Carolina Beach/Kure Beach Vacation: Smoke-Free in 2010

Cough! Hack! Cough! Hack!

No more.

Even in the cradle of Tobacco Road, it's finally happened -- North Carolina legislators recently passed a bill prohibiting smoking in all bars and restaurants, effective January 2, 2010.

There are those who will whine about this law, but I am not one of them. On the contrary, I applaud it and will most likely go out to eat and drink more because of it. Most sensible establishments have already gone smoke-free anyway, so this was a fait accompli.

Learn How to Handle Rip Currents

A vacation to the sunny shores of Carolina Beach or Kure Beach might include rip currents, which are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from the beach. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. If you find yourself in a rip current, do not panic. There is a tried and true method to extract yourself from a rip current.

Click here for further tips on how to handle these dangerous surf phenomenon.

Kure Beach Bocce Ball Court Opening In Time For Summer Rush

Just when you thought the Cape Fear area couldn't get more fun, in comes this long overdue announcement:

"Come be a guest of the Kure Beach Parks and Recreation Committee for a dedication ceremony of the new Bocce Ball Court at Joe Eakes Park.

The ceremony will take place this Saturday, May 30th at noon. Attending will be Kure Beach Commissioners, County Commissioners and lots of enthusiastic bocce ball players anxiously awaiting the official start of the bocce ball season in Kure Beach.

Joe Eakes Park is located on K Avenue at the corner of 7th Street in Kure Beach."

Bocce is from the Italian for "bowl" and has been popular in Europe since ancient times. The game has been transplanted overseas and is common in various areas in the US. The game is played on an outdoor court with multiple, colored balls. Players take turns throwing a smaller ball after which they bowl the larger ones as close to the smaller one as possible. The sport is much like curling, the game played on ice and made popular in the last few Olympics.

Daytripper 101: The Charms of Southport

Southport, the old fishing village just across the river from Pleasure Island, is the type of town that is inevitably called quaint. Fortunately, it lives up to the description. Situated along the west bank of the Cape Fear River’s mouth, Southport is reachable by ferry from Fort Fisher and is a great day-trip for Carolina Beach and Kure Beach vacationers.



Steeped in American history, the town has always attracted sailor types. In fact the earliest settlers arrived shortly after Columbus, in 1524. The first European vessel constructed in the New World was built on these banks. Other firsts include North Carolina’s first fort (Fort Johnston, 1754). In 1795 the soldiers at the fort fired 13 cannon shots to honor the 13 states, thus celebrating one of the earliest known 4th of July celebrations.



Today, Southport’s July 4th festivities are a blowout 4-day event and popular throughout the Cape Fear region and Southeastern North Carolina. Southport’s shopping includes funky little stores and antiques galore, the restaurants are varied and welcoming, and the old homes are remarkable (check out, for example, the Captain Thompson Home, an intriguing peek into the life of a genuine Civil War blockade runner).

Hollywood has not been immune to Southport’s charms, filming several movies in the last few decades, including 1986’s “Crimes of the Heart," starring Diane Keaton, Jessica Lang and Sissy Spacek.

Perhaps the best part about Southport? Unlike other communities in the area, public parking is free -- and it’s a great place for bike riding.