A short drive from Wrightsville Beach are Carolina Beach and Kure Beach, located on Pleasure Island in southeastern New Hanover County. Each beach has a uniqueness of its own, but it’s easy to see why visitors choose Carolina Beach for their family vacation.
Your Guide to Carolina Beach
How to Get to Carolina Beach
Carolina Beach is accessible via car or flight.
Flying to Carolina Beach
The nearest airport to Carolina Beach is Wilmington (ILM) Airport which is 22 miles away. Other nearby airports include Myrtle Beach (MYR) (91 miles).
Driving to Carolina Beach
Carolina Beach is located a quick 15 miles from historic Wilmington and is centrally located between Florida and New York, attracting Southeast and Northeast visitors alike. The main thoroughfare for driving to Carolina Beach from east to west is I-40, which connects with highways 17, 74, 76, 117, and 421.
Once you're closing in on Carolina Beach, you'll take US 117 S and continue on S College Road until you arrive at US 421 S/Carolina Beach Road.
Map Your Route to Carolina Beach
Best Things to do in Carolina Beach
Carolina Beach offers a different experience than the surrounding beaches, some of our favorite activities include:
- Hiking - hiking nature trails in Carolina Beach State Park where you can get lucky and spot the Venus Fly Trap.
- Fishing - If fishing is your passion, the North End Pier is the spot to be. If you’re looking for bigger prize, spend the day on the Fish Witch Charters and cruise the Intracoastal Waterway or go offshore fishing!
- Cruising the Boardwalk - The most popular attraction is the Carolina Beach Boardwalk. The boardwalk is filled with quirky shops, restaurants like Hurricane Alley’s which has a rooftop deck and offers amazing views of the boardwalk and beach, an amusement park and arcades. Every Thursday during the season, you can enjoy fireworks and shag along to beach music.
- Attending Annual Festivals - Carolina Beach and Kure Beach host a variety of festivals throughout the year such as the Chowder Cook-Off, Carolina Beach Music Festival, free summer concerts at Ft. Fisher Recreation area and more! Our local events section has all the details on upcoming events.
Best Carolina Beach Restaurants
There are so many great places to eat in Carolina Beach that it's hard to name just a few. If you're looking for seafood, check out our recommendations for the Top 5 Carolina Beach Seafood Restaurants. Some of our other favorites include:
Plan Your Carolina Beach Vacation
Treat your family to a spectacular vacation at Carolina Beach in North Carolina! We offer a great selection of Carolina Beach vacation rentals along the 7-mile stretch of sandy beaches, including rentals that are just steps away from the strand.