Carolina Beach, North Carolina encompasses 2.5 square miles of Pleasure Island, known as the Southland's ‘secret Paradise’. White sandy beaches along the shores of the Atlantic comprise the eastern side of Carolina Beach, while on its western side, the Cape Fear River flows, making this a water wonderland.

Carolina Beach is in New Hanover County and considered part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Area, while offering a completely different lifestyle than its urban neighbor 15 miles to the north. Outdoors enthusiasts camp at the beautiful Carolina Beach State Park, an exotic mix of sand dunes and forests. Here, one finds a rare dwarf cypress swamp and the mysterious Venus Fly Trap, one of the nation's few indigenous carnivorous plants. The park lends access to some of North Carolina’s finest fishing spots.

Carolina Beach, NC employs lifeguards from Memorial Day through Labor Day, to watch over the many swimmers and surfers enjoying the ocean waters. Knee-boarding, water-skiing and surf fishing are popular activities. The Carolina Beach Municipal Marina rents party boats and provides deep-sea fishing cruises. Kayaks and canoes are available to take out on the Cape Fear River side of the island. The North Carolina Aquarium lies just minutes from Carolina Beach, at Fort Fisher, a vital Civil War fort still visited by history buffs today.

Carolina Beach, NC reported its population at 4,701 during the 2000 Census. Estimates made in 2006 show an increase to 5,625. The town annexed the small community of Wilmington Beach in 2000. The per capita income the residents reported was $24,128, almost $3,000 more than the national average. Median rents in Carolina Beach were $624, while homeowners’ costs were $998.

Carolina Beach children attend the Carolina Beach Elementary School, a ‘North Carolina Model Technology School’. Students seeking higher education have three institutes within a forty- mile radius: Brunswick Community College, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and Cape Fear Community College. Twenty-four percent of Carolina Beach residents obtain a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Known for its excellent seafood restaurants, Carolina Beach, NC also tempts diners with Greek, Italian and Mexican food, with prices to fit every budget. A family-friendly island, Carolina Beach has paddleboats, bike rentals, mini-golf, basketball and tennis courts, and batting cages. A lighted Boardwalk is the popular nightlife scene, complete with arcades for the kids, a plethora of eateries and live music on the weekends. Shopping becomes an adventure on Carolina Beach, with a wide variety of specialty shops, boutiques, antique stores, with island and maritime collectibles throughout.

Carolina Beach, North Carolina beckons to the vacationer and the tourist, but also calls to everyone who wants to experience true island living. Residents of Carolina Beach enjoy moderate temperatures year-round. Between the ocean and the river, Carolina Beach, NC is a water-lover’s wonderland.

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