Recently, my fellow teachers and I took our seventh grade classes on an extended day field trip to Fort Fisher State Park in the Kure Beach area of North Carolina.

The kids had a blast checking out the aquarium at Fort Fisher. There are otters, sharks, seahorses and even a bald Eagle.

The NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher is opened 9-5 daily. Tickets are available for 12.95 ages 13 and up, and 10.50 ages 3-12. NC Zoo members get in free.

Next, we explored Fort Fisher State Historic Site, a Civil War battleground.

The visitor center is currently closed due to construction, but you can take the walking tour for free. The canons and mounds are really neat: just don’t climb on either one of them.

There is also a really neat “bush maze” near the monument you can walk through. It’s literally a giant mass of bushes that has made a living maze.

Just wear long pants to escape the briars and watch out for snakes.

Of course, you can always go out on the beach. At the Fort Fisher Visitor Center, there is a very nice grilling and picnic area to enjoy. The beach is also dog friendly, so you can bring Fido, too.

And you’re only a stones throw away from Kure Beach with its shops and restaurants, and a short drive from the USS North Carolina Battleship.

Next time you visit the North Carolina coast, you should definitely check out Fort Fisher. It’s educational and fun.