Trip Planner: USA / North Carolina / North Carolina Coast / Kure Beach / Fort Fisher State Historic Site

Fort Fisher State Historic Site, Kure Beach

4.6

#2 of 9 in Things to do in Kure Beach

Military Museum · Historic Site

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Fort Fisher State Historic Site tells the story of one of the most important fortifications of the Civil War and is the site of fierce naval and land battles. The Confederate fort, strategically placed at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, was crucial for protecting trading routes and keeping Confederate supply lines open. Capturing the fort known as the Southern Gibraltar was crucial for the Union, but it was only achieved in 1865 after two sieges. Little remains of the original earthen fort, but you can still see some of its parts and visit the restored gun batteries, archeological displays, and a monument to Confederate soldiers. Through exhibits and an audiovisual program, the visitor center provides information on the fort's history. If the weather is nice, plan to stop by the adjacent public beach for a swim. See Fort Fisher State Historic Site and all Kure Beach has to offer by arranging your trip with our Kure Beach day trip planning app.

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Fort Fisher State Historic Site reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating

512 reviews

Google

4.8

By KenA490

We went on a Friday morning and plenty of parking. Very nice welcome center with lots of interesting displays with information on the significance of the fort, how it was built, and the battle. We.... more

We went on a Friday morning and plenty of parking. Very nice welcome center with lots of interesting displays with information on the significance of the fort, how it was built, and the battle. We.... more »
By Jo A

Our guide, Ray, was excellent. He made all the difference for my hearing-impaired husband and the rest of our party. He had many stories to tell about the happening at Ft. Fisher that we all loved...

Our guide, Ray, was excellent. He made all the difference for my hearing-impaired husband and the rest of our party. He had many stories to tell about the happening at Ft. Fisher that we all loved... more »
By I7695GGjohnh

my wife is from North Carolina and when we came to visit the confederate museum the confederate flag was not flying she was so upset that she didn’t even want to go into the museum all she could say..... more

my wife is from North Carolina and when we came to visit the confederate museum the confederate flag was not flying she was so upset that she didn’t even want to go into the museum all she could say..... more »

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By Julie Hanneman

Really cool walk thru outdoor exhibit with lots of tangible historical perspectives. The indoor portion is really well done and very educational. Really impressive for a free, not for profit museum. It's a must-do experience if you're in the area.

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By D. Tyndall

It was such a beautiful day and we had such a great time. We went along and looked at our own pace, ended up spending 3 hours there. So glad we decided to go out and look around because that's where we ended up. Amazing history, very interesting place. Will go back again.

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By Pamela Poole

My family went on vacation in that area. We had a wonderful time & enjoyed the history information & pictures. The walking trail was very nice too. I'm handicap & have to use a cane due to mobility issues. The walk was enjoyable & had a trail that was flat enough to walk. There were benches throughout the area for me to sir down & catch my breath & rest my legs. This is a wonderful place for all ages & different physical strength & weaknesses.

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By lifecode.

We were waiting for our ticket time at the aquarium. This area was right before you turn into the aquarium and you climb down some rocks! Highly recommend stopping! The beach was beautiful! Tons of unique sea shells!

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By Mark

Just an amazing park and historic site to visit. Full of history from the Civil War to WWII. Throwin bird watching and oceans and sand,and you can't go wrong. Nice little gift shop as well,admission is free.

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