Joseph Winner, a foresighted beachfront property owner, established the town of Carolina Beach on the northern end of the island in 1857. Some years later, a Dane named Hans Anderson Kure founded Kure Beach a few miles further south. Originally, vacationers came over to the island by boat and then were conveyed to the beach by a small steam railroad. In 1929, Snow’s Cut was dredged to make it part of the Intracoastal Waterway and was connected to the mainland by a small swing bridge.
Carolina Beach evolved into the commercial center of the island, a tourism destination and a residential community. In 2002, the 10-story oceanfront Courtyard by Marriott resort became the town’s first franchise hotel situated at the south end of the Boardwalk. In 2016 a 100-room, 87.5-foot-tall Hampton Inn and Suites opened at the opposite end. Together with extensive renovation of the Boardwalk itself and significant efforts by shop owners, the beachfront and central business district are now very inviting.
Kure Beach has always been more of a residential community that has seen extensive construction of upscale homes and condos in recent years. While shunning efforts to bring in more businesses, this pleasant community sports an attractive boardwalk and a popular fishing pier.
The difference in interior ambience between the two locations is marked, for sure. One is a cozy, brick-walled, intimate pub fronting on the Port City’s busy Market St., and the other is a bright, airy, light-filled, spacious place just steps from the Carolina Beach boardwalk.
Even in this age of cell phones, tablets, e-readers and laptop computers, nothing quite suits reading on the beach or by the pool as your own good old fashioned paper book.
More than a place for summer fun, Pleasure Island offers good times all year long.
Former competitive artistic gymnasts Rebecca Bishop and Michele Zapple have created a universe dedicated to children and their parents.
For all the children who love visiting zoos, Tregembo Animal Park should be on the list of attractions to see.
Carolina Beach, Kure Beach and Fort Fisher form an area known collectively as Pleasure Island. Geographically, that area is the southernmost portion of the Cape Fear peninsula, which is cut off from the rest of the peninsula by a narrow band of water called Snow’s Cut. The name become better known when the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce branded everything with the name.
Historic Fort Fisher is one of the most visited sites in the Cape Fear region. It is home to annual reenactments of Civil War battles.
