Carolina Beach Boardwalk, Carolina Beach

Interesting fact: the Carolina beach boardwalk was originally built in 1887 but the latest improvements/additions were finished in the early 2000's which brought it up to its current 1/4 mile length. My visit was on hot and lazy mid-July day. I traveled here on a Wednesday to avoid the weekend crowds but there were still a decent about of beach goers stretched out along the sands. As a California transplant, I'm quite taken by North Carolina beaches. For one, the coastline is not nearly as developed as Southern California with stifling traffic and miles of concrete. The eastern NC coastline is, by contrast, sparsely populated (Wilmington is the only "large" city) and is dotted with quaint, cozy little villages. Many, from my view, give almost a Caribbean vibe and feel, if that makes any sense. Then there are the unique physical features such as the sand dunes and wide variety of marsh vegetation. And of course, the warm water! It was 81º in water here today compared to a chilly 65 in Santa Monica beach. On the boardwalk, I particularly loved the shaded overlook that offered expansive views of the beach in all directions. Also impressive was how clean the are is maintained, I didn't see any litter along the path. The only slight disappointment was that many of the cafes and eateries close after lunch and don't reopen till around 4 of 5 pm for dinner. In all, a great place to bring the family and spend a the day...

Fun memories and fun times for family. If your looking to ride a lot of rides and not wait in line I highly recommend the ride bracelets on the weekends! Bathrooms at night needed attention. It is fun and crowded at night. Nice to cool off and hang out.