One day we will come out with our rankings of the different beach towns, but today we will just focus on one of our favorites. Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach have a ton to offer. It is a lot more than a beach area. It has that, but also a couple of state parks, and awesome aquarium, a state historic site and so much more. What are the things to do? Check them out below.

Fort Fisher State Recreation Area

Fort Fisher is one of our favorite sites run by the North Carolina State Parks. This is a wonderful place to spend the day at the beach. The park is located near the end of Hwy. 421. This is not the same as the historic site. This is an actual beach park.

There is a pretty large parking lot but it will fill up quickly during peak times. You can park at some of the other lots that are in the area. There is a nice boardwalk by the parking lot that has a nice little visitor center (get your State Park stamp there), some great picnic areas with grills, and a really nice changing area and bathrooms. If you are going to the beach for a day this is a great place to do it because you have all of the amenities that you need.

Obviously the highlight of this place is the beach. It is a really nice beach that doesn’t have any houses around it. They have lifeguards on duty during the summer. We love places like this. This is also a really great place to go fishing. There are always a bunch of people fishing here. This park has four miles of 4 x 4 access on the beach as well. It is $20 for weekdays and $30 on the weekend. Finally, if you want to go on a short hike they have a nice trail that takes you through the marsh and to the sound.

Ride The Ferry

One of the coolest things about the North Carolina coast is the amount of ferries that they have that take you from place to place. At the end of Hwy. 421 you can take the Southport – Fort Fisher ferry. This ferry takes you to the awesome little town of Southport. We love visiting Southport, but sometimes we just get on the ferry to get on the ferry. It is a relaxing 25-minute boat ride over to the other side. It is a great place to watch for dolphins and birds. You can stay in your car, walk around the ferry, or sit in the top viewing room. The ferry runs throughout the day and cost $7 per car.

Eat Some Donuts

We don’t know why, but there are some seriously good donut places in this area. I guess everyone craves a donut when they are at the beach. Now they have a couple of chains (Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’) but when you are here you need to try the local places. There are two main options – Britts Donuts and Wake N’ Bake.

Britts is located on the Boardwalk in Carolina Beach. This place has been around since 1939, and for good reason. They sell classic glazed donuts and they are phenomenal. People come from all over the taste these beauties that melt in your mouth. This place is only open in season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so plan accordingly. The line gets long here too, so make sure you get there early.

Wake N’ Bake is a lot newer and a lot different. This place is located right off of Hwy. 421. These donuts are more cakey and thick. This donut shop also has a ton more options – peanut butter, bacon, candy bars and just about everything else. This place is loud and fun. For the record, Justin likes Wake N Bake while Megan prefers Britts. You will have to try them both to judge for yourself.

Fort Fisher State Historic Site

Fort Fisher State Historic Site is located towards the end of Hwy. 421 near the aquarium and the State Park. This site is an old Civil War fort. This fort was the last fort standing that allowed for supplies to reach Robert E. Lee. Once this fort fell, the supply chain crumbled and the war came to an end. It actually played a pretty significant role in the Civil War.

Today, you can walk around what is remaining of the fort on a really nice nature trail. There are a bunch of bunkers you can enter and hills you can climb. There are also plenty of great seating areas throughout the site that give you great views of the fort and the sound. You can always find some cool wildlife out here. There is a pretty large parking area and a really great museum and visitor center.

Fort Fisher Aquarium

A lot of states have one large aquarium that people go to. North Carolina is slightly different. We have a bunch of smaller ones spread out along the coast. Though these aquariums are smaller, they all have their own identities and are awesome. One of these is found in Fort Fisher right beside the State Park.

The Fort Fisher aquarium is great inside and out. On the inside you can check out loggerhead turtles, sharks, and all sorts of fish. They have a great touch tank for kids and adults as well. This aquarium also has a great freshwater display that talks about the different habitats through the Cape Fear River. You can see alligators, turtles, frogs, and even a bald eagle. On the outside there is a great playground for the kids, plenty of seating area to rest and enjoy a meal, and a nice little boardwalk to walk on.

The aquarium is open everyday except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is open from 9 am to 5 pm. Tickets are $9.95 for adults 13-61, $8.95 for seniors, and $7.95 for kids.

Stroll The Boardwalk

Carolina Beach has an awesome boardwalk. You don’t see boardwalks like this too often in North Carolina. It reminds us of one of the boardwalks in the north with plenty of places to eat and play. This boardwalk is consistently ranked as one of the best boardwalks on the east coast. There always seems to be something going on. They have a ton of festivals down there and it is always a good time. There is an awesome beach to visit, plenty of room to walk, tons of great food, and plenty of shopping. It is an ideal place to spend a day at the beach because you have all that you need right there.

Carolina Beach State Park

Another great State Park in the area is Carolina Beach State Park. The first time we went here we thought that it was located where Fort Fisher was. It is not. This park is right after you cross over the bridge coming into Carolina Beach. This park is located on the sound side of the island. This is a nice park to spend an afternoon or take a break from the beach.

There are a surprising amount of trails here. These trails take you through ancient sand dunes, past rare Venus flytraps, and over boardwalks. This is also a good place for boating a kayaking. Finally, there are a ton of camp sites here with plenty of amenities.

We love all the fun things to do at Fort Fisher and Carolina Beach. It is the perfect place to go for a beach vacation week, a weekend getaway, or just a day at the beach. There is plenty to do here, rain or shine. We are blessed to live in a state with so many awesome beach communities. What is your go to North Carolina beach? What are some of your favorite beaches where you live?

Psst! Looking for more travel ideas for the North Carolina coast? Check out our Guide to the National Parks of the Outer Banks or Guides to visiting Dismal Swamp and Merchants Millpond!

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