Is that a Fair on the Beach? Almost. It is a beach with an awesome boardwalk area. Carolina Beach is probably one of the most visited beaches in NC because of its access to Wilmington and I-40. The Town has done a great job of providing very board appeal to visitors and they keep coming back.
Go To The End of I-40 and Keep Going
Carolina Beach is found South of Wilmington and is also the name of the town the beach is in. This is arguably one the most popular beaches/ board walks in North Carolina. This is not far from the Eastern most end of the Interstate I-40 which adds to the accessibility of the area.
Having to travel all the way through Wilmington does make it a little frustrating. There can be a significant amount of traffic unrelated to the beach that will make the last hour on the road drag out.
Parking in the area is … paid. The slight expectation to this is two parking lots that are free for the first 2 hours. One is the Carolina Beach Lake lot and the other is at the community center. They are a great option if you do not plan on staying for more than 2 hours and do not mind walking an extra 1-2 blocks from your car.
Aside from peak hours during the summer, there is plenty of parking in the area. Check out the official Carolina Beach parking map in the event you need to find some back up parking lots.
Got Any Tickets?
A very unique part about the Carolina Beach area is the fair rides. Unfortunately for us, the rides had not started up for the day when we visited but we still got the chance to admire them. You will find a nice assortment of classics like the ferris wheel, swings and several others. Madilyn was very determined to try to ride them so we settled for sitting in some of the displays like a fire truck. Other times that I have visited, I never saw these rides too crowded.
If you have read our other articles, you by now know that we always set up our beloved Shibumi Shade and Beach Blanket. I bought our Shibumi Shade during our 2022 summer season and have been in love ever since. This thing comes in a small package that fits my backpack sets up fast with one person and provides a ton of shade. I do still struggle to find the perfect angle to maximize the wind but I just tell myself it is part of the experience.
Making Core Memories
This excursion to Carolina Beach was a classic Ryan- Madilyn adventure. Before we even set up the Shibumi Shade there was another little girl about Madilyn’s age trying to talk with Madilyn and wanted to play with her. Boisterous Madilyn became the shiest person in that moment for some reason but eventually started to play and made a friend by the end of it.
These two little ladies bonded over some Italian Ice that we bought from an ice cream cart that was making its way down the beach. Great use of 4$ but still not as amazing as the 1 $ sunflowers from the New Bern Farmers Market.
The Beach does have life guards on duty during the summer months but only in certain areas so be mindful of the markers for their limits. We did not struggle to find space on the beach at all. This was likely due to the fact that we came in the earlier part of the day.
If you decide you need to get out to the sun for a little, consider heading down to the Fort Fisher Aquarium. We combined these two into a single day trip and really enjoyed it. With a Toddler, having something that gets them excited to leave the beach rather than sad/angry is hard. Aquariums check that box for Madilyn.
Other Ways to Party on The Beach
One major positive to the board walk area is the convenience. There are several restaurants, shop and hotels just on the other side of the dunes. Britt’s Doughnuts is one such local establishment. They are a nationally recognized doughnut shop that has been open since 1939.
Carolina Beach board walk also has some basic public restrooms and naturally has a great out look over the beach. Madilyn and I used it several time and found them acceptable for beach bathrooms but generally a little dingy.
Is That A Farris Wheel?
The simple access from a major highway to a sandy beach is the functional draw to Carolina Beach. Nonetheless, there are very few other beaches in NC if any that have fair rides in such close proximity to the beach as well. The ease of access invites
Overall
Carolina Beach is a classic NC beach destination for many reasons. Minutes from a major interstate, a city, an aquarium and so much more makes it a no brainer for big crowds. We most often see people from the Triangle area coming on day trips to the beach here. Absolutely worth checking out.
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