Kure Beach, North Carolina travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

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

3 sights · 2 places to eat · 2 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Kure Beach

North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

Fort Fisher

Kure Beach Fishing Pier

Built in 1923, the oldest fishing pier on the East Coast.

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Sep and Aug. (climate data from nearby Wilmington)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
ILM Wilmington International Airport, Wilmington — 19 mi away. Directions
OAJ Albert J Ellis Airport, Richlands — 60 mi away. Directions
MYR Myrtle Beach International Airport, Myrtle Beach — 63 mi away (major hub). Directions

Buses from Wilmington only go as far as Carolina Beach.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Sample 1-day itinerary

Day 1

Morning North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher, Fort Fisher
Lunch Jack Mackerels Island Grill
Afternoon Kure Beach Fishing Pier
Dinner Ocean View Restaurant

Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Photos

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Understand

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.

Visitor information

Get in

Buses from Wilmington only go as far as Carolina Beach.

By car

Go south from Wilmington.

By ferry

Ferries from Southport go to the Fort Fisher ferry terminal.

See

See North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher

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.

📍 900 Loggerhead Rd., Kure Beachon US Highway 421, ~15 mi south of Wilmington, just beyond Kure Beach; from Southport, take the Southport-Fort Fisher Ferry🕒 Daily 9AM-5PM💲 Adult $12.95, senior (62+) $11.95, military $11.95, child (3-12) $10.95, under free☎ +1-910-772-0500⚠ Last checked Aug 2019 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

See Kure Beach Fishing Pier

Built in 1923, the oldest fishing pier on the East Coast.

⚠ Last checked May 2020 — confirm before you go

Maps Website

See Fort Fisher

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.

📍 1610 Ft. Fisher Blvd. South🕒 Tue-Sat 9AM-5PM💲 Free☎ +1 910-251-7340Checked Nov 2021

Maps Website

Do

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.