Your Guide to Pleasure Island

A little information about the area: You're going to love it here! Carolina Beach and Kure Beach are right next to each other and make up one big island called "Pleasure Island".  Carolina Beach has a lively vibe with lots to do and Kure Beach has a relaxed vibe. They are both a great place to vacation. Carolina Beach has a large boardwalk where there are a lot of restaurants, bars, and shops to hang out at. Kure Beach has a smaller boardwalk with a few restaurants, shops, and a fishing pier. 

​*Keep in mind that some of these activities are seasonal

Pleasure Island Activities

Carolina Beach 

-The Carolina Beach Boardwalk has arcades, fireworks, live music, shops, BRITT’S DONUTS, and many other activities.  Go to pleasureislandnc.org for more information about activities and events on Pleasure Island.

-Go on a hike or ride your bike on one of the many trails Carolina Beach State Park has to offer. https://www.ncparks.gov/carolina-beach-state-park/home

-Enjoy a walk or a picnic at the beautiful Carolina Beach Lake. On Sunday nights, there are FREE MOVIES playing at the lake in the summer. 

Kure Beach 

-The Kure Beach Pier is a great fishing spot with plenty of small beach town restaurant favorites. 

-Walk along the beach, rocks, and beautiful nature scenery at the Ocean Front Park in Kure Beach. 

Fort Fisher 

-Check out the Fort Fisher Aquarium and see what lives in the waters nearby! Go to ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher to find out what you can learn and enjoy. Perfect for families with children.

-Learn about Pleasure Island’s history at Fort Fisher’s Civil War National Historic Landmark. 

-Take a day trip to Southport on the Fort Fisher Ferry. You can take your vehicle on the ferry ride right from Fort Fisher. Visit this link for pricing and scheduling https://www.ncbrunswick.com/islands-towns/southport/fort-fisher-ferry/

Drive-On Beaches

If you have four-wheel drive, there is a drive beach at Freeman Park on the North end of Carolina beach or at Fort Fisher State Recreation Area on the South end of Kure beach for all day fun in the sun. Go to pleasureislandnc.org/beach-information to attain more information about day passes and regulations. (even if you don't have four-wheel drive, we highly recommend checking out Fort Fisher, they have a walk-on beach area with free parking, a riverside recreational area with a sidewalk, great view of the sunset, and more!)

Rental & Activity Companies

• Pleasure Island Rentals: Rent bikes, kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, beach supplies, and more at Pleasure Island Rentals to make your stay a great adventure. Visit pleasureislandrentals.com for more information.  
• Got Shade Beach Rentals: www.gotshadebeachrentals.com   
• Paddle NC: Paddle board and bike around the island with Paddle NC https://paddlenc.com/
• Adventure Kayak Company: Kayak and canoe with Adventure Kayak Company https://theadventurecompany.net/   
• Coconut Jacks: Coconut Jacks offers canoe and kayak tours http://coconutjackstours.com
• Surf School: Take private or group surfing lessons with Tony Silvangni at the Surf School https://surfschoolnc.com/
• Carolina Beach Jet Ski Rentals: Splash around on a jet ski with Carolina Beach Jet Ski Rentals https://carolinabeachjetskirental.com/
• Capt. Charlie’s Adventures: Go on an adventure with Capt. Charlie's Adventures! https://captcharliesadventures.com/
• Endless Summer Day Tours: Enjoy a sailing excursion on the Intracoastal, Cape Fear River, and Atlantic Ocean with Endless Summer Day Tours http://endlessummer.net/
• Sea Legs Pedal Pub: Go on a booze-cruise with Sea Legs Pedal Pub! Pedaling is optional and you can bring your own drinks. Coolers are also available on board. We know many people enjoy renting out a pontoon boat, but it usually gets sold out in the summer so if you plan to do something like that then definitely plan ahead! https://sealegspedalpub.com/
• Sun Fun Rentals: Rent a golf cart at Sun Fun Rentals for quick and easy transportation around the island! (make sure your rental property allows it and has a plug. If you are unsure please reply to this email and ask us!) https://www.sunfungolfcarts.com/
• iEscape Rooms: For a rainy day we suggest the aquarium or the Escape Room! https://www.iescaperooms.com
• Baby Quip: Need baby equipment during your stay? You can rent them from Korie Tarquino with BabyQuip: email [email protected] and her cell phone is 908-887-1590. https://www.babyquip.com/korie484
• **NEW ** Putter Pub: New Putt Putt place! Lots of fun!  (910) 707-5056  https://www.facebook.com/people/Putter-Pub
• Fishing Charter with any of these great places: Fishing Charter Link 
• Shipwreck Neon Mini Golf: https://shipwreckminigolf.com

**For more information the area visit: http://www.pleasureislandnc.org/index.php 

Coffee Shops

• Veggie Wagon - Local family owned farmer's market specializing in fresh local North Carolina fruits and vegetables. They also have beer on tap, local coffee, wine, fresh bread, baked goods, and more. https://theveggiewagon.com/
• Happy Hippies Java Hut - Located in beautiful Kure Beach. They serve hot and iced coffee, frappes, smoothies and Nitro brew! Of course, you have to try their signature Mermaid Magic drink and they have other groovy handmade stuff as well. https://www.happyhippiesjavahut.com/
• The Vault CB - Coffee shop in Carolina Beach, with a drive through! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086167744931 
• Janeen’s Majik Beanz - https://www.facebook.com/majikbeanz/

Restaurants on Pleasure Island

Breakfast

• Gulfstream Restaurant - Down-home, family-run American eatery with a broad, hearty menu covering breakfast, lunch & dinner. https://gulfstreamrestaurantnc.com/
• Kate's Pancake House- Serves breakfast, lunch and coffee. https://www.facebook.com/Kates-Pancake-House

Seafood

• Seaview Crab Company - One of the great things about renting from us is you can cook in the kitchen! The best place to get fresh seafood is Seaview. It’s just over the bridge, view their site for more details: https://www.seaviewcrabcompany.com/ 
• Stoked - waterview restaurant at the marina in Carolina Beach, great seafood and beautiful sunset view. https://www.stokedrestaurant.com/
• The Sandspur - Restaurant and Bar serving fresh seafood and daily specials *one of our favorites!* https://www.facebook.com/thesandspurcb/ 
• Salt Fish Restaurant and Tiki Bar- Island style dining. Appetizers, main dishes, seafood and meats. (A family favorite of ours!) https://cbsaltfish.com/menu/
• Havana’s Restaurant - Casual seafood destination in a 1916 cottage. (Great food and atmosphere!) https://www.havanasrestaurant.com/
• ​Shuckin’ Shack – Fresh Seafood in a small bar atmosphere. https://www.theshuckinshack.com/location/carolina-beach/
• Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar - An oceanfront pier with southern fried food. https://www.oceangrilltiki.com/
• Michael’s Seafood- Fresh seafood, Voted best seafood chowder on the island. Highly rated by many travelers and locals!  https://www.mikescfood.com/
• Lazy Pirate – Burgers, wings, or shrimp with great live music. Outdoor area that provides cornhole, ring toss, and is dog friendly. https://lazypiratesportsgrill.com/
• Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill - Caribbean-influenced fare with a seafood emphasis served in colorful digs with a second-floor deck. https://www.jackmacksgrill.com/

Pizza

• Uncle Vinny’s Pizzeria & Ristorante - Simple & snug option for pizza, hot meat sandwiches & classic Italian fare in a cheery environment. Known for their amazing calzones. https://www.facebook.com/UncleVinnys/
• Michelangelo's -  https://www.michaelangelospizza.com/
• Za Pie - located just off the island, but very yummy!  https://www.zapie.com/ 
• Fentoni’s - currently closed as of April 2024, but they plan on opening back up later this year in a new Carolina Beach location - https://fentonispizza.com/

Other Lunch & Dinner Options

• Soul Flavor- Restaurant and bar serving southern style food with fresh ingredients. Daily specials featuring worldly cuisine. (another one of our favorites!) https://www.soulflavorcbnc.com/
• Remini’s - Discover authentic Italian excellence, where each plate showcases the finest flavors of Italy! https://www.facebook.com/p/Reminis-Carolina-Beach
• Carolina Smokehouse - Ocean view with beachin BBQ. https://www.thecarolinasmokehouse.com/
• Lake Park Steakhouse - lively and comfortable atmosphere with simple elegance, great steaks, seafood, and prime rib served by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. (another one of our favorite places to eat!) https://lakeparksteakhouse.com
• Hang Ten Grill - Laid-back, surf-inspired joint doling out burgers, sandwiches, seafood & weekend breakfast. https://hangtengrill.com/
• El Cazador - Mexican restaurant in Carolina Beach https://elcazadormex.com
• Ocean View Restaurant - Everything from breakfast to dinner with an American old-school vibe. https://www.facebook.com/OVKB22/
• Nauti Dogs - Colorful beach shack with a patio, offering a selection of creative hot dogs & nachos, on the boardwalk. https://www.nautidogcb.com/
• Cherry Blossom Sushi - Fresh sushi made right on the boardwalk. https://www.facebook.com/p/Cherry-Blossom-Sushi
• The Spot Bar and Kitchen - Food-driven bar featuring fresh, scratch-made dishes, and great vibes. https://www.thespotcb.com/
• Freddie’s - Freddie’s serves a variety of chops, steaks, pasta, chicken and seafood. https://freddiesitalianrestaurant.com/

Dessert

• Squigley’s- Get “Squiggled” by customizing yummy soft serve ice cream. (This is our favorite place to get ice cream!) https://www.facebook.com/SquigleysTreats/
• Britt’s Donuts - Best donuts in the world done only one way. https://www.brittsdonutshop.com/
• The Peach Cobbler Factory - Delicious cobblers with ice cream, banana puddings, savory, sweet cinnamon rolls, Pudd-N Shakes, Bigger & Better Cookies, and more! https://www.peachcobblerfactory.com/

Catering

• Cape Fear Boil Company, (910)-707-3034 https://www.capefearboilcompany.com "Dining out at the beach can be a daunting task. Leaving the beach early, hour long waits for tables, expensive drinks, and mediocre food are just the start! Let Cape Fear Boil Co. solve your dining dilemma with our unique approach! Choose either our at-home catering or one of our steam pots to-go. Maximize your beach time and enjoy a meal and experience you won't soon forget!"
• A Thyme Savor, (910) 262-2962: https://athymesavor.com
• Michael's Seafood does catering as well, contact them for more details: (910) 458-7761
• Flying Cloud Bars & Events, http://www.flyingcloudbars.com

" The Flying Cloud Cocktail Club runs private group craft cocktail experiences.  Our craft cocktail experiences are fun-filled events where you and your friends learn how to make a collection of delicious bar quality cocktails… and of course you get to drink the drinks!  The best part is we’re 100% mobile, so we bring everything to you… bar tools, mats, cups, shakers, juicers, peelers, ingredients, ice, drinkware… everything."

• Chef On the Go: https://www.chefonthegoac.com Need a personal chef during your stay? Alfrederick will help you relax during your vacation by providing meal prep, catering small parties, cooking classes, etc. Give him a call to plan your relaxing vacation meals: 434-222-0057. Or email him at: [email protected]***

Carolina Beach Bars

There are a ton of fun bars to hangout at here in Pleasure Island! Make a night of it and go bar-hopping to explore all the places we have to offer! 

• Island Beverage- (great wine & beer options and board games!) http://islandbevcb.com
• High Tide Lounge and Tiki Bar : Relaxed vibes - on Carolina Beach’s North end pier https://carolinabeachpier.com/
• SeaWitch Cafe and Tiki Bar: (live music!) https://seawitchtikibar.com
• Good Hops Brewing: (our local brewery! & free frisbee golf!) www.goodhopsbrewing.com
• The Fat Pelican: walk-in fridge, cool outdoor space! http://thefatpelican.com
• Silver Dollar: they have karaoke!  www.facebook.com/silverdollarcb/
• Shuckin’ Shack : theshuckinshack.com
• The Dive: https://thedive458.wixsite.com/club
• Lazy Pirate: (corn hole, live music, beach volleyball and more!) www.lazypiratesportsgrill.com
• The Last Resort: www.facebook.com/thelastresortcb/
• HopLite Irish Pub and Restaurant: https://www.hopliterestaurant.com
• Hurricane Alley's: OCEAN VIEW! https://www.facebook.com/HurricaneAlleysCB/ 
• Buzz's Roost at the Beach: https://m.facebook.com/BuzzsBeach/
• Crush & Grind: (one-stop shop for coffee, beer, and wine!) https://www.facebook.com/crushandgrindinc/
• Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar: https://www.oceangrilltiki.com
• Sonny's Lounge : On the Boardwalk
• The Pit, Pleasure Island Tavern: www.facebook.com/thepitcarolinabeach/ 

Downtown Wilmington

The downtown area of Wilmington is on the Cape Fear River, not too far from the island. We highly recommend checking it out if you have time! There is a riverfront boardwalk, restaurants, shops, bars, and many fun things to do.

Wilmington Restaurants: 

• Copper Penny: https://www.copperpennync.com/
• Circa: https://circa1922.com/ 
• Yosake: https://www.yosake.com/
• PinPoint: https://pinpointrestaurant.com/
• Tarantelli's: https://tarantellis.com/
• Manna: https://www.mannaavenue.com/
• The George: https://thegeorgerestaurant.com/
• The Basics: http://www.thebasicswilmington.com/
• Benny's Big Time Pizzeria: https://www.vivianhoward.com/bennysbigtime
• Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill: https://annebonnyswilmington.com/

AND more!

Wilmington Bars: 

• The Blind Elephant: http://www.blindelephantspeakeasy.com/
• Cloud 9 Rooftop Bar (Great view of the water!): https://www.cloud9ilm.com/
• Satellite Bar and Lounge: https://www.facebook.com/satellitebarandlounge/
• Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: https://www.whiskeytangofoxtrotnc.com/
• Pour Taproom: https://pourtaproomilm.com/

AND more!

Wilmington Activities:

Downtown SunDown: Downtown SunDown is a FREE event with concerts every Friday night during the summer with amazing tribute bands right on the boardwalk. 

Haunted Wilmington: Get spooky on a ghost walk or haunted pub crawl with Haunted Wilmington! https://hauntedwilmington.com/

Wilmington Water Tours: Cruise along the Cape Fear River on one of Wilmington Water Tours’ excursions! Fun for the whole family! https://wilmingtonwatertours.net/

Cape Fear Riverboats: Enjoy a sightseeing or sunset cruise with Cape Fear Riverboats! Great views of Downtown Wilmington and the port! https://cfrboats.com/

Museums: Visit one of Wilmington’s historic museums- The Children’s Museum of Wilmington, Cape Fear Museum of History and Science, and the Bellamy Mansion Museum.

Thalian Hall: Relax and enjoy a show at Thalian Hall in Wilmington. Visit https://www.thalianhall.org/ for shows available. 

Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park: Enjoy a great water park, putt putt, laser tag, go karts, mini bowling, rock climbing, arcade games, and more at Jungle Rapids Family Fun Park. For more info visit junglerapids.com 

Axes and Allies: Go throw axes at a bullseye while drinking cold beer from the bar at Axes and Allies. For more info visit https://www.axesandalliesnc.com/

FlipnFly: Enjoy jumping around with the kids at FlipnFly trampoline park. Visit https://flipnfly.com/ for more info.

CrossFire Paintball: Shoot paintball guns at CrossFire Paintball. Visit crossfirenc.com for more info. 

NC Battleship: Step back in time and let history come alive at the USS NC Battleship! https://www.battleshipnc.com

Please let us know if you need any other specific recommendations for your stay!