Family-Friendly Attractions

Family Activities at Carolina Beach, NC are Full of Good Old-Fashioned Fun with a Modern Twist

Few things are as rewarding as a successful family vacation — especially when the kids are kept engaged and entertained with minimal effort. Thanks to kid-friendly finds like an award-winning boardwalk and seaside amusement rides in the summer, surfing and standup paddleboard lessons, and free outdoor movies and fireworks, families keep coming back year after year. Even hard-to-impress tweens and teens will request a repeat visit!

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Award-Winning Boardwalk and Amusement Rides

The kids probably won’t care that the Carolina Beach Boardwalk made Budget Travel’s list of "America’s Most Awesome Boardwalks" and has also been recognized by the likes of CNN, FOX News and USA Today. But they will notice the seaside amusement rides and fireworks that take place weekly during the summer.

Surf lessons with the Tony Silvagni Surf School

School’s Out for Summer. Or is it?

Frequently ranked No. 1 on TripAdvisor.com’s list of most-recommended things to do at Carolina Beach, Tony Silvagni Surf School is one school that kids will actually get excited about. Tony’s surf camps run from March through September and feature an unheard of 2:1 student to teacher ratio. Campers receive hours of professional surf instruction, but also benefit from learning about water safety and surfing etiquette. Odysea Surf School offers a variety of surf and standup paddleboard lessons. Join a small group or request a private lesson.

Father and son paddle boarding

“P” is for Paddle

Kids can certainly take part in the growing sport of stand up paddleboarding (SUP) at Carolina Beach. Local outfitters offer special trips geared towards the younger set and since tours and trips include personal flotation devices, even those who haven’t yet mastered the art of swimming can hop aboard. Rent a paddleboard or kayak from Paddle NC within Carolina Beach State Park and embark on the calmer waters of the Cape Fear River. Kids will be in awe when they encounter a unique salt marsh ecosystem that is home to residents like bottlenose dolphins, jumping mullet, osprey and the elusive bald eagle.

CB Greenway

Bikes, Boogie Boards & More

Find everything you need for hours of outdoor fun at one of the island's outdoor rental companies. Take the whole family for a ride and explore the island by bike with a tour that offers two hours of self-guided stops at the island's most important historic landmarks. Hop on a comfy beach cruiser, fat tire bike or tandem bicycle. Or rent kid-sized bicycles or pull-behind kids trailers for the little ones. Rent a bicycle, boogie board, surfboard or standup paddleboard to battle the waves from Pleasure Island Rentals, or cruise around Carolina Beach Lake Park. The 11-acre Carolina Beach Lake Park is also home to a summer movie series that features free outdoor films and fireworks.

Getting to Know Nature

Carolina Beach is a haven for eco-adventurers. Get outdoors with a hike led by a park ranger who will teach kids about the carnivorous plants that grow at Carolina Beach State Park, rent bikes or kayaks and explore the island as a family from a different perspective. Learn about area sea turtles and their nesting habitats with Turtle Talks from the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project.

Fish Tales & Captains

Let the little ones stretch (and grow) their sea legs aboard a Gulf Stream fishing vessel. Nothing beats catching a bigger fish than dad on a deep-sea fishing excursion, and kids will dig the idea of bringing back a souvenir to the beach house vacation rental that will become dinner.

Kids eating ice cream at Celtic Creamery

Food with a Side of Fun

Vacation will be especially sweet for the kids who visit Squigley’s Ice Cream & Treats, which makes more than 4,000 flavors of homemade ice cream. A “squigley” consists of soft-serve style ice cream blended with a variety of mix-ins in a custom-built squigley machine. Taste Celtic Creamery's handmade, small-batch ice cream, made with the same rich tastes and creamy texture found on the west coast of Ireland. Their signature Tummy Trembler is a family-sized favorite, featuring six scoops of ice cream over a split banana and surrounded by eight fresh-made donuts, cookie pieces and more. Britt’s Donuts has been a Carolina Beach favorite for generations and is no stranger to receiving national attention and topping lists featuring America’s best donuts. When coloring sheets alone won’t cut it, kids can be entertained with a variety of other distractions while dining at the Lazy Pirate Island Sports Grill at Carolina Beach. The restaurant’s popular fenced-in yard features plenty of space to play games like volleyball and cornhole.

Family-Friendly Attractions

Family Activities at Carolina Beach, NC are Full of Good Old-Fashioned Fun with a Modern Twist

Award-Winning Boardwalk and Amusement Rides