Kure Beach sits at the southern end of Pleasure Island, between Carolina Beach and where the Cape Fear River meets the ocean. It’s not a place that demands your attention right away; instead, it grows on you over time. Life moves at a slower pace here. The streets are calm, and the pier still reaches into the Atlantic just as it has for a century. If you want a North Carolina beach town that keeps its classic charm, this is the place.
A Little Slice of the Cape Fear Coast
Kure Beach is nestled between the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Cape Fear River on the other, extending south through the historic area of Fort Fisher. Its small size is part of what makes it special.
A Coastline Shaped by History
Before it became a vacation destination, this coastline played an important part in American history. Fort Fisher, located at the southern tip of today’s Kure Beach, was the largest earthen fort built by the Confederacy during the Civil War. Its purpose was to keep Wilmington’s port open for blockade runners bringing supplies to Confederate troops, and it managed to do so for most of the war. When Fort Fisher finally fell in January 1865 after a major Union attack, Wilmington’s port was closed off and the war ended just a few months later. Today, you can still walk among the remaining earthworks.
A few decades later, people began to settle here. Around the early 1900s, Hans Andersen Kure, a Danish immigrant, bought about 900 acres of this coastline and gradually turned it into a peaceful seaside community. His son built the first Kure Beach Fishing Pier in 1923, which is often called the first fishing pier on the Atlantic coast. A post office opened in 1942, and the town became official in April 1947. Since then, Kure Beach has continued to grow slowly and in its own way.
What You’ll Find Here
At the heart of town is that same historic pier, surrounded by a walkable area by the ocean with great local restaurants and the lively Ocean Front Park. Head south and you’ll discover the other side of Kure Beach — the Civil War history of Fort Fisher, the North Carolina Aquarium, and miles of unspoiled shoreline at the state recreation area, where 4WD vehicles can drive right onto the sand.
There’s no shortage of ways to spend your time. Surfing, kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding, and long beach walks fill the days. Free summer concerts, weekly markets, and family-friendly events fill the evenings.
Plan Your Visit
Click on the attraction image below to learn more about some of the things Kure Beach has to offer. No matter how you spend your time here, this small part of the Carolina coast will make you feel welcome.
Things To Do In Kure Beach
