carolina beach state park

this is a great place for the whole family to spend the summer! love the beach service for chairs and umbrellas, makes it stress free and more time to relax and enjoy. i could definitely be a beach bum here!

The area is very pleasant with plenty of trails and camping area. The marina with boat ramp in very convenient to the Cape Fear River and the Intercostal. The staff is friendly and can be very helpful in answering questions to make you visit first class

I visited the Carolina Beach State Park in the late afternoon time frame on a fall Saturday with the intent to hike several of the trails. The park is easy to find from downtown Carolina Beach or Kure Beach and offers you the ability to hike, camp and fish. When I first arrived I had planned on stopping at the Visitor’s Center which offered exhibits on the local environment focusing on the carnivorous plants. Their homepage states the center is open daily from 0800 to 1700, however it was closed when I was there around 1400. There was no sign stating the correct hours or when it would reopen or why it was closed in the first place. In order to get any information about the park you had to drive to the marina office.There are several different trails throughout the park. You can park in any of the available parking areas to begin your hike. Each trail will connect with at least one of the others. The free park brochure provides details about each trail to include distances which allows you to plan ahead on how far you want to go. All of the trails are easy and not difficult to traverse. There was only one section that I found that had a significant incline, and it was short in duration. The Flytrap Trail is a short trail that offers the chance to see Venus flytraps along the edges of parts of the trail. I only found one that was located at the end of the boardwalk, but that could be a result of it being the time of year. I found a lot of nice views along the trails of the marsh, water and woods.You can also camp along designated areas of the park, including along some of the trails. You need to plan ahead and make a reservation. The marina complex has hot showers and bathrooms available for use. The park looks to be a popular camping site as they were full that weekend, even though the main tourist season had ended. Fishing is available either off of the shore or by boat.I would recommend spending some time at the Carolina Beach State Park if you are in the area and looking for a break from the beach. Make sure to bring water with you when it is sunny outside as it can get hot.

We really always enjoy going to this park with our family. It is very well kept and it is a must do when we come to Carolina Beach.

Marina is greatly improved. If not boating, there are places to cast your line into the Cape Fear River, Benches are available to watch the River & the people. Camp sites are available but have not camped there.

Special treat from this trip to CB State Park were a crested flycatcher, yellow throated warbler and a merlin chasing a lbj. Wonderful birding on the road to the marina.

My first experience at Carolina Beach State Park was a solo camping trip in the heat of summer. However, this past weekend, I stayed there with some friends, a family with three young children (7, 5, and 3 years old), in the warm days and cool nights of fall. Once again, Carolina Beach State Park provided a safe, clean, comfortable, relaxing, and interesting getaway. We participated in the Carnivorous Plant Hike, as well as fished at the marina and hiked along the walking trails on our own. The campground was filled to capacity, and the facilities, including the trash bins and bathhouses, stayed clean and maintained. The bathhouses are pretty exceptional for a rustic campground with no electricity. Facilities are clean, and all fixtures are in good working order, with plenty of hot water! This is a very nice campground, and I will certainly plan another visit next season.

we enjoyed the park a couple of times during our stay in the area for fishing. There is a very nice deck built to fish from or you can be more adventurous and fish from the rocks or shore line. The restrooms were very clean and well kept. Lots of trails to hike and picnic areas to enjoy.

What a wonderful park for a picnic and relaxing with a view. The perfect place to view the sunsets. Be sure to stop in the park shop for affordable useable souvenirs and beautiful post cards. One of the nicest places I have been in a long time.

A great park for viewing Snow's cut and the ship traffic on the Cape Fear River, but what it is most famous for is the Venus Fly Trap! The majority of these plants are located on the Flytrap Trail. They are not easy to find, so I suggest you stop by the visitor's center, located on the right as you enter the park, and ask a Ranger where the best viewing spots are.The park also has trails that wander through pocosins, coastal forest, and along the edge of the Cape Fear river. All trials are easy to walk.

My experience here was unique. No electricity, no alcohol, 10 pm curfew. On the other hand I only paid 60 bucks for 4 nights within a 5 mile drive from the ocean. That is hard to beat. The showers could have been worse, the rules less stringent. The rangers seemed to pick and choose who they felt like babysitting and who could bend the rules a bit. I found the park itself underwhelming. Then again I just returned from a long weekend in the Upper Peninsula which is a tough contender. I don't plan on returning to this area, but if I did I wouldn't stay here. That doesn't mean you shouldn't. More fitting for families and outdoor enthusiasts who play hard all day and sleep all night.

We have been vacationing in North Carolina for years and go to the state park to site-see. I love going to the docks to look at the boats. Nice place.

I camped here by myself and felt very comfortable. The shower/bathhouse is well-maintained and I was very appreciative of the quiet hours after ten PM. Hiked the flycatcher trail to swamp trail to the salt marsh overlook. It was. Very peaceful time. Bring bug spray.

Clean and not over crowded. Big waves. Friendly people. Reasonably priced . We really loved the area and will vacation there again.

Very Nice Trails and Marina Area. I Wish I Had A Boat As The Ramps Looked In Very Good Shape. Mosquitos Were As Big As Birds.