Still searching for that affordable beach vacation? No worries: Kure Beach makes affordable vacations possible by offering activities the whole family will enjoy that won’t break the bank. Whether you’re exploring the area’s history, hiking through nature, attending summer concerts or strolling along the beach with a view of one of the oldest fishing piers along the Atlantic coast, this affordable adventure will keep you worry-free!
Beachside Relaxation
Enjoy the sunrise while you cast a line from one of the oldest fishing piers on the Atlantic coast at the Kure Beach Fishing Pier. Reel in a fresh catch or admire ocean views and saltwater smells above the water. After a morning of hook, line and sinking, set up a picnic on the beach while you soak up the roar of the ocean’s waves with friends and family.
Wildlife Adventures
Learn from Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project volunteers at weekly Turtle Talks. These volunteers patrol Kure Beach and nearby Carolina Beach during nesting season and aim to keep sea turtles safe after hatching. If you’re interested in their work, summer Turtle Talks take place every Monday night at Kure Beach's Ocean Front Park.
Bring your kayak or boat – or rent your vessel from one of the island’s numerous, affordable outfitters – and venture to Zeke’s Island Reserve, one of the most important shorebirds feeding habitats on the East Coast. Once you arrive, you’ll be treated to bird species such as dunlin, black-bellied plovers, short-billed dowitchers, white ibis and great blue herons. The area features a dynamic landscape of tidal flats, salt marshes, dunes and ocean beaches that are protected for long-term research, education and stewardship.
Take a stroll with Kure Beach ambassadors for the Ocean Life Project, another family-friendly activity you won’t want to miss, on Sunday nights. During the weekly beach walk, you and your family will learn about Kure Beach’s history, wildlife and shell hunting!
Explore 288 acres of shoreline and marsh at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area and observe wildlife such as loggerhead turtles and piping plovers. Peruse the shoreline to see the coquina rock outcrop, where you and your family can search for more marine species!
Shoreline History
Visit Fort Fisher State Historic Site for a throwback in time. The Visitors Center shares the area’s treasured battle history as the site of the largest amphibious battle of the Civil War. You can visualize the story through the historic site’s trails, where you will walk past earthworks and fort remains. Then, hop outside and walk the trails on your own.
Park Entertainment
Keep your family active with a blend of golf and frisbee: disc golf at Joe Eakes Park. The park features a free 18-hole disc course, where the goal is to get the disc in the target in the fewest number of throws.
Rock out with friends and family at Boogie in the Park, a concert series that takes place the first and third Sunday throughout the summer. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and your dance moves to Ocean Front Park for some free entertainment and a fun time. Or, on Wednesdays, join princesses and their fairytale friends for Story Time by the Sea to enjoy stories, crafts and games for the whole family. Each Tuesday, Ocean Front Park also hosts the Kure Beach Market, which features locally grown produce and hand-crafted goods to peruse.
