The beach towns that surround Wilmington, North Carolina are clean, have soft sand, perfect little waves, and nostalgic piers. The water is warm for a large portion of the year, swimming was great in March. It was a common sight to see dolphins and plenty of sea birds. Restaurants and beach facilities are accessible. So which one to choose?
+Wrightsville Beach is the closest to Wilmington, but therefore the most popular! Crowded and no free parking means count me out.
+Carolina Beach is next, an absolutely charming place with a beautiful boardwalk boasting swings and covered sitting areas.
The downfall here is if you aren’t staying in the community, there is no free parking to be found! It is great especially for sunset, when the meters are no longer running.
And of course you do have to make a stop at this beach town at some point for Brits Donuts, but that’s a whole other subject.
+Fort Fisher Beach was just a bit too far on a normal day from where I was staying, but the one time I did visit it was wonderful! The beach is wider than the rest and goes on for miles.
I saw many dolphins frolicking in the waves.
This is a must to add for a perfect day when visiting the state historic site and state park hiking trails.
+Kure Beach was the one for me. I found that it’s pronounced curry, not cure, how I imagined in my head. Walking the Atlantic Ave Boardwalk was always a pleasure.
The beach houses are kept so nicely, couldn’t help but to stop and smell the beach roses.
Perhaps March is off season for most locals and tourists, but it was relatively quiet. You can walk for miles on this stretch of beach, don’t miss the pier.
It’s free to take a walk down and looking out at the green ocean is mesmerizing.
This idyllic slice of paradise almost had me feeling as if I could pack my bags and move to the Carolinas.