by Theresa Mattiello

Created on: January 28, 2010   Last Updated: April 18, 2011

Venturing down to southeastern North Carolina, you'll find a laid-back, low-country region called the Cape Fear Coast. The 202 mile long Cape Fear River winds down from as far north as Haywood between Lee and Chatham counties, and reaches the Atlantic Ocean near the charming port city of Wilmington. The historically rich town and its surrounding locales, such as Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, Kure Beach, Ft. Fisher, and Southport, are immaculate places to spend long summer or short winter days; in truth, the region is always alive and destined to entertain. If you like to have a million things to do all at once, especially in the warmer months of the year, than the area is the right place for you.  Not only are there beaches, but there's history, entertainment, hospitality, and relaxation. You certainly are welcome to make yourself at home.

North Carolina's beaches are possibly some of the best in the country, at least on the east coast. For the most part, the beaches are very natural, and have been able to retain their appearance similar to how they would have looked hundreds of years ago. Sure, there are many houses and high rises that parallel the coastline, but the dunes have been left alone, shells cover the shore, marshland is preserved by law, allowing great numbers of waterfowl and other wildlife to thrive, and beaches are widely pristine. You don't see these kinds of beaches in the far north, in places like Ocean City or Rehoboth Beach, which have long since done away with natural sand and dunes, and where street runoff pollutes the beaches and marshland.

Even in Myrtle Beach have beaches seen a large decline, despite their crystal clear reputation. But the beaches of the Cape Fear Coast have possibly taken a cue from the Outer Banks – keeping it natural is the best way to go! In the Banks, Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a national preserve that keeps any development from ruining the serenity of North Carolina’s most valuable shore. While Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and Kure Beach are widely built-up and residential, they are still protected from becoming, in short, “dumps.”

 Ft. Fisher is probably my favorite place in all the of Cape Fear region. It is a state park and a Civil War battle site, and so it is protected from becoming built up. This makes it a peaceful and desirable place to visit for a day. There is an aquarium that attracts large throngs of tourists and school groups year round, featuring

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