Located 18 miles south of Wilmington, Kure Beach is a small town beach community and historic area home to the Ft. Fisher Civil War Museum and Ft. Fisher State Recreation Area. For most of the Civil War, Fort Fisher was an earthwork fort that helped protect the port of Wilmington as blockade runners delivered supplies to the Confederate armies located inland. The fort fell in January 1865, but visitors can still see the earth mounds and revetment along the beach that provided a strong defense against attacking soldiers. Visitors can visit the site and enjoy a historic walking tour or relax on the white sandy beach.
Kure Beach is also home to a North Carolina Aquarium where visitors can see wildlife native to the Carolinas, including freshwater fish, alligators, frogs, snakes, sea turtles, sea urchins, crabs, lionfish, sharks, eels, jelly fish, and more! The aquarium also has a walking trail to see local plants and fauna. For a sneak peek of the aquarium, visit their web site or check out old episodes of NBC’s Surface (2005). The aquarium has been a filming spot for multiple projects, but most frequently for NBC’s Surface.
It might be a small town, but Kure Beach has some wonderful year-round events, including the Kure Beach Street Festival, The Pleasure Island King Mackerel Fishing Tournament, and a Free Summer Concert Series. Plus, Carolina Beach is so close it’s easy to pop up there for all their great festivals and events. Add that to all the great daily activities you can experience at Kure – fishing off Fort Fisher Pier, surfing, swimming, sailing, and more! – you’re sure to always have something to do.
Kure Beach is part of the New Hanover County School District. Young students attend the elementary school in Carolina Beach and higher grades attend school in Wilmington. You can view district maps here. To see how students perform in Wilmington area schools, view the school information below.
For residents continuing their education, Kure Beach is not far from the University of North Carolina-Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College. Their engaging programs and dynamic student life make them attractive choices for anyone looking for higher education. Both schools have programs that they are well-known for - including medicine, business, and biology. They also work together to provide cost-effective solutions for students, who may want to start their educational journey at one school and finish at the other.
Like Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach, many Kure Beach residents drive into Wilmington for employment, are involved in the hospitality industry, or live there part-time. Some of the top employers in the Wilmington area are New Hanover Regional Medical Center, New Hanover County Schools, Wal-Mart Stores, GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy and GE Aviation, UNCW, PPD, Corning Inc., CFCC, Duke Energy, Castle Branch, and Verizon Wireless.
If you have questions about living in Kure Beach, we invite you to contact us. The beach lifestyle can be both financially and physically different than mainland living. We’re happy to help you decide if it’s the best fit for you!
Kure Beach Accolades
Fort Fisher Aquarium One of Travel Channel's Top Aquariums in U.S.
USA Today - 11 Beaches in the World Where History Was Made
Tripping - 10 Best Beaches in North Carolina
About.com - Best Family Vacations in the Southeast
