Don't believe us? Then read this!

We LOVE Carolina Beach. (Of course we do; we wouldn't have Our Beach Place if we didn't.) But don't just listen to us.

With temperatures and gas prices on the rise this summer, many families are planning affordable getaways to Carolina Beach, N.C. Coastal breezes and free seaside activities combine to offer great value, family fun and a refreshing break for everyone. With a conveniently-accessible location, Carolina Beach is also easy on the gas. Major highways make the trip there quick via I-40, US-74, or NC-421.

Carolina Beach offers the best of a North Carolina beach experience. A variety of free events and affordable activities create a destination that is literally music to the ears. In June, vacationers can dance barefoot in the sand at the Pleasure Island Beach Music Festival—the largest and only music festival held on the beach along the North Carolina coast. There are also free concerts every Friday evening throughout the summer at nearby Fort Fisher.

One of the “must-sees” of Carolina Beach summer vacations is the free “Film & Fireworks Series.” On Sunday evenings, visitors grab beach chairs or blankets and head over to Carolina Beach Lake Park for free, first-run, family-friendly movies. On Thursday nights, the place to be is on the beach, near the boardwalk, where there's a spectacular display of fireworks. And, any night of the week, families can take in the sights and sounds of Carolina Beach's classic seaside amusement park.

Whether combing the beach for shells or treasured sea glass or taking in all the shopping, dining and arcade activity along the boardwalk, there's something to engage and delight everyone. There are water sports galore including surfing, boating and fishing. Or enjoy a slightly slower pace of life at Carolina Beach Lake by renting a paddleboat, canoe or kayak. Landlubbers can enjoy a hike along the many scenic trails at Carolina Beach State Park or rent a surrey bike and pedal through the center of town. ...

For all shaggers and beach music fans, the 26th Annual Pleasure Island Beach Music Festival on June 4 is an opportunity to sway to the beat. Widely recognized as the biggest and only beach music festival actually held on the beach on the North Carolina coast, this fun festival is hosted by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. ...

With so much to see and do in Carolina Beach and its surrounding areas, it's no wonder visitors call it the summertime headquarters of sun, sand and smiles!

Click on the link at the top for more.

Surfing is big biz in CB

From the balcony of OBP, you can watch for hours the many surfers who make the trek to Carolina Beach. The stretch in front of our condo seems to be one of the most popular spots on the island for catching waves.

Apparently the influx of surfers is a great economic boon for the town, according to WECT.

Memorial Day weekend is considered the start of the summer tourist season, but it's starting early for local beachside businesses. ...

Carolina Beach already has a vibrant surfing community, but it's the out-of-town wave riders that make summer so profitable.

Do you love beach music?

Then the Cape Fear Coast is the place to be!

[B]oogie on down to Wilmington and North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast during the month of June for back-to-back weekends of beach music festivals. Two summer festivals will feature the best in beach music, a laid-back style of rhythm-and-blues with roots on the Carolina coast. On Saturday, June 4, Carolina Beach is the place to be during the 26th Annual Carolina Beach Music Festival. The following Saturday, June 11, the Battleship NORTH CAROLINA will host a Beach Music Festival at Battleship Park to celebrate the ship’s 50th Anniversary as a World War II attraction in Wilmington.

Kick up some sand at Carolina Beach on Saturday, June 4th during the 26th annual Carolina Beach Music Festival (formerly Pleasure Island Beach Music Festival). Held on the beach near the Carolina Beach Boardwalk between Harper and Hamlet Avenues, the annual summer music extravaganza features beach music where it originated—on the Carolina coast. The fun begins on Friday during a kickoff party with music by The Carolina Breakers and DJ Mike Worley at the Sea Witch Café & Tiki Bar. The Carolina Beach Music Festival gets rocking on Saturday at 11:00am with continuous live music until 4:30pm. This year’s bands include: Jim Quick & Coastline (11:00am); The Band of Oz (1:00pm); and The Fantastic Shakers (3:00pm). Gates open at 10:30am, so bring your chairs, sunscreen, beach blankets, and coolers (no glass; no pets) and spend the day enjoying classic beach tunes. The 26th Annual Carolina Beach Music Festival is presented by the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the gate (no refunds). Advance tickets (cash-only) are available at the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce (1121 N. Lake Park Blvd., Carolina Beach) and the following Carolina Beach businesses: Courtyard by Marriott, Olde Salty’s, the Silver Dollar, and Touchè. For details and online ticket purchases (credit card only), please visit www.pleasureislandnc.org/beachmusicfestival.asp or call 910-458-8434. A shag dance contest with over $4,000 in cash prizes follows on Saturday night at the Sea Witch Café & Tiki Bar. To register for the shag contest or to purchase contest tickets, call 910-231-8212. The party continues on Sunday at the Sea Witch with music by Soul Beam.