From Corolla to Carolina Beach, these are the top places to vacation on the coast.
North Carolina has more than 300 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline and countless communities dotted along it. Many of these laid-back beach towns seem tailor-made for vacations: Time moves slower, itineraries are flexible, and the only decision to make is what to eat for dinner. The tricky part is deciding which part of the coast to visit in the first place.
Some travelers prefer the Outer Banks, while others like to retreat to the Wilmington area in the summer. Then there are the Brunswick Islands, a collection of barrier islands with tiny towns and wide beaches that feel a world away from urban life. To help you choose, we asked locals to weigh in on the best beach towns in North Carolina.
If the phrase “North Carolina beach town” conjures up images of towering sand dunes, you may be thinking of Nags Head. A longtime favorite, the barrier island town is the ideal base camp for exploring other Outer Banks towns and nearby points of interest—like Hatteras and Roanoke islands. If you want to stay in town for your entire trip, that’s okay, too. It's charming in its own right, with miles of sandy shoreline and over 40 public beach access points. You can easily spend each day in a beach chair with a good book or venture out to discover the aforementioned dunes—the East Coast's tallest—at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Here, you’ll likely see other visitors flying kites, kiteboarding, and windsurfing.
“Salvo is one of the most scenic and rural untouched beach areas I have ever visited,” says Dean Neff, chef and co-owner of Seabird in Wilmington. Technically a census-designated place with a population of just over 200, Salvo has a few small grocers, tackle shops, and an art gallery—but that’s about it. “Off the beaten path and just north of an uninhabited section of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, it’s the ideal place to unplug and get in touch with nature. It’s just you, the beach, and the water," he says. "And at night I've never seen so many stars."
There is perhaps no North Carolina beach destination as fit for family vacations as Duck, the northernmost town on the Outer Banks. Travelers of all ages can take advantage of the Duck Boardwalk that stretches for a mile along the Currituck Sound, paddleboard and bike rentals from Duck Village Outfitters, and the selection of beach reads from Duck's Cottage & Downtown Books. As far as accommodations, you have a few options. Those with larger groups should consider renting a beach house from Southern Shores Realty or booking a room at Sanderling Resort for more luxurious amenities. No matter where you choose to stay, you absolutely shouldn't leave Duck without grabbing a fresh doughnut from the original Duck Donuts.
Romantic Beaufort, pronounced “bow-fert,” is a historic fishing village with easy access to the water, a walkable downtown, and a roster of local restaurants you’ll remember long after your vacation. To fuel your tour of the Beaufort Historical District—or a day on the beach—pop into Beaufort Grocery Co. for pancakes and a BeauGro Bloody Mary, if it’s that kind of morning. For lunch, Black Sheep makes great pizzas, but you’ll definitely want to save room for something sweet from Beaufort Creamery. Travelers who like to learn something on their travels can spend an hour at the North Carolina Maritime Museum on Front Street or take a boat-building class at Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center.
“If you’re looking for something a bit more remote, I recommend Carolina Beach,” says Neff, who says the beach town has “lots of character.” In classic seaside fashion, the Carolina Beach Boardwalk is populated with carnival games, amusement rides, and street-food vendors. For a bit more nature, you can head to Carolina Beach State Park to kayak, stand-up paddleboard, and see the cool carnivorous Venus flytrap. After working up an appetite, follow Neff’s suggestions and have some of the famous glazed doughnuts from Britt’s Donut Shop or a fish sandwich from The Sandspur.
Neff recommends Wrightsville Beach to anyone who feels at home on the water—or is interested in local shopping, casual eats, and fresh seafood. ‘[I] like Adapt Kitchen & Juice Bar for tuna poke bowls, juices, and good coffee—and if you are looking for a more rowdy beach bar scene, Red Dogs is the place,” Neff says. “I also love Motts Channel, an amazing family-owned seafood market right on the water that sells all kinds of local fish, like hogfish when it's in season. I like to enter through the back loading dock so I can chat up the mongers about what they just brought in.”
For Ryan Shelton and Josh Lemke, North Carolina locals and owners of a vacation rental they call Beach Please, one of the top beach towns is Oak Island thanks to its dog-friendly nature. “Dogs are welcome, on a leash, anytime,” says Shelton. With or without your pooch, you can spend your days lounging on the beach, traversing the town’s bike paths, or fishing from Oak Island Pier. Come mealtime, Lemke says you have a few options: “Make your own coastal shrimp boil or visit Koko Cabana, Salt 64, or Ruby's, which are some of our locally owned favorite restaurants.” And while summer is a highlight on Oak Island, they recommend coming in the spring and fall, when “you’ll have milder temperatures and breathtaking sunrises and sunsets.”
You can stay as busy or do as little as you want when visiting Corolla, an Outer Banks village tucked between the Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. If you fall into the former category, start by booking a two-hour adventure with Corolla Wild Horse Tours, whose guides will help you witness the magic of the area’s wild horses (which are descendants of colonial Spanish mustangs). Other popular spots include the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, where you can climb the 220 steps to the top, and Whalehead, a yellow, 1920s-era mansion-turned-museum. Finally, no trip to Corolla is complete without catching some rays on Corolla Beach, exploring Historic Corolla Village, and enjoying a platter from Corolla Village Bar-B-Que.
“Only 15 minutes from Oak Island, Southport has a quaint main street for shopping, and there are great restaurants on the water,” says Shelton. If you’re craving Southern fare and fresh seafood, he says you can’t miss the “absolute gem” Mister P's Bistro. Outside of its culinary scene, Southport leans heavily into its role as a picture-perfect harbor town (it’s located where the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean converge). In fact, you may even recognize it as the setting of a few movies and TV shows, including "Safe Haven” and The Summer I Turned Pretty. To properly get your bearings, book a room at the historic bed-and-breakfast Robert Ruark Inn and request a tour from the owner, who can highlight film locations and other points of interest.
If you’re staying on the southern coast of North Carolina, you might as well hop over to the Brunswick Islands for a change in scenery. Lemke recommends taking the ferry from Southport to Bald Head Island. While it’s not your typical beach town, the village is one of the most unique and relaxing destinations in the state. Home to North Carolina’s oldest continuously operating lighthouse, Old Baldy, Bald Head Island is car-free and best explored by golf cart or bike, both of which can be rented on the island. “Cruise around in your rented golf cart, climb the lighthouse, play golf, and enjoy the expansive beautiful beach,” he says. “The ferry ride alone is worth the adventure.”