Kure Beach

Kure Beach is a beach town near Wilmington, North Carolina – "nice, slow-mo and conservative" in the words of its former mayor.

Kure Beach (pronounced like "CURE-ee") is just south of Carolina Beach and north of Bald Head Island. Its population of a little over 2,000 grows to more than 10,000 in the summer as beachgoers come to enjoy the waves.

The town is named for the family of the Danish sea captain Hans Andersen Kure, some of whose descendants still live in the area.

Buses from Wilmington only go as far as Carolina Beach.

1 North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, 900 Loggerhead Rd., Kure Beach (on US Highway 421, ~15 mi (24 km) south of Wilmington, just beyond Kure Beach; from Southport, take the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry), ☏ +1-910-772-0500, ffmail@ncaquariums.com. Daily 9AM-5PM. Fort Fisher is a great local aquarium. It comes standard with all the regular fish that you see at every aquarium. Then Fort Fisher goes above most aquariums by having a large terrarium on the entry level with reptiles from venomous snakes to an albino alligator. In the next section are seabirds, turtles, and seahorses. The marine lower level has the bulk of the interesting ocean creatures, with a very good shark exhibit; a touch tank with rays and skates; and octopi, a moray eel, jellyfish, and a whale exhibit. The "exotic aquatics" section has Hawaiian fish, lion fish, spiny lobster, poison dart frogs, and a great display of the pacific reef. The new Megalodon exhibit consists of a 23-foot curved projection screen that brings this monstrous shark back from extinction. The aquarium has a "Shark Bites" snack bar that has a variety of food. Adult $12.95, senior (62+) $11.95, military $11.95, child (3-12) $10.95, under free. (updated Aug 2019)

Kure Beach Fishing Pier. Built in 1923, the oldest fishing pier on the East Coast. (updated May 2020)

2 Fort Fisher, 1610 Ft. Fisher Blvd. South, ☏ +1 910-251-7340, fisher@ncdcr.gov. Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM. If interested in Civil War history, drive south on College Road (I-40) until it dead-ends to check out Fort Fisher. This was a major stronghold of the confederacy. The ocean has eroded much of this fort but there is still quite a bit left. Visitors walking around may find a bullet casing from the war. Additionally, before the Civil War, the area was inhabited by Native Americans so it is common for someone digging around to find an arrowhead. Free. (updated Nov 2021)

Enjoy the beach! The entire town is within a mile (2 km) of the beach.

If you're looking for something less built-up, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area south of town protects almost six miles (10 km) of pristine natural shoreline and hiking trails through the marsh. Wildlife includes sea turtles and piping plovers.

1 Jack Mackerels Island Grill, 113 K Avenue, ☏ +1 910 458-7668. Daily 11AM-9PM. Here you can try some calabash shrimp or a crab dip and enjoy the seaside ambience from the deck. (updated Nov 2021)

2 Ocean View Restaurant (formerly Kure Beach Diner), 101 K Avenue, ☏ +1 910 458-8778. An informal diner just before the pier.

1 South Wind Motel, 109 Fort Fisher Blvd S, ☏ +1 910 458-8573. On the beach. (updated Nov 2021)

2 The Sand Dunes Motel, 133 Fort Fisher Blvd S, ☏ +1 910 458-5470. Also on beach. (updated Nov 2021)

Bald Head Island

Carolina Beach