Cape Fear Pride 2008 – Pleasure Island

When you cross over Snow’s Cut Bridge, you come onto a strip of land called “Pleasure Island.”

Made up of Carolina and Kure Beaches, this area boasts two of the biggest tourist attractions in the state.

You can say Carolina and Kure Beaches offer the best of both worlds.

One town is bustling with commercial activity, the other provides a more tranquil setting.

The towns may have veered off on separate paths, but both came from humble beginnings.

As Carolina Beach began taking steps toward growth, Kure Beach chose to remain low key.

Kure Beach mayor pro tem Jim Dugan said, “We’re trying to keep the ambiance for the people that live here and people that come to visit us.”

Also, unlike its neighbors to the north, Kure Beach has a 35 foot maximum height limit, meaning high rises are not allowed.

“If there’s anything over 35 feet, it’s going to take an act of the legislature for that to occur. It can’t be changed by people on council,” said Dugan.

That quaint setting is helping Kure Beach bring in the tourists who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of it all.

To help cater to families, the town recently purchased land right on the ocean to turn into a park.

But, tourists or residents wanting a little more excitement might prefer Carolina Beach.

Carolina Beach mayor Joel Macon said, “We’ve had a lot of new development, new homes, Marriott built, we have the Hilton Garden Inn coming in on north end of boardwalk.”

And, there is much more to come.

Recently, Carolina Beach town council adopted a land use master plan. That means, the face of the downtown area could dramatically change.

Several options on the table focus on revamping the central business district, which could include several high rise developments and even a parking deck.

Another huge addition might be building a concrete pier at the boardwalk.

“There’s a lot of excitement in air about Carolina Beach and with the hopes of a ocean pier going in at our boardwalk and all improvements that are going on,” said Macon.

And, if that’s not enough to entice people to Pleasure Island…

“The biggest draw we have in the state is the aquarium we have here. The second biggest draw is Fort Fisher Historic Civil War Fort. So, we’ve got two of the top draws in the state,” said Dugan.

The thought of a brand new concrete pier at the boardwalk excites many people out here.

The North Carolina aquarium would build it, if it happens.