Traveling sets my soul on fire and I always aim to visit places I’ve never been. But on the other side of that, there are just some places that leave a mark and you can’t wait to revisit. I had never been to the Wilmington, NC area and I had no idea how much they truly had. It’s nothing like I imagined when watching all the tv shows filmed there growing up. First of all, I had never heard of Kure Beach or Fort Fisher…have you? Wow it’s magical guys and enriched with so much history. As promised on the gram, I wanna share with you not only my Kure Beach travel guide but also why I think this small beach town is so precious. It truly will make you feel right at home.
We flew into Wilmington early evening and headed straight to the quaint little town tucked away known as Kure Beach. The moment you drive into Kure Beach, you realize just what a small beach town it truly is. A real hidden gem. There are beautiful beach houses scattered around where you can ride your bikes and feel like you’re in a real life movie. I didn’t see too many hotels but we stayed in a very homey spot called Hidden Treasure Inn right off the main road. The owner Nancy makes you feel right at home and her hospitality is off the charts. She has 4 units with private entrances in addition to a pool that is guaranteed to make you feel like a local. Unfortunately it was chilly the weekend we made the trip so we didn’t get to enjoy the pool. From the amazing reviews I read prior to the trip, it seems like so many enjoy it.
The Inn is in walking distance to the local restaurants so we decided to take an evening stroll for dinner. It may have been the time of year (early March) but a lot of stuff was closed early. We walked the famous pier, one of the oldest Atlantic coast fishing piers, and the girls had the time of their lives chasing the waves. The scenery was mesmerizing, I mean look at those photos. I truly felt like I was in a Nicolas Sparks movie.
After watching the sunset at the pier with the girls, we headed to Freddie’s , where a reservation is a must. This place was one of the best meals and experiences we had in all of Wilmington. There is a reason the folks in Wilmington drive the 25 minutes for dinner here. Wow, so impressive. The decor is so authentically Italian. Since they are know for their pork chops, we ordered the Chop Italiano and also the Shrimp Fra Diavlo. Both were delicious. The kid being typical kids ordered their chicken nuggets and fries, which were pretty tasty themselves. This is a MUST.
After dinner, we headed back to the Inn to put the tired kiddos to bed. (See Charlie above to see how tired they truly were)
On Friday morning, we woke up and headed to the main area again. We grabbed coffee and muffins at Happy Hippies Java Hut before exploring. This is the most adorable, unique coffee shop. I ordered their special Mermaid coffee because well duh, it’s mermaid coffee. They also carry so many eclectic gifts and special CBD products that I was super sad I didn’t have room in my luggage for. It’s the perfect opportunity to grab a coffee and head to the pier or walk the beach in the morning. It was too cool and windy during the time of year we went but I’d highly suggest renting bikes from Pleasure Island Rentals to take in all the scenery.
Next we headed to Ocean Park Pier once again because the kids just couldn’t get enough. They kept playing a game with Matt where they let the waves chase them. It was the most precious memories I’ll take with me forever. We trekked over to the Ocean Front Park & Pavilion where they typically have gatherings and music playing had it not been early in the morning. We found a nice neighbor cat and the girls played good and bad pirate with each other. Kure Beach has family-friendly events year-round and you feel right at home when you’re there so it’s so easy to see how Kure Beach has been named one of the Best Family Beach Vacations in the Southeast. It’s the perfect place to quietly unwind with your family.
After lunch at Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill, which was so yummy by the way, we found a local arcade that put Mom and Dad through a time warp. Come on we grew up in the 80’s and 90’s, we love a good arcade. Matt and Keatyn have this bond over arcades too, they always try to find one when we go on vacation and we couldn’t believe when we stumbled upon this gem. The guy running it was so kind and no one was there so we got to dominate the place for awhile. We played so many games I’m embarrassed to say ow many times we refilled our tokens. The girls left with a bunch of ticket prizes that Keatyn convinced us to smuggle in our backpacks back home. Highly recommend!
Can you believe we did all of this in 24 hours? Crazy right. Next we headed to Fort Fisher which had SO much history it got my blood pumping. It was so crazy to walk the grounds of the largest land-sea battle of the Civil War at the Fort Fisher State Historic Site. The oak trees weren’t a bad photo app either. Wow North Carolina is a beaut! When we were touring, we climbed the stairs to battle on the mound where the soldiers would look over when in battle. They were giving a separate tour below and as luck would have it the moment we looked out they “charged.” Guys it was such an eerie moment that Matt and I loved so much. Talk about making you feel in the moment or maybe better worded transported in the past. This was so enriching to tour a vital part to our history.
I REALLY wanted to take the ferry to Southport but once we drove over we realized the ferry was not in order. Southport I hear is gorgeous. It’s where they filmed Safe Haven, I Know What You Did Last Summer and parts of Dawson’s Creek. It was highly suggested to me yo visit but you can only get there by ferry. I guess I’ll just have to make a trip back.
We finished our time in Kure Beach with a trip to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, which was named one of the best aquariums in the United States by the Travel Channel. I’ve been to a lot of aquariums with a sister in law being a marine biologist and this one was legit. They have live alligator feedings and diving exhibits where they learn so much. We loved doing the behind the scenes tour and seeing all the rehabilitated animals, especially the sea turtles.
A couple of mentions that we didn’t get to visit while we were in town but heard AMAZING things about:
- Kure Beach Diner. We passed by it but it was closed late afternoon. It apparently has a retro feel to transcend you back in another time and I’m all for that.
- Coquina Rock Formation. Perfect for photo opps! Found in front of the seawall between Kure Beach and Fort Fisher and you can only see it when the water has receded at low tide. I was so sad to miss this but we got in too late for low tide. Make sure to check the tide forecast before heading there!
- Joe Eakes Park. If you need to get out some energy this is the place! You can play all kinds of sports like baseball, volleyball and basketball and tennis. There is also a playground, picnic area, off-leash fenced dog area and bocce ball courts in addition to a new 18 hole disc golf course. Notable mention: this is a first come, first serve atmosphere so plan appropriately.
If you’re looking for a getaway to really connect with your loved ones away from the chaos, Kure Beach is your spot. It is so relaxing and the perfect place to unwind and disconnect. I can’t wait to get back here when I start writing my book. If you’re interested in learning more about Kure Beach make sure to check out Wilmington Beaches.
** Disclaimer: This post was created in early February 2020 before Covid regulations were put into place so that is why there are no masks etc. Please check with local city guidelines on Covid-19 precautions.
