I met up with some friends for a long weekend during the summer to camp Carolina Beach State Park. We packed up our car with our gear and snacks, reviewed our camping checklist and made the two and a half hour drive from Raleigh.

When we arrived, we found the perfect campsite large enough for two tents and began to unload the car.  Driving our posts into the sandy ground, it wasn’t long until we set up camp and enjoyed lunch before setting out to explore.  Camping was how my family vacationed when I was growing up, visiting the Ohio state parks to hike, camp and ride our bikes, so I was feeling a little nostalgic.

There are nine miles of easy trails at Carolina Beach State Park.  We began our afternoon hiking the “Campground Trail” which was rated an easy hike, one mile in length.  The sandy path took us through the camp sites which connected with the Sugarloaf Trail.  This extension brought us to the marsh overlook where we spent a few moments exploring the wetlands for birds and wildlife.  From here, we found the quarter of a mile Oak Toe Trail for views of the Cape Fear River.

We heard about Fort Fisher located about 20 miles south of Wilmington.  We thought it would be a fun experience to access the recreation area by boarding the Southport Ferry.  The ride lasted 35 minutes to Pleasure Island where we could explore the Civil War encampment.   Fort Fisher was a pivotal battle during the Civil War, fought in the state of North Carolina.   Protecting the trade routes, the fort was strategically built along an outlet along Cape Fear, often called the “Southern Gilbraltar”.   Built in 1861, it became the largest Confederate Fort sitting on 200 acres and was eventually captured by the Union forces.  The site remained abandoned until World War II.

Along the sea face is a fence that surrounds the high mounds along the coast.  Its design resembled the Tower of Malakoff at Sevastopol in Russia and was often called “The Tower”.  It is said that over 1,000 soldiers and slaves died here during the battle.

Several cannons, which guarded the seacoast, remain fully functional and are fired during special occasions.  Each year, the park commemorates the Second Battle of Fort Fisher which took place in January 1865.

We stopped to explore the remains of Fort Fisher.

To the left of the opening in the ground, there were stairs that led up to a cannon at Sheppard’s Battery.

It was a beautiful day to enjoy the fort, setting up camp and hiking Carolina Beach State Park.  We had worked up an appetite from all of the hiking and we could not wait to make camper pies and s’mores over a fire.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Carolina Beach State Park and/or Fort Fisher State Historic Site?  I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my camping trip and visit to Fort Fisher and wishing you many Happy Travels!

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What to See and What to Do:

Fort Fisher State Historic Site
1610 Fort Fisher Blvd. S.
Kure Beach, NC  28449
Telephone:  216 421 7350

• Admission Fee:  Free
• Hours:  Open Tuesday – Saturday from 9AM to 5PM; Sunday from 12PM – 5PM (Memorial Day through Labor Day); Closed Monday and most major holidays. .
• Amenities:  Historical site, museum, guided tours, visitor center, trails, monuments and outdoor exhibits, handicapped accessibility, picnic facilities, gift shop
• Length of Visit:  3 hours
• Tips for Your Visit:  During the summer, there may be mosquitoes so wear bug spray and bring water to stay hydrated.

Where to Stay:

Carolina Beach State Park
1010 State Park Road
Carolina Beach, NC  28428
Telephone:  919 707 9300

Where to Eat:

SeaWitch Cafe
227 Carolina Beach Avenue N
Carolina Beach, NC  28428
Telephone:  910 707 0533

We were hungry for crab and ordered the Carolina crab dip as a starter.  When I noticed the grouper sandwich on the menu, I was so excited.

What to Read: 

• Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks
• Murder on Cape Fear by Ellen Elizabeth Hunter
• Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
• Murder at Wrightsville Beach by Ellen Elizabeth Hunter
• Secret Missions of the Civil War, by Philip van Doren Stern

Photo Guide for Wilmington:

• Riverwalk in Downtown Wilmington along Cape Fear
• Concrete Pier at Wrightsville Beach
• Carolina Beach Boardwalk
• Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar
• Carolina Beach State Park
• Carolina Beach Marina
• NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher
• Fort Fisher State Recreation Area
• Fort Fisher State Historic Site