing. Nice staff, clean restaurant. Calabash style seafood. We had fried shrimp and it was pretty good, I get it, stuff is expensive now but you only get about 12 shrimp each for ~$20 so it's not cheap. Overall it was a good experience and we'll probably return, if for nothing else for the views when the tourists are gone.

Read about this restaurant in Our State and decided to check it out after spending the day taking our Jeep on the beach at Fort Fisher. We came around sunset and were able to order right away AND had a beautiful view in the outside porch. We looked a little rough after spending the day at the beach, but it was casual. My son had mahi mahi tacos and said they were very good. My husband had the shrimp basket, which he said was okay. He’s not as much a fan of the calabash style, but the fries were good. I had the grilled shrimp salad and I love it. At first I thought it was a bit fo-fo to grill a head of lettuce, but I was wrong. It was delicious! The char paired beautifully with the Caesar dressing. The grilled shrimp was sooo good. This is my new go to place when in Kure.

We interacted with 4 different staff members during our visit and all were friendly and helpful. Fantastic service and they keep the busy dining room and beverage station nice & clean. The food came out quickly. Everything was delicious (shrimp, oysters, flounder, cucumber & tomato salad, fries).

Our first time having dinner here. Food is outsanding!!! The view is a spot you'll never forget if your able to get table on deck. The Capefear River is the location of this restaurant. It's a short distance from ocean front and Fort Fisher. You feel at home with this restraunt. Put on list of stops along NC. Beaches. Don't forget the food on menu... Fried oysters were cooked to perfection. Homemade slaw was realy good.

This place is wonderful! The views are amazing especially the sunset views. The food was delicious, very fresh. I highly recommend. Very casual atmosphere.

The Mahi Mahi Tacos were just OK. Same for the Mahi salad. The fried green tomatoes were very good. The atmosphere and the views are spectacular.

Loved it. Went paddle boarding right there at the dock — out into the preserve and saw amazing wildlife. Got back, cleaned up a bit, and went into the restaurant for a quick bite and asked about the alligator artwork on the shirts worn by staff. “Oh! This is Bob, the alligator who lives under the dock”, they said as I about fell over. We’d been right there next to where Big Bob hangs out when we put in to go boarding. And there were some little boys playing in the water. Highly recommend a, “Beware of resident alligator” sign. Again, food was okay. Service was terrific. View is amazing. And I got a really great story out of it. 🐊

I absolutely love the location! The accommodations were really nice, beach about a 10-12 min. walk, Cape Fear River on the other side. Very clean area. The best part is the salt water pool. It was large, very clean and a lot safer than the ocean! I enjoyed the pool the most. Lots of restaurants close by which is nice.

Great place! Can someone let me know the schedule for the restaurant as of July 2022? It doesn't seem to match up with Google. We camped here July of 2021 and had a spectacular time. The camp store has lots of goodies and you can rent bikes, surf boards and other outdoor recreation toys, the staff are very friendly and accommodating, you can walk to the beach as well as to the Cape Fear River where there is a boat slip and a pier with great fishing to be had.

This is a great place to go with family! $20-35 a night for a campsite. They also have cottages too, they are really nice and across the street from the beach. You are 3 miles from historic sites and the aquarium which is really neat if you have little ones. The sunsets are amazing, there is a little fishing pier also.

We absolutely loved Blakeslee and will be coming back very soon! For reference: we visited in a camper/RV, though we will also be recommending the cottages to our family. It's 1 rental per military ID (you can sponsor). Pros: - Spacious sites with full hook ups (including sewer). - Very affordable for the location. - Short walk to the beach. Or, if you don't want to walk... - Big parking area in the field at the entrance next to a public access. It looks like there use to be buildings there, but they were gone when we went. (you have to cross the street, but it's not bad). - Beach is clean and charming. - Laundry, shower, and toilet facilities. - The Riverview Restaurant was very nice and the food was well made. Though they are only open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. They had a nice selection of beers on tap too and the view is spectacular. - Close proximity to Wilmington, which has Everything else you might need. - Kure and Carolina Beach has a super cute vibe. Like if Emerald Isle and SoCal had a baby. - Very quiet at night and kids loved playing on the street. No one really "partied" super loud or hard. - Only a couple miles from the Aquarium and Fort Fisher Museum. - Big pier on inlet side for fishing and a boat launch. - We really want to try the river side pull through sites next because they were gorgeous, new, and the views were amazing (sites 36-41) - Restaurants on island were only a short drive up the street. - The sites with poured slabs were nicely done. - The staff at the check in office and restaurant are all very nice. Cons: - Tight parking for on-island restaurants. (Not including 'Riverview Restaurant', theirs was spacious) - No-See-Ums (sand flies) came out at dawn and dusk. We didn't have a problem with mosquitos, but those buggers sting. - Bath houses are a little on the old side and could use an update. - Depending on when you visit (Holidays, etc.) it can book up quick. This isn't abnormal for a beach town, but worth mentioning. - The sites are angled a little strange in some cases and can be hard to park in. Some of the overflow are tucked next to a building, in the woods, or pointed at another site, soooo... Tips: - Make sure you have a good idea of where your site is and which direction it's pointed before booking. (Google satellite and older maps aren't very accurate so I attached the map they gave me) We were in site 8 and liked it a lot, but our picnic area pointed to our neighbors picnic area and they had to pull straight in. - If the wind was blowing, the No-see-ums weren't bad. But you may want to hang out inside when the sun is low, or the air is still. - Book your aquarium tickets online. It was busy. - Be patient in regards to the check in office and park your camper first. They are going through renovations and the lot is not suitable for a camper to drive through. - Bring shade. HAPPY CAMPING!

We loved our stay at Blakeslee and were very impressed with the accommodations and location! This Air Force Recreation Area (AFRA) is open to military ID card holders (active, retired, DOD, etc). Our family friends recommended it after they visited with their RV. My mom made the reservation via the main office and there were very accommodating and helpful with all of the information. We booked a "cottage" and they have various ones to pick from (1, 2 and 3-4 bedroom). We stayed in a 2 bedroom cottage and it was all one story, had queen beds and twin beds in the layout, a common area, fully stocked kitchen and multiple bathrooms. The floors are cement so we took the advice of others and brought padded mats for our toddler and baby. We were also surprised with all of the kitchen items- utensils, pots, pans, toaster, microwave. There is no dishwasher so bring your own dish soap. There is also a washer and dryer. Sheets and bedding are provided. The wifi was the only thing that was a bit spotty and no strong signal. We loved the outdoor seating area overlooking the courtyard and watching the sunrises and sunsets. You can walk or drive over to the museum and check-in area. There is also a restaurant open to the public called Riverview. Next to the restaurant is a pier where we say people fishing and a sign that said watch out for alligators. We walked, enjoyed the scenery and spent time at the beach. You just cross the street and there is a public beach access walkway very close to the property. We also took the ferry from Fort Fisher to Southport which was a fun experience. The aquarium is also really close and of course Carolina and Kure Beach. We had a great stay! Thank you!

Fort Fisher is for military so you must have a military ID to book. We had the whole family for spring break staying in 2 of the 4 BR cottages and had an RV in the RV campground. We had stayed here 25 years ago and the cottages have been upgraded substantially. The biggest plus are the beautiful beaches of Kure Beach which can be accessed by crossing the highway at one of the two access points. Its an easy walk but with all our beach gear we needed a wagon. There are 10 to 15 wooden steps however to get down to the beach. The beach drops off where the water meets it so it is over your head very quickly and the waves were very strong so it could be scary for young children. We went the second week of April and it was cool and windy. We did swim every day however....cold but fun! There is also access to the Cape Fear River for fishing from the dock on Ft. Fisher. The restaurant there is currently closed and the hours of the check in location are limited but they have a way to check in after hours. Golf carts can be rented on Ft Fisher but can only be used on the rec. area. We rented from SUNFUN rentals so that we could go on the road. Their rules are electric carts only in Kure Beach and only on roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less. Our 6 person cart would only go 10 mph so we were a little nervous driving on the 35 mph roads which were pretty busy even in April. The RV park is very nice. Spots are spacious but there are few trees and very little shade so could be hot in the summer....it was perfect in April. They seemed to have many other places you could park your RV with no hook ups and spots for tents but I am not sure of the rules for those. The houses had nice front porches and and many of the larger units were in a circular common area with a sidewalks and lots of room for playing and flying kites. This was great for watching little kids. There were quite a few kids there and they had fun playing in this large common area. There were also basic grills and picnic tables in this area. The cottages were nice enough....typical institutional furniture. Beds were comfortable but the kitchens were not well appointed. If there is a must have you need for cooking, you should bring your own. The floors were polished cement so kind of a cold feeling but very practical for beach living. Internet was terrible but they had some TV channels. Apparently you could check out a cable box but I don't know what that was about. These cottages were all you needed for a fun beach vacation. We loved the NC Aquarium but you must book in advance. We also enjoyed the Venus Flytrap trail, the Fort Fisher State Historic Site (be sure to see the film), the Arcade and Pier at Kure Beach and the donuts from Wake n Bake.

Great place to stay. Beautiful area. We stayed in an overflow spot that had electric and water with an amazing view of the Cape Fear river. The pool was closed during our stay. The regular sites are spacious and concrete with picnic tables. The beach is located across the street. Golf cart rentals, kayak rentals, and many other amenities available on site. Definite return for us.

Nice small arcade that offers mostly ticket winning type games. Has a few claw machines where you can win plushies and figures as well. Nice for a couple hours of entertainment. Ticket prizes are not anything crazy but for a small arcade, not bad all in all.

Good, clean arcade with working machines. The only thing that I would like is for less ticket gambling games and stuff like street fighter, Pac-Man, donkey Kong, or some other highly known classic arcade games. The punching bag was also fun to use but I'm still trying to figure out how to get a higher score. Edit- Fun is worth more than tickets.

Great place to go to kill your time and your wallet. The AC was on so it was cool at least. We killed some time while we were waiting to eat. The kids won tickets to get prizes. We probably spent $50 to get a $2 prize... I guess that's what you do on vacation...

This one for the money is better than Myrtle Beach in my opinion. The VR costs too much but if you avoid that then for $20 you can have a decent time and actually get a reasonable amount of tickets 600-1000+ not too shabby. Sure it would be nice if the place was a little bigger but I would have given 5 stars if not for the VR. Memorial Day weekend and it wasn't that busy either, checkout was smooth no waiting in long lines.

My kids love the arcade. This place was nice and smelled clean. The only thing that needs work is the bathrooms. The prices were pretty good and even with other arcades we've been to.

We make the trip from Leland, just to come to this arcade. There is plenty to do and my kids always come out with nice prizes. The atmosphere is friendly and clean. The kids absolutely love this place and it gives you a nostalgic hometown feeling. Salty beach air, bright lights and laughter. Always a plus!

A fun clean family friendly atmosphere with lots of variety in games and nice prizes! Drew that runs the place is super down to Earth & kind. We will definitely make this a must everytime we visit Carolina Beach!

Wife and I took a unplanned weekend getaway and ended up in Carolina Beach. Went online and saw reviews for here and decided to try it for dinner. So glad we did. The food was absolutely amazing. Started off with the crab dip which was perfect. The wife got the beet salad with blackened shrimp and loved it and I got the reef and beef with scallops and the ribeye. Going to be honest we have lived in Va and currently live in Charleston, SC area and these might have been the best scallops I have ever ate. If we every return to Carolina Beach we will 100% stop here again for dinner. Staff was also amazing and made sure we were taken care of.

Had a really nice time at this establishment. My wife and I had a great time. The food was great. We both took home some leftovers. They actually opened up early on the Sunday after Memorial Day which is when we went there. I believe they opened at 11A. Food was great along with the service. Would definitely try again the next time we head to Carolina beach. For the appetizer we tried the sampler. The chowder was great as well.

We live 2 hours away and will make that drive to eate at Michael's. This is by far the best seafood chowder I have ever eaten. If you are in the Wilmington area and you haven't been there, well, you are just missing a great meal.

Very delicious food. History of the restaurant is heartwarming. I had the clam chowder (SO GOOD!) and the Cherry Wood Smoked Old Fashioned. Everything was delicious!!!!! Service was good.

Food and atmosphere and service were great. But $8.00 for hush puppies!! Was under the impression this condiment was complementary (as most restaurants). They were tasty… but WAY overpriced ☹️. Especially after 21.00 for the shrimp

We stopped in last night for dinner and the restaurant was very crowded. The server told us that the wait time was 45 minutes which we agreed to wait. Once seated, the server quickly took our drink orders and 10 minutes later he returned for our food order which took about 20 minutes to arrive. My wife had the crabcakes dinner and I had the pork tenderloin dinner. The pork was overcooked and very dry and it was served with smashed red potatoes and carrots. The price was reasonable, but the food was unimpressive, I’m not being mean just stating a fact. I probably would not return.

Really great experience. Our waiter was awesome and went above and beyond for us. We were there with a large party and had the outside seating area to ourselves. The food was amazing. There was something for everyone! We have tried going at night and they are always so busy but going around 2 pm was the winner. I'm glad we got in and got our food quickly and with great service.

The absolute best charter experience ever! This was our first time and we had an amazing time! Capt Tilley, Grady, Linda and J were so amazing and knowledgeable! They let us get out there and be us! CHEERS to more rides… Lala, Shon and Redneck Ron 💙

We absolutely love the wild rover charter! Me and my husband and best friends took wild rover out during on of the tournaments a few years back & had a blast. Captain David Tilley is a family friend and every time i charter out with him i feel so safe. He’s very personable & makes the ride great!!! 10/10 recommend!!!

Been out twice with Capt. Tilley and both times were great experiences. This man will do just about whatever it takes to put you on the fish. Highly recommend !

We chartered Captain Tilly's boat so we could scatter my father's ashes. I am so glad we chose them, because they were very cordial and respectful with this whole emotional process. My mother is an elderly person and they were extremely concern with her well being, they took very good care of all of us. They also gave us a certificate of the exact spot where my dad's ashes were scattered. Thank you Captain Dave Tilly and Grady, First Mate for your kindness!

Took an 8yo on a half day trip for his first charter and couldn't have asked for a better experience. Captain Dave (the prettier one) put us on some fish, Grady (the nicer one) made sure he knew how the get them in the boat (joking- won't find a nicer captain either), plus a new kid deck learning the ropes and doing a fine job at it. The boat isn't the flashiest at the dock, but definitely a well maintained battle wagon with COLD a/c and a sweet bluetooth sound system. Can't go wrong with this team, definitely recommend.

I hired Dave to assist my family and I through executing my father's final wish- releasing my parents' ashes at sea. If I could give Dave 100 stars, I would, because he turned a totally unfamiliar and uncomfortable task into one that brought a peaceful closure to my family and I. Initially, I combed through several polished websites that attempted to lure me in by enveloping me in soothing words of comfort with packages at various price points depending on the flourishes our heavy hearts felt were required to do our parents justice. Dave simply and clearly outlined what was involved and guided me in purchasing exactly what I needed, calming my anxious self. When the day arrived and our family assembled, Dave's crew respected our privacy. Dave's first mate Grady joined us only briefly as we neared our destination, quietly cueing my husband when to begin his FaceTime call with our son. Grady retreated and then returned when he was sure we had finished our ritual and had composed ourselves, to explain the course for the rest of our trip. Dave and his crew treated us with such tenderness and enabled us to create exactly the experience our parents would have wanted.

Captain Dave & 1st mate Grady are the very best crew I have sailed with! Their knowledge & hospitality is unmatched! My entire group is looking forward to our next trip with Wild Rover III!

We had a fantastic day at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher with my two-year-old son! He was absolutely mesmerized by the fish and had a blast at the touch tanks, getting up close with sharks and all sorts of marine life. The variety of fish and sea creatures was impressive. My personal highlight was watching the playful otters! The play area for kids was a great addition, and the food was good too. One suggestion for improvement would be to keep the washrooms a bit cleaner. Overall, it's a great spot for families – we'd definitely recommend it!

Great place to visit with kids if you're in Carolina Beach or Kure Beach. A bit of a drive if you're in Wilmington or Wrightsville Beach. Family of four will run $60 w/o discounts. Good for 1-3 hrs of entertainment, depending on the programs and how fast you walk through the exhibit. We visited in October on a weekday. Concessions were closed so I'd recommend eating before if you're going mid week -- there's nowhere to eat that's convenient. Otter exhibit was also closed. You'll get some of that when you're not coming in the summer. Our kids liked the playground and the large fish tanks. My 4 yo wanted to move quickly, so me mindful of your littles.

Purchased a ticket ahead of time as instructed. Was set to arrive between times that were available. Thinking they would be reasonable as the one up in Pine Knolls is. However was instructed to wait 15 minutes after a 2 hour car ride. Annoyingly would not let you in except at your appointed time. They were “Gracious”enough to let us in 15 minutes early as they did everyone else with the same entry time. I would have booked a different time had I know they would let us in if we had an hour earlier or even half hour earlier ticket. They were letting people in late some had hour earlier tickets and others were still within their time. Would go to Pine knolls instead, they are more reasonable, or just book for the time before you arrive and come in “late”. (this was on a week day) They have otters and other interesting fish and animals. Having Otters saved them from a completely terrible review, as I had read that some of the otter had been transported to another facility. There was a small play area near some food vendor at the end of the inside part of the aquarium. Again Pine knolls aquarium is better, larger playground, and longer outdoor trails. The food vendor is a fairly quick with a bit of a selection and food is not too pricey.

We enjoyed our visit to the Ft. Fisher Aquarium. It is much smaller than we anticipated, and even with a three year old who wanted to double back to see things a second or third time, it only took us about 45 minutes. Only because of its small size, it is hard to navigate with a stroller (especially the larger ones that hold infant seats), but the layout is still really nice. The staff is friendly. The animals appear to be well cared for. There are some really beautiful creatures to be seen. Admission is inexpensive. Overall, it’s a worthwhile experience, just don’t anticipate it will take up your whole day!

It was a fun experience with my child! It didn't exactly have all the bells and whistles but it did have giant tanks with sharks, seahorses, otters, and so many cool animals! The staff and volunteers were extremely friendly and helpful in providing information. You should check this out at least once! Also would be an excellent date spot because you can walk the nature path after or sit at picnic table outside and talk about your experience.

Unfortunately, I've been to some really good aquariums in my life (ie Baltimore, Atlanta, etc) and that isn't really fair to aquariums like this one.... who just don't measure up. They honestly only have two exhibits of any real excitement, the otters which you see right when you walk into the Aquarium and the main tank of sharks, turtle, eel, grouper and other fish. Oh, and one more tank with the jellyfish. And the exhibit with the alligator is cool. Fine, fine, four exhibits are worth the walk. Can four exhibits make it worth the cost of a ticket? Just barely.

It is a lovely establishment with many different area's of interest. The staff were super nice and took the time to inform us of the certain exhibits. It would be great for families or even for a date.

Great beach which is near the aquarium if you're up for doing both in a day. There's a large parking lot with bathrooms, beach access, and changing rooms. There are normally outdoor showers and faucets to spray off with but a lifeguard informed me that their water was cut off the day of our last visit. There's an air pump if you bring your 4X4 so you can air up/down. Pet friendly and plenty of picnic tables and charcoal grills that Hispanic families seem to love. Girls had fun here today.

We weren't sure what to expect with this historical site so our expectations were set low. We were not disappointed. First of all, the whole site is the most handicapped-accessible historical site I've ever tried to go to, bar none. There were concrete sidewalks throughout the site, making it possible for someone in a wheelchair to navigate everywhere. The site is definitely at the early stages and a work in progress, but it's kind of exciting to see a historical project as it launches. And the site is beautiful!! The trees in the area are surreal, bending to the mainland after decades of sea winds. The mounds of the fort are cool to travel through (even in my wheelchair!) and imagine what it was like when they were full of troops. You won't spend much time here but it's a fun stop on your way to somewhere else.

We had a an absolute blast hiking these trails in the early morning we saw a ton of wildlife such as deer and birds. Learning about the history was fun too! Bring walking closed toe shoes, water, sunscreen, and bug spray! Parking is free

Beautiful beaches. Beautiful sunsets (on the river side), Free parking. Public restrooms. Dog friendly. Restrictions apply of course.

Great place to access the beach some nice trails to walk around as others have stated it's right near the Aquarium they do have four-wheel drive beach access right here

Love the walking trail with history, being able to go in the tunnels as well as the museum! Wonderful to learn the history of fort fisher. Beautiful area as well

Love this place. It had been five years since last visit. I chose the kite festival and it was so fun. Weather was in the mid 70s, nice breeze. It was nice to sit back with my toes in the sand. Great food trucks for the festival, beverages selection was good.

Awesome stop before taking the ferry to oak island. You will see live crabs, beautiful views, fishermen, birds, and a geocache atop the hill. You can walk the entirety of the historical cobblestone and concrete bridge across the river. Free to enter, parking can be difficult though.

We had so much fun looking for shells and sea glass. We even found a few weights and a bell! Part of it was manageable for our kids but a majority of it was too difficult for our 4 yr old. Recommend going early in the morning while the tide is low. Right next to it was a little beach with a few shells but softer sand than the other beaches we went to

Love the rocks! Beautiful place for multiple occasions!

Beautiful relaxing place seen a nice amount of wild life. Loved every bit of it even watched the sun set 2 days of my trip here 😀

Great views, fun walk out on the rocks to the island… the rocks are underwater at high tide.

A unique spot to catch the sunset as it goes down over the water. The rock jetty and the tree on the hill are great spots for photos.

Free to experience. Watched the ferry from the jetty. Beautiful area.