The Boardwalk was beside our hotel and a short stroll. We were sad to see the iconic Ferris wheel…read moreby the Boardwalk was taken away. Despite the cold weather and construction, it was good to see the beach and walk the boardwalk that morning. Most of the businesses were closed and we spent very little time there. Still a nice walk.

There were rides set up at the Carolina Beach Boardwalk -- the kind of rides that you'd see at a…read morecounty fair -- but we visited in the morning and they weren't operating. It's all good, though, because we didn't want to ride them anyway! The rides just added a nice festive touch to the atmosphere. We mostly visited the Boardwalk for one thing: Britt's Donuts, which is a Carolina Beach staple. (And which I go into more detail about in my review for Britt's, so go read that, if you want.) When we visited, the shops were just opening (some wouldn't open for a couple of hours), and there was a nice, lazy feeling to the boardwalk. We grabbed a cup of coffee and hot chocolate at Crush and Grind, and walked around with our hot bag of donuts while looking at the murals all around the boardwalk. We parked across the street from Crush and Grind, at a dirt lot that requires you to pay to park. I imagine that parking becomes hard to find when it's busy, but we had the parking lot to ourselves when we visited.

This mural -- titled Marine Magic -- is located on the side of The Dive Food & Spirits in Carolina…read moreBeach. You really can't miss it: It is huge (about 50 feet) and colorful, and it's one of several beautiful murals that have been painted all along this area of the beach town. Marine Magic was painted in 2021 by Raman Bhardwaj (aka artistraman), a muralist, painter and illustrator in North Carolina. According to the artist's website, he has painted lots of murals all around the state and beyond. He's very talented! This piece of public art is just one example of his skills. The mural depicts marine animals with lots of bright blue and neon colors. There's a sea turtle, jellyfish and shark on the mural. The artwork really gives off a beachy vibe, which is appropriate considering this area is by the beach!

The Beach Breeze mural is located on the outer walls of CB Arcade, and is one of the murals that…read moregreets you as you pull up into the Carolina Beach boardwalk. The mural depicts lots of sea-animal-shaped kites floating in a sky, and it's supposed to celebrate the Cape Fear Kite Festival, which takes place in the fall and wraps up the kite-flying season. This piece of public art was painted by artist Jenna Rice, who is based in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was completed in 2022. It's a really awesome mural, and it makes me wish I had visited Carolina Beach when the kite festival was happening! That's neat that the beach town now has a piece of its history on the walls of its local buildings.

When I came across the Tribute to Carolina Shag mural while I was visiting Carolina Beach, it…read moreinstantly became my favorite. There are many murals in this area of town, but this one was notable to me because of one thing in the mural: white loafer dress shoes, which look almost exactly like the kind of shoes my late grandfather used to wear. Was my abuelo a fan of the Carolina Shag? Or maybe just cool old guys who like dancing also like penny loafers? I'll probably never know the answer to these questions. This piece of public art is a celebration of Shag dancing and a tribute to Malcom Ray "Chicken" Hicks, who, according to my brief internet research, was a member of the Shaggers Hall of Fame and one of the people who invented the dance known as the "Shag." Chicken helped introduce R&B music to Carolina Beach in the 1940s, and was active in getting young people involved in shagging. Yeah, baby. The mural was completed in 2023 by graffiti artist JEKS (aka Brian Lewis), a self-taught member of the street-art scene in Greensboro, N.C. Knowing this info about the artist makes me love the mural even more, because I love street art and especially people who make street art without formal training. This artwork is incredible. It's located on a south-facing wall of a storefront on Lake Park Boulevard, so you should go admire it yourself in you're in the Carolina Beach area.

Skip does amazing work and has a focused attention to detail. His pricing is competitive and gives…read moreexcellent personal service.

I have taken several projects to Skip for framing and the quality and attention to detail is what…read moreyou would expect in a big city, not a beach town. I had to get some frames replaced and Skip made recommendations that helped save me some $. I then purchased a print of a local mural and Skip matted and framed my newest piece of art within a week. I will trust all my future framing/ matting projects with Skip. This is also more than just a framing store. If you are looking for local art and gifts, check out Tip Top Frame. Local artists have their work displayed in the shop- everything from modern to traditional beach art, small gifts and great Carolina Beach souvenirs.

We love this place. Came tonight for the food truck and the place was PACKED . Great outdoor…read morepatio that's dog friendly. This inside and outside are cute. They have games.for kids also that is why so many kids are here

Nice folks, good beer, frustrating disc golf but fun anyway. Thanks! Being outside is great!read more

July 2026 - The Fort Fisher Historic Site was on my list of places to see near Wilmington, North…read moreCarolina . Ft Fisher,an ancient fort during the Civil War in the 1800s, is a preserved historic site with a visitor center. The remains of the fort with walking trails are by the visitor center and both are opened to the public. The visitor center is a fairly new building has exhibit galleries, a movie cinema room, the Friends of Fort Fisher Gift Shop, an Activity Hall, and public restrooms. Ft. Fisher has a fascinating history. It was a vital port of Wilmington during the Civil War & supplied necessary goods to Confederate armies inland. The museum on the second floor has an outdoor balcony to view the remains of Ft. Fisher and the trails. It also has exhibition galleries and areas with displays of ancient artifacts, photographs, and information about Fort Fisher and the people who lived in the area & created the Fort, and its role in the Civil War and its history throughout the years. I stayed in the visitor center about 30 minutes and wished I could stay longer. I was able to see all the exhibits and see some of the videos about the fort in the cinema room. If you want to engage completely in the exhibits, go on the scavenger hunt, history, walk the trails, and see the remains, plan your visit accordingly to stay for a few hours. This would have been ideal for me. I plan to visit again and walk the trails to see the remains next time.

Beautiful walking path along the water with stunning Live Oak trees on the other side of the beach…read more Another must-see area/beach if you are visiting or plan to in the future. Tons of history here dating back to the Civil War, and it just seems like a great place to come and unwind after a long day and have a moment in nature. Approximately ten percent of Fort Fisher still stands today, along with a restored palisade fence. They offer tours of the grounds too. Live Oaks are some of my favorite trees, and I could not get enough of the beautiful opening we came upon just absolutely covered in Live Oaks. We even saw a family having a photoshoot among the trees - a great spot for photos and especially memorable planned shoots like that! If I was a local here I would probably visit this spot weekly, especially when the weather is extra nice. We went on a bit of a windy day so I know it would be even better when it's less hot out and calmer winds.